Coherent development policy for fishing industry urged

Press, 14 October 1976, Page 7

Coherent development policy for fishing industry urged

A coherent development policy for the fishing industry is urgently needed, according to an interdepartmental committee’s report.

The prospect of a 200-mile fisheries zone and new and impressive export opportunities. backed by strong world demand, are incentives for the catching capacity of the New Zealand fleet to be expanded considerably.

The committee calculates that another 20 to 30 modem vessels, ranging from 60ft up to 120 ft, are needed to exploit continental - shelf trawling grounds now worked by foreign - flag vessels.

“The extra capacity would enable New Zealand to exploit the continental-shelf to depths of at least 200 metres,” the report said. Apart from harvesting the estimated 80,000 tonnes a year now taken by Japan and Russia in these waters, underworked demersal fisheries south of Stewart Island and west and north-west of the South Island could be developed, the committee believes.

Its report was released yesterday by the Minister of Fisheries (Mr Maclntyre) and follows earlier surveys of the livestock and pip-fruit industries-

The fisheries working party was chaired by the assistant director of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries’

Economics Division (Dr R. W. M. Johnson) and included representatives of the Fishing Industry Board, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Rural Bank, and the Treasury. Development possibilities for deep-water fisheries are also raised in the report.

“In continental-shelf waters up to 800 metres, Japanese and Russian vessels have been taking promising catches of spotted warehou, hoki, haki, sea bass, and other species, mainly on the Chatham rise and Memoo bank. "Further away from New Zealand, Russian vessels now catch about 75,000 tonnes of fish a year,” the report said. “A high proportion are southern blue whiting from trawl fisheries round the Auckland, Campbell and Bounty Islands. “Large vessels of at least 700 to 1000 tonnes displacement would' be needed in these southern and subAntarctic fisheries.” With suitable purse seiners, pole and trolling vessels, New Zealand could also take several thousand tonnes of skipjack and albacore from coastal waters, according to the reportSquid is another resource to interest the study group. “The 1975-76 squid catch, mainly by Japanese vessels using mechanised angling techniques outside the 12mile limit, is reportedly 20,000 tonnes,” the report said. “This is estimated by squid-boat masters to be only a small proportion of the fishery’s sustainable yield.” The report notes the charter of two Japaneseowned and manned boats by a Nelson company as a pioneering venture in the development of New Zealand-based squid-fishing operations.

Aquaculture had promising potential in several areas, but, because of “many unknowns,” needed support in the development stages, said the report. Rock oysters, mussels, salmon, trout, koura, paua, scallops, and eels are cited as possibilities. Long-lining for blue-fin tuna and the use of small pelagic Crustacea, saury, southern spider crabs, and various shellfish are other

avenues of development listed.

The committee emphasises the Government’s role in developing a coherent plan to capitalise upon these opportunities. Until recently, it said, development had been at the fishing industry’s own pace and initiative. “Insufficient capital has been available and investment in catching capacity has almost halted. The number of new vessels completed in 1975 was the lowest since 1968, when the Fishing Industry Board began collecting statistics, and probably did not offset normal obsolescence and losses. “Since 1972, there has been reluctance throughout the fishing industry to invest in additional or replacement vessels. The rise in the cost of locally constructed craft has been well in excess of the increase in their earning capacity.

“Whereas in 1970 it cost $140,000 to build a 73ft steelstern trawler, the 1976 quoted cost of a replacement is $420,000. This threefold escalation is reflected in the cost of other classes of vessels,” the committee said. Meanwhile, operating costs particularly for fuel and fishing gear, had risen rapidly. Simultaneously, price controls had been introduced on the domestic market and export demand had fallen sharply, causing cool-store congestion and temporary landing restrictions.

Although the export market had recovered and exporters were now unable to fill orders at prices 60 per cent above March, 1975, levels, the improved outlook might still be insufficient to encourage the growth of capital investment. Incentives and other forms of assistance, including finance, were needed, said the committee. “Among other things, policies and procedures for purchasing vessels, both locally and overseas, will need to be reviewed and methods of joint enterprise with overseas companies examined.” Development of the national fleet had to be coordinated with processing facilities and harbour services, the report said.