Nelson base for tuna fishing

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32874, 24 March 1972, Page 1

Nelson base for tuna fishing

(Hew Zealand Preu Auoeiation) NELSON, March 23. Nelson may be chosen as the centre of a tuna-fishing industry by New Zealand and Japanese interests at present working jointly on a tuna research programme, according to Mr M. L. Newman, manager of P. Feron and Son, Ltd.

Ferons is working in conjunction with the Hoko Fishing Company, Ltd, on this research.

A Japanese fishing vessel, the Hoko Mani 15, is working out of Port Nelson on the programme.

Mr Newman said that in view of the mercury content in New Zealand flake fish he was sending several of the albacore variety of tuna the ship had caught for testing. ,r We must be sure that we don’t put capital into unsaleable products,” he said. •This venture between us and the Hoko Fishing Company, Ltd, is being carried out with a view to establish-

ing a New Zealand-based company for exploiting the pelagic resources around the coasts. “In all probability Nelson will be the location of this industry but a great deal is in the balance at present and there is nothing certain.” Earlier, Feron's operations manager (Mr A. E. Walker) said: "Once the venture is proven, successful or otherwise, the findings, after a reasonable period, will be made available to the industry as a whole to encourage the expansion of new and ' promising export markets and a further extension of the 1 fishing industry." ■ The company has been using its own 52ft Lyttelton ’ trawler Rosalind, and a cray md line-fishing vessel, Lassie, from Akaroa. The sleek and spruce Hoko tfaru is operating about 200 niles off the west coasts of he North and South Islands.