Fishing Grant Approved

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30855, 14 September 1965, Page 4

Fishing Grant Approved

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, September 13.

The Cabinet has approved a grant of up to £15,000 for this year towards administration costs of the Fishing Industry Board, the Minister of Marine (Mr Scott) announced today.

The grant would help to cover costs of administration while the board’s income from the levy on the fishing industry was fully expended on priority activities in development and expansion of the industry, Mr Scott said.

These included market exploration, publicity and sales promotion, work on the control of quality standards and other projects. An amendment to the Fishing Industry Board act to enable the grant to be used for administration expenses will be introduced this session, and provision will be made on the Marine Department Estimates.

Mr Scott said the Fishtag Industry Board Act provided for a sum of up to £50,000 as a grant by the Government towards initial costs of the board in its first year. About £35,000 of this sum was spent, including about £lB,OOO on demonstrating new fishtag gear and methods, and fund exploration. “From the beginning of tills year the fishing industry has contributed a levy of about 1 per cent on the landed value of fish towards the board’s costs ,and this is estimated to be about £28,000 for the whole year,” the Minister said. “The board will need about £45,000, however, for its planned work, and the Government is making a grant towards the balance to enable the board to get on with essential tasks.”

The levy is paid by fishermen and wholesalers at the

rate of Id in the £ value of fish bought from wholesalers. “This grant to the Fishing Industry Board is a further step towards the development of New Zealand’s fisheries resources, and the Government is confident that it will be of material assistance to the board in its current programme.”