Fisheries & the blue economy

Industry overview

PNG’s fisheries encompass industrial tuna, coastal and reef fisheries, river fishing and aquaculture. The industry serves export markets, domestic food needs and household livelihoods. The National Fisheries Authority identifies tuna as the largest fishery, combining domestic industry development with foreign fishing access arrangements.

Products & value chains

Commercial activity includes catching, landing, chilling, processing, canning and exporting fish. Coastal fisheries and inland catches also move through local food markets. Sea cucumber, prawns and other marine products have distinct management and market requirements; they should not be treated as a single unrestricted resource.

People & places

Coastal communities, island provinces and Sepik river communities participate in different parts of the sector. Industrial facilities connect fisheries to shipping, power supply, cold storage, food safety and manufacturing. Small-scale fisheries need handling and market solutions suited to local conditions.

Opportunities & challenges

Retaining more processing value in PNG can support jobs and supplier businesses. Competitive power, reliable freight, food safety compliance and access to export markets are essential. Sustainable harvest rules, monitoring and enforcement protect the resource on which future income depends.

Current perspective

NFA’s industry overview sets out the breadth of the fishery and the drive towards domestic value creation. FAO’s Sepik programme adds a complementary view of riverine and coastal livelihoods. Figures for catch, access revenue and processed exports measure different things and should be compared carefully.

Sources & further reading