A community leader in Papua New Guinea's Madang province says there remains a lack of information available to locals about the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone.
Fishing vessels, both modern and traditional, in the Madang lagoon, Papua New Guinea; site of the planned Pacific Marine Industrial Zone. Photo: RNZI / Johnny Blades
The planned PMIZ project has been in the pipeline for years without ever yet getting off the ground.
However the government recently signalled its full commitment to the project which aims to build up to ten fish canneries and other industrial facilities around a port complex on the Madang Lagoon.
Sir Angmai Bilas, a chief of Rivo village, whose people use the lagoon for fishing, says there is some support for the project.
"But the problem is that they didn't give any good information or protection of the environment of the people, and to protect the lagoon of Madang so small fishermen can get their fish. They think about if the PMIZ is operating, it will be very difficult to get their own small fishing."
