Trespassing Japanese Ship Ordered Home

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30678, 18 February 1965, Page 1

Trespassing Japanese Ship Ordered Home

(N.Z.P.A.- Reuter —Copyright) TOKYO, February 17. The Japanese fishing boat with dories which has been recalled to Japan after a protest by the New Zealand Government that it had been fishing in New Zealand waters will be ordered to be tied up at its home port for a time and have its licence to fish in waters near New Zealand withdrawn if Japanese Investigations confirm the offence.

The Japanese Government Fisheries Agency, which gave this information to'day, said that the ship had been ordered home immediately after the complaint from New Zealand was received.

The Japanese boat was seen on Tuesday about threequarters of a mile off the coast, from two fishing boats. Local fishermen said she was heading south at high speed near the mouth of the Parengarenga harbour in the far north.

On Sunday, an R.N.Z.A.F. Sunderland observed three dories from the vessel operating within the three-mile territorial limit. A Kaikohe detective went to the area on Tuesday, and it is believed that he was getting first-hand information on sightings of the vessel. Rumours that Japanese have landed in the far north

have not .been substantiated. Japanese fishermen are known to have landed at North Cape more than a year ago, and to have swum and cooked shellfish there. The Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) said in Gisborne today that the Japanese Government had acted promptly in recalling the offending ship. Mr Holyoake said that if Russian trawlers were caught fishing within the three-mile limit action would be taken

by the New Zealand Government.

When asked what this action would be, Mr Holyoake said that it would be the same as that which every other Government of the world would take if ships from another nation fished in its waters.

The Prime Minister added that nothing had been gained from the Russians as far as fishery research was concerned but that the Japanese had been very helpful.