Now Russian Fishermen

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31333, 1 April 1967, Page 12

Now Russian Fishermen

Expressing alarm at the thought of Russian fishermen off New Zealand’s coast will not do any good. The prospect of more intense competition for the fish ought to stimulate the maximum effort in New Zealand to enlarge our own catch. Nor is anything to be gained by reminding the Russians of New Zealand’s claim to off-shore fishing waters. The Soviet legation in Wellington has assured New Zealand that Russia’s Far East fishing fleet will respect our 12-mile territorial fishing zone. This is good; for, however proper our legislation concerning the zone may be and however much our action is reinforced by similar legislation by other countries, New Zealand’s means to police our fishing waters are very slender. We have discovered this during the disagreement with Japan. In seeking a “phase-out” agreement with Japan, New Zealand gives away nothing of its argument for the 12-mile limit Were a decision now awaited from the International Court the Russians, too, might feel justified in poaching in the fishing waters we have claimed for ourselves. Mr Shliapnikov surely must have had his tongue in his cheek when he said that Russia’s relations with New Zealand would be better if Russian fishermen could share with the Japanese the proposed privilege of a “phase-out” period. New Zealand fishermen would answer that suggestion; and so might the Japanese. For, if a programme of withdrawal from New Zealand’s fishing zone can be agreed upon with the Japanese Government, Japan will, in effect, be acknowledging the 12-mile limit. At present Japan might not contest Russian encroachment It will be far better for our relations with both countries if they accept the limit. The instruction to the Russian fleet is a good move towards this.