4.4(b)(i) Transshipment Exemption – Papua New Guinea

Processors, traders, importers, transporters, marketers and others involved in the seafood industry may conduct transactions with those purse seine vessels that engage in transshipments in archipelagic waters of Papua New Guinea.

This exemption applies only to:

• Vessels with carrying capacity ≤ 600mt; and
• that fish only in the archipelagic waters of PNG; and
• that are based in PNG and are associated with processing facilities in PNG.

The above vessels are allowed to transship on to carrier vessels that must go to a PNG port for either offloading or for transshipping in port under strict monitoring controls. These carrier vessels are not allowed to take the catch directly from PNG archipelagic waters to a foreign port.

Under PNG regulations, the vessels shall operate under the following conditions:

1. Prior notification of transshipment is sent to the PNG National Fisheries Authority (information on the catcher and carrier vessels, date and time of transshipment, and quantities by species).
2. One hundred percent observer coverage on the catcher vessel. The observer verifies the transshipment details.
3. VMS coverage on both the carrier and catcher vessels.

A Freezer Vessel’s Fish Origin Declaration Form (with details about the date, place of transshipment and fish quantities) is filled by the carrier vessel for each transshipment, with the forms being submitted to the National Fisheries Authority. The form requires signatures/verification from officers in the catcher and carrier vessel as well as PNG port authorities.