Company’s Attempt At Tuna Catching

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29783, 28 March 1962, Page 15

Company’s Attempt At Tuna Catching

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Mar. 27.

J. Wattie Cannenes, Ltd., Gidbome, had been trying to obtain supplies of tuna for canning for the last three years but had not made much headway, the assistant managing director of the company (Mr G. Wattie) told the Pariamentary Select Committee on the fishing industry today. He said it appeared obvious that tuna was plentiful along the coast because of the frequent visits from Japanese boats.

While not owning a fishing boat nor having anyone available with tuna fishing experience, the company had been handicapped. However, last August it bought the Olwyn for tuna fishing and appointed Mr D. W. Phillips as skipper. Mr Phillips, an American, had had experience fishing for tuna in Central America and South America in both bait fishing and trawling methods.

Tuna fishing was begun in December in the Mahia-East Cape area. Immediately the company ran into its major problem—finding and catching the living bait. Tuna appeared to be particularly abundant and when the bait problem was overcome substantial quantities of tuna w'ould be caught. The tuna industry could be assisted in becoming estab-

lished a great deal sooner if the Government would consider the chartering of an Australian tuna boat. This would provide assistance to the company’s boat and bring the experience of an Australian skipper and crew into the field.

The company would be prepared to buy the tuna caught at the prices the Australian boats normally received. Tuna fishing and processing should be controlled as little as possible, he said. It should be free for all to enter. Mr Wattie said that the company considered Gisborne to be well sited for a fishery post as the grounds from Gisborne to East Cape were very productive. Trawling licences should be granted freely if boats and fishermen were to be available to develop the fish processing Industry. Boats were an expensive item of equipment and unfortunately their value was normally inflated when they were sold with a trawling licence.

Also, the company believed that trawlers should be permitted to land their cacthes at any port, particularly if fish were to be processed and caused no interference with the retail marketing of fresh fish, Mr Wattie said.