Fishermen Support Territorial Bill

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30822, 6 August 1965, Page 1

Fishermen Support Territorial Bill

The New Zealand Federation of Commercial Fishermen would support the Wholesale Fish Merchants’ Association in its efforts to extend the territorial sea limits, but it would not support the association in its efforts to have the Territorial Fishing Zone Bill withdrawn, said the secretary of the federation (Mr J. P. Davies) yesterday. He was commenting on a report of a meeting of the council of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday evening when Mr M. L. Newman, a local fish wholesaler, said his association had asked the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) to withdraw the bill. “Anything the wholesalers can do to protect New Zealand waters for the New Zealand fisherman will have the federation’s full support,” said Mr Davies. The federation wanted the bill to become law. Then the further extension of territor-

i ial waters could be sought. “The federation has been fighting since 1951 for extension and this is the first time a bill has been brought forward. If it is withdrawn we shall have to start all over again,” said Mr Davies. The bill did not contain all the fishermen had asked for or wanted, but it was better than nothing, he added. Part of the success or not of gaining further extensions would depend on fishermen making full use of gains contained in the bill. “Do not let us throw away the substance for the shadow,” said Mr Davies. . In reply Mr Newman said the wholesalers had not asked for the complete withdrawal of the bill. “We wanted it withdrawn from the first reading only so that its defects could be remedied before it came before Parlia ment again," he said. “I can assure Mr Davies that we only want to alter and improve the bill,” he added.