FISHING INDUSTRY Major Changes Recommended

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29994, 1 December 1962, Page 12

FISHING INDUSTRY Major Changes Recommended

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter]

WELLINGTON, November 30

The main decisions of the Parliamentary committee on the fishing industry are that the existing licensing system for commercial fishing be abolished, with the introduction of a registration system to ensure safety, manning and recording requirements and the replacement of the Fishing Industry Advisory Council by a fishing industry board of seven members.

In its report to Parliament today, the committee recommended that the new board be concerned with the problems of economic production, the marketing and inspection of fish, and co-ordination and expansion of the industry.

Most of the committee’s other recommendations were directed towards the expansion of the industry, the increase of the local market and exports, the lowering of prices to the consumer, and measures for research and conservation.

The committee sat on 46 days for 239 hours during’the year it has been inquiring into the industry. It received submissions from 110 individuals and organisations and heard 138 witnesses in support of these, as well as witnesses who made only oral submissions.

In addition to the development board, a fisheries advisory committee should be set up, said the report. The fishing board should consist of three representatives of the industry, with an independent chairman who, like three other independent members, should have no financial interest in the industry.

The research committee should consist of equal numbers of departmental, industrial and scientific representatives to advise the permanent head of the Marine Department on the broad lines to be followed by an expanded fisheries research organisation.

Provision should be made for research in the handling, processing and storage of fish, said the committee. Direct Sales

On the marketing of fish, the committee said that no action should be taken to stop the direct sale of fish by fishermen to the public, and it called for the uniform naming of fish with regard to the effect of names on local and export markets. The committee concluded that there was room for increased fish sales on the local market, need for active selling campaigns, more adequate supplies and a greater variety for which it believed a demand could be established

“There is a lack of competitive selling at wholesale and retail price levels,” said the report. The committee also made recommendations under these headings: Quality.— The Health Department should make more frequent inspections of premises, of handling arrangements and processing. Quality standards should be fixed for export fish.

Technology.—Waste should be eliminated and uses for less popular fish and by-pro-ducts developed.

Exports.— Exporters should be encouraged, especially in the Australian market, by ensuring a regular trade, not just -surplus disposal, with regulations to safeguard the local supplies. Production Costs.— The proposed board should consider larger fishing units, full use of catches, cheaper finance, mechanical processing and the removal of restrictive methods as ways to reduce costs.

Survey And Manning Scale. —The hull, machinery and equipment, other than fishing gear, of vessels over 40ft should be annually surveyed. Two years hence, consideration should be given to surveying 30ft vessels, and five years hence to vessels of 20ft. Finance.— The Government should ensure alternative finance sources to permit more fishermen to become independent opera-tors, perhaps through the proposed industrial finance corporation. (The committee noted that most fishermen financed equipment through merchants which annually involved agreements to supply fish to particular merchants.) Crayfish.— Tailing should cease. Pots might be redesigned. Export tails should be at least 6in long and whole crayfish for export at least Win long. Dredge Oysters.— Licensing should be abolished. Foveaux Strait conservation should be achieved by an over-all quota according to the potential of the beds. Distribution should be as wide as possible, one-third of the catch being offered as sack oysters to other than opening factories. Only cooked and canned oysters (as at present), and not more than 25 per cent, of these, should be exported. Toheroa.— While stocks persist in a healthy state full use of them should be made, with a personal quota for gatherers and an increased penalty for out-of-season gathering. Tuna.— lnvestigations should be begun on the abundance of tuna and on the recognition of conditions in which they appear, with experimental fishing to demonstrate the potential and methods of catching them. Other recommendations concerned the encouragement at eel exports; the conservation of whitebait; favourable consideration for a new wharf at Milford Sound; and a survey of Chatham Islands' fishing grounds.