‘Chathams In State Of Emergency’

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32028, 1 July 1969, Page 1

‘Chathams In State Of Emergency’

People at the Chatham Islands were living in a state of emergency brought about by the unrestricted number of fishing boats arriving at the islands to share in the big money from the export of crayfish, said a Christchurch consulting engineer, Mr H. G. Royds, yesterday.

“During one week I was there last month, two boats were lost almost without trace and six lives were lost. Another two boats were tossed ashore,” Mr Royds said.

“We counted 57 boats sheltering in Port Hutt from a south-west storm. If the wind had shifted to the south-east all would have had to leave Port Hutt in the teeth of the gale and go elsewhere. “There is a continual shifting of boats to seek shelter according to the direction of the wind,” he said. ANCHORAGE FOR 100

Marine Department experts said there was safe anchorage for 100 boats round the islands but at present 236 fishing boats were registered at the Chathams and more and more were being built or fitted out for crayfishing. The number was expected to rise to over 400.

“The boom in crayfishing has doubled the population of the Chathams,” said Mr Royds. "Although the crews

live on board because they dare not leave the boats, the work and services needed by the boats has doubled the normal population’s requirements.”

Mr Royds, who is a consultant to the Chatham Islands County Council, said that he had visited the islands last month to discover what facilities were required by the fish-

ting industry and to estimate costs.

One of the trawlers tossed on the rocks in the storm and holed in two places will have to be shipped back to New Zealand in the Holmdale because there is no slip for repairing fishing boats at the Chathams and because the Marine Department would not issue a survey certificate for the boat if it was repaired there.

The cost of freight and loss of earning to the boat owner while it is being taken to Lyttelton, repaired and returned to the Chathams, will be enormous.

While Mr Royds was at the islands, he was given the survey length of 153 fishing boats. Of these, 149 or 97 per cent, were 60ft or less. They would be able to be slipped for survey or repairs on the slipway for which the Government had authorised loan finance.