Govt action on fish prices criticised

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33565, 20 June 1974, Page 12

Govt action on fish prices criticised

(N.Z. Press Association)

WELLINGTON, June 19.

Government action oin fish prices during the last year has been criticised by the Fishing Industry Board in its annual report to Parliament.

“The board feels it has a duty to report that both the industry and the board feel that Government policies and action on fish prices have seriously affected the economics of the industry and the supply position for fish on the domestic market,” the report said. In the year to March 31, 1974, the board had made repeated representations to the Government to relax the freeze on fish prices and to give some relief to the industry so that it could cope with rapidly rising costs. Some of the effects of the Government policy had been: To divert Supply from normal channels of distribution and from one part of the country to another. To divert fishing effort from fish for local supply to fish which had an export market, such as tuna.

To deny fishermen and smaller processors and

retailers the cost-of-liv-ing increases given to .wage and salary earners and such incentives as tax allowances on overtime and shift work. CANNERY POSSIBLE

New Zealand could establish a cannery to process mackerel and other fish for export, if results of investigations into possible bulk catches proved favourable, the board said.

In 1972, five Japanese trawlers in New Zealand waters caught 18,000 tons of mackerel and 19,000 tons of barracuda of a total catch of about 49,000 tons. If studies showed that catches of this size could be taken by New Zealand trawlers by bulk fishing, then it would be possible to set up a cannery for exporting.