Marine Tenure and Rights to Resources in the Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea

Abstract

"Property rights and marine tenure have a crucial bearing on questions of resource sustainability for the MBP and there is a need to understand how institutions help users cope with resource use problems, particularly in a changing political, ecological and social world. Traditionally, when everyone got all the fish they wanted, rights and boundaries were often hazily defined as there was no need for great precision. Growing harvesting pressure on marine resources is linked to the consequences of the process of commercialisation of these resources and in most areas has led to increased frequency of disputes over ownership rights.

"All these disputes over access to marine resources, and territories are very signficant and will be of major importance in the context of any conservation-related activities that CI tries to implement. Emphasis may need to be put on supporting any programs relating to demarcation of marine territories and on encouraging the resource owners to exploit the resources within their sustainable limits."