Fishing Areas Protection

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30388, 12 March 1964, Page 16

Fishing Areas Protection

(From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, March 11. Legislation to protect considerable extra areas of continental shelf from foreign fishing may reach Parliament this year. A bill is believed to be in prospect which would authorise the drawing of “base lines” no more than 24 miles long between any two coastal points.

Taken under an existing international convention on “the territorial sea and contiguous zone,’ ’ such action would not require international agreement. It could effectively close the Hauraki Gulf and similar indented areas which are not fully protected by the existing three-mile territorial limit. The Government has already begun tentative negotiations with Japan on an over-all extension of territorial limits. The Minister of Marine (Mr Scott) is eager to open conversations with Australia, too. As a prelude to wider talks, he has called for an up-to-date survey of the situation from the External Affairs Department. “Steps have been taken to initiate discussions for an extension of territorial waters,” he said today. “Although complete international agreement has not been possible in previous years, others are now moving toward a sixmile limit“Some agreement on this has already been reached in Europe. Canada has served notice that it will seek mutual agreements but is ! prepared to discuss the matter on a wider basis. We may move similarly. The climate seems to be favourable.” Some official estimates suggest that up to 80 per cent of New Zealand-caught fish is taken outside the threemile limit. Mr Scott Last week held talks with a leading Japanese fish packer, in which he suggested that the Japanese buy fish from New Zealand, rather than send fleets of fishing boats each with 45 to 47 men in them, 6000 miles south and back There are some prospects of a trial purchase by Japan. It is also understood that a Scottish ' packer has inquired about buying and processing fish in the Dominion.

Officials believe a total of some £2 million is currently being invested in new fishing boats in New Zealand and that the bigger yield of fish to be expected soon will provide export capacity for such deals.