Ship Ordered To Chathams

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31462, 31 August 1967, Page 12

Ship Ordered To Chathams

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, August 30.

The Marine Department’s fisheries technology vessel, W. J. Scott, will be withdrawn temporarily from its purseseining programme near Gisborne to assist with assessing the state of the Chathams Islands fishing industry.

Announcing this today, the Minister of Marine (Mr Scott) said that while on passage to the Chathams the vessel would act as escort for any fishing boats making the voyage. The Minister said that the upsurge in the crayfish industry at the Chathams had created problems for the industry, both at the Chathams and in New Zealand, and for the Marine Department in its administrative role.

“The W. J. Scott will go to the Chathams early in September fully equipped for purse-seining operations and it will be specifically staffed so that the current state of the industry at the islands can be fully assessed,” said the Minister. “In view of the importance of the mission, the Secretary of Marine, Mr R. N. Kerr, will accompany the W. J. Scott together with a senior fisheries scientist.” (Interested parties will be advised) of sailing dates.

Any owners of vessels contemplating a voyage to the Chathams in the near future should get in touch with the Superintendent of Mercantile Marine at Lyttelton, said Mr Scott.