Papua New Guinea is to benefit from a 2.2 million US dollar European Union grant for a marine conservation program.
The program covers waters and beaches from Papua Province in Indonesia, along PNG's northern coast and across the New Guinea Islands down to the Solomon Islands where turtles, particularly the endangered leatherback, are known to nest.
The PNG manager of the World Wildlife Fund, Michael Avosa, says PNG and its neighbours are extremely fortunate to have such a rich and pristine coastal and marine habitat.
He says the environment could provide the basis for economic opportunities for coastal communities including eco-tourism and other sustainable ventures.
