Pelagic fishing 'just awaits development’

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34132, 20 April 1976, Page 20

Pelagic fishing ' just awaits development’

(.x z. Press A ssociat iot-. f NELSON. It cannot be doubted that a pelagic fishing industry is waiting to be around New Zealand, says the Minister of Fisheries (Mr i Maclntyre). ■ The manager of the New i Zealand Pelagic Fisheries Development Company (Mr P. !M. Vela, of Nelson) has applauded Mr Maclntyre’s comiment as one of the best ! policy statements to have been made by a Minister of ; Fisheries. In the Ministry's monthly magazine “Catch ’76,” the Minister says: “The 18-month i pelagic fishing trial with the Paramount and the present j commercial trial with the 'three American purseseiners have shown beyond any ■ doubt that we have a pelagic 1 fishing industry waiting to be developed. j “When, because there is i no longer apt room for ‘if,’ I the Law of the Sea Conference finally agrees to a 200jmile fishing management

I zone, we shall have one of Ithe world’s largest fisheries. . “We have to develop it. ft i may be necessary to do so jwith some overseas backing, ieither in capital or expertise. The fishing industry is no different from the meat, woo), and dairy industries in that it must adopt new methods and technology to survive, let alone prosper, in this j modern world,” said Mr Mac- , Intyre. I “The New Zealand industry will just have to forgo jits internal divisions and come together as a co-ordin-ated. cohesive organisation ! speaking for .all those in the 'industry and not sectional ! interests as at present.” i On the prospects of a New

Zealand pelagic fishing industry’s being established, Mr Vela said: “On the information so far received and analysed, it seems there is definitely a skipjack tuna resource available in limited quantities during a limited season, which is subject to severe weather conditions. “From the viewpoint of economic viability’ it needs a lot more study. The timing and length of the season and the volumetric boundaries of the New Zealand fishery needs to be established to enable us to estimate the maximum sustainable yield and to give a firm indication of what could eventually’ be economically and consistently harvested from this resource.” The American-owned tuna vessel South Pacific has netted more than SIOO,OOO worth of skipjack in one day’s fishing off the northeast coast of New Zealand, and the captain, Mr Maurice Correia, is impressed by’ the prospects. “This fishing is really good, even by West Coast United States standards. It could be a big thing for New Zealand.” he said. New Zealand’s seiners are much smaller, and land less skipjack for the season than the South Pacific took in a good day. it is not known yet whether the Pelagic Fisheries Development Company’s report for the season will confirm the commercial potential of the fishery, but target tonnages are rapidly being filled. i The South Pacific has taken one load of 1200 tonnes to Pago Pago already, and the other super-seiners, Michelangelo and Kerri M. have I taken about 3000 tonnes.