JAPANESE LINE WITHIN MILE

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30842, 30 August 1965, Page 1

JAPANESE LINE WITHIN MILE

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, August 29. One of the Japanese fishing lines confiscated by the Fisheries Protection launch, Maroro, on Friday was set within a mile of the Kaipara coast, a Navy spokesman said today.

The other came to within 1 mile of the coast, and when the crew of the Maroro hauled them in to make certain that the dories were actually fishing within the three-mile limit each line had snapper, kahawai and other varieties of fish on the hooks. Giving details of the capture, the Navy also revealed that six Japanese dories were sighted within the limit although only three were positively identified.

While the Maroro was dealing with two of the dories, the others sailed beyond the three-mile limit. The fisheries protection launch put in to Onehunga

after confiscating the two lines and 400 to 500 fish. The captain of the Maroro is making a report for the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake). The Prime Minister said that as soon as the official report was received from Lieu-tenant-Commander D. H. Davies, captain of the Maroro, the matter would be taken up with the Japanese Government.

The dories’ position was plotted by radar, 2.4 miles offshore. The craft made off towards the open sea when contacted by loud halier, leaving their lines behind. Two lines, plus 400 to 500 freshly caught fish were taken aboard the Maroro. No arrests were made.

A local fishing vessel Is reported to have spotted the dories late on Thursday afternoon. Commander Davies said today he received a radio message soon after leaving Russell. After a dash down the coast in heavy rain, he sighted the mother ship about noon on Friday. Bad visibility hampered the search, but two dories were spotted four miles from the coast, then two more within territorial waters. These were given a warning. “I do not know whether they understood English. They probably didn’t, but it was a matter of gesticulation. “They waved to us and headed towards the open sea.”