The Press SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 1963. Legislating For The Fishing Industry

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30200, 3 August 1963, Page 10

The Press SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 1963. Legislating For The Fishing Industry

The legislation to stimulate economic expansion of the fishing industry promised by the Minister of Marine (Mr Gerard) will be awaited with keen interest. The report of the Select Committee presented to Parliament last December—the most thorough investigation of its kind for many years—showed a great deal to be amiss with the fishing industry, which was not taking opportunities to expand home and overseas markets. Interest in the industry has been stimulated by the success of Japanese trawlers fishing New Zealand waters and by the projected entry of Australian fishing boats. Mr Gerard hopes that his legislation will enable New’ Zealand interests “to fish “ our own fishing grounds “ ourselves, to encourage “ our own industry and “ fishermen to exploit the ** opportunities they have ”.

Much will have to be done if this desirable objective is to be achieved. New Zealand is an advanced country in its research and services for its industries based on grasslands; it is very backward in research and services designed to extract riches from the sea. For this, as for other ills of the fishing industry, excessive protectionism is largely responsible. An industry that is closed in many respects and restrictive in others is not one to encourage public interest in providing research and services. It is to be hoped that Mr Gerard’s legislation will incorporate the Select Committee’s recommendation to relax licensing which, in the words of the chairman of the Select Committee (Mr W. J. Scott), gave existing fishermen a vested interest

rin keeping newcomers out, and power to do so. Something must also be done to loosen the bonds which tie fishermen, wholesalers, and retailers, one to the other. Methods must be devised to safeguard quality and especially to avoid waste of good fish. The protective system has permitted the export of fish too poor in quality to find a ready market in New Zealand —to the detriment of New Zealand’s reputation in Australia.

Good edible fish of lesserknown species have been thrown overboard for want of a little sales promotion. Mr Gerard intends to go further than the Select Committee recommended. Instead of an advisory board, he prefers a fish board which will have power to promote the economic expansion of the industry and the right to control quality at all stages. If the board is to be an effective promotional agency

it must have finance. The Government should not be cheese-paring in this respect. Here, obviously, is an industry which can be expanded only by investment. and one which should be capable of substantial returns on invested capital. The Select Committee took the diverse interests in the industry (which could never reach agreement, according to Mr Scott) into account when it recommended that there should not be a majority of industry representatives on the proposed development board. The Minister should give weight to this recommendation in Jhe constitution of his fishery board, which should contribute valuably to the better utilisation of resources that have been neglected too long.