The Government of Papua New Guinea has developed this National Marine Spill
Contingency Plan (NATPLAN) as part of its commitment to protecting its and our
valuable coastal and marine resources from the threat of marine pollution
incidents.
NATPLAN has been developed to reflect the essential steps necessary to initiate,
conduct and terminate an emergency spill response on, or into the navigable
waters of Papua New Guinea, on the adjoining shorelines, the waters of the
contiguous zone or into waters of the exclusive economic zone.
In 1981, the Isabel provincial government first recognized the importance of the Arnavon Islands as a nesting ground for Hawksbill turtles, and designated the islands as a Wildlife
Sanctuary. At that time, however, the government did not adequately recognize the local communities' rights and the project failed. In 1989, the South Pacific Regional Environment
Programme (SPREP) collaborated with the Solomon Islands government and the Ministry of Natural Resources (now the Ministry of Forestry, Environment and Conservation or MFEC) to