Cut In Crayfish Levy Sought

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31987, 14 May 1969, Page 1

Cut In Crayfish Levy Sought

(New Zealand Tress Association) WELLINGTON, May 13. A deputation from the fishing industry, representing fishermen, wholesalers and boat owners, today met the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Seath) to express dissatisfaction with the increased levy on crayfish tail exports from the Chatham Islands.

In January, before the visit to the islands by a Ministerial party, regulations were gazetted which provided a 4 cents per lb levy on crayfish exports compared with the previous $8 a ton—an increase of almost 1000 per cent The increase, made in response to demands from the Chatham Islands County Council, which claimed that the islands were not benefiting from the crayfish boom, will be used to finance harbour development and facilities and amenities for crayfishermen. The council does not collect rates and its only revenue comes from export and import levies. The 15-man deputation comprised representatives of the Federation of Commercial Fishermen, the Wholesalers’ Association, and the Boat Owners’ Association. With Mr Seath was the Minister of Marine (Mr Scott). After the meeting Mr Seath speaking on behalf of all parties, said he had been asked by the deputation to arrange discussions on the new levy with the council. "I agreed to recommend to the council that the dis-

cussions should begin as soon as possible.” The fishing interests considered that the levy was too great in relation to the council’s immediate proposals to provide harbour facilities. The fishermen would like to have some say in the amenities and harbour facilities which the council planned to provide, he said. A spokesman for the deputation, the secretary of the Wholesalers’ Association and Boat Owners’ Association, Mr L Hamilton, would not comment on the meeting. Copies of the proposed crayfish regulations, brief details of which were announced by Mr Scott in January, have been received by the fishing industry. Mr Hamilton said representatives of the industry would meet in Wellington on May 22 to discuss the regulations before meeting, the Minister later to present possible amendments.

Mr Hamilton would not give details of the proposed regulations which at the moment are confidential. It is believed that one of the most contentious clauses—prohibiting the processing of crayfish at sea—is still included.