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Final <strong>Report</strong>
RoO Derogation under the PACP-IEPA
In general, most complaints of an environmental nature have been directed at food processing
activities either on, or near, the Madang Lagoon. These activities involve Vidar fishing port, the Siar
cannery, and a meat packing plant adjacent to the airport, just north of Madang town. Other sites in
PNG (i.e. Lae city, Malahang, Wewak) have thus far attracted little attention, possibly because of
their location in, or adjacent, to heavily developed urban areas. However, this does not dismiss the
possibility of environmental issues existing at these locations.
The Madang Lagoon is a 20km-long body of water, 50 km 2 in extent, that stretches between Madang
town and Sek harbor in the north, is dotted with islands and reefs, and has an outer barrier of reef
and islands. The area has long been designated a priority area for its outstanding conservation
values. Environmental monitoring activity has been carried out for around ten years, mostly under
the direction of WWF. Five wildlife management areas (WMAs) have been established, under the
Flora and Fauna Protection Act, and are regularly monitored. Water quality monitoring (WQM) was
conducted extensively over a five year period (2003-2008). 107
The lagoon is threatened not just by food processing activity, but also “coastal population growth,
intensive agriculture, urban development and intense logging activities, aggravated by minimal
planning for waste disposal and the lack of water purification systems”. 108 There have been plans to
develop an Environment Management Plan (EMP) or Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan for
the lagoon but this has yet to eventuate. WWF is in the process of preparing a State of the Lagoon
<strong>Report</strong> due to be completed by the end of 2011, which will draw together and synthesize all
monitoring and investigative work carried out over the last ten years. It is hoped this will produce a
series of recommendations which may catalyse the development of an EMP for the Madang Lagoon,
backed by the Madang Provincial Government.
The only quantitative published information currently available reports on WMQ sampling
109
conducted over a one year period during 2002-2003. At that time, the lagoon was reported to be
in generally pristine condition, despite repeated reports of oils spills from the northern end of the
lagoon. Signs of pollution were identified near the Siar cannery and the meat packing plant, but not
at Vidar/Sek Harbour. Further information is expected to be available in the SLR, but it is likely that
the Siar situation has improved with the installation of the RDTC’s state of the art waste water
treatment plant since that time.
There seems little doubt that some environmental issues have arisen in association with the
operation of the tuna processing facilities in PNG, especially in the early days of operation of plants.
In few cases have breaches or concerns been carefully documented, and it difficult to quantify the
extent of any problems and environmental damage caused, either temporary or permanent.
There has been some criticism of the role of DEC in the monitoring process, and the perceived lack
110
or response to verbal complaints. There is, however, also recognition that DEC is under-resourced
and with limited presence on the ground at provincial level. As result, requirements to minimize
environmental impacts associated with the plants and unloading points have been largely selfpolicing,
through the application of comprehensive WMPs, in particular.
Although environmental impacts in the Madang area have been relatively well documented in
qualitative terms at least, information is generally lacking for other sites and monitoring or
107 Bualia, WWF, pers.comm., September 2011.
108 Benet-Monico et al. 2006.
109 Benet-Monico et al., 2006.
110 Various verbal opinions communicated throughout PNG stakeholder consultation, September 2011.
Linpico s.a.r.l. Page 76