Cabinet approves importing of large fishing boats

Press, 19 October 1976, Page 3

Cabinet approves importing of large fishing boats

PA Wellington The Cabinet has begun interim moves to allow the importing of large fishing boats, the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) said yesterday.

He said that details of the decisions would be announced iater. The moves were part of an over-all plan on the long-term future of New Zealand’s fishing industry which was under study by the Government. There was now a “quite urgent” need for such a plan, he said. The Law of the Sea Conference was expected to give the go-ahead for 20 J-mile offshore zones in May next year, and if this did not eventuate many coastal states were likely to make their own unilateral declaration.

“We’re taking the view that we’ve got to be ready to exploit such a zone,” he said. Apart from this, New Zealand’s fishing fleets badly needed upgrading. Mr Muldoon said the question of Seamen’s Union involvement in the manning of the larger vessels was “not an issue at the moment.”

In Whangarei on Saturday, the Minister of Customs and Associate Minister of Finance (Mr Wilkinson) said that expansion of New Zealand’s fishing industry could add 50 bottom fishing boats and 20 purse-seiners to the off-shore fleet within the next two years. “The fishing industry is on the threshold of a major take-off into deeper water ventures,” Mr Wilkinson told

50 people at a boat-launching ceremony. “At the present time the maritime nations of -the world are pushing for the official adoption of a management oceanic zone of up to 330 km around their coasts. “The ; stakes are tremendous, and New Zealand, for its size has as much to gain as any nation from the outcome of these negotiations.” Mr Wilkinson said that the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries now estimated that, to exploit deep-water fisheries, New Zealand could need another 70 deep-water craft “as fast as these can be provided and manned over the next few years.” “Obviously, development of this magnitude must mean new opportunities for New Zealand shipbuilding. But at least in the initial stage of this expansion, we cannot expect New Zealand shipyards to be in a position to provide all the extra capacity.” ...Size was one factor. For instance, the super seiner Finistere which was being imported duty free, was 55.5 m long. “Our advisers confirm that a vessel of her size is well beyond the present capacity of any New Zealand shipyard,” the Minister said. “At the other end of the scale, we have laid it down that vessels under 21m long cannot be imported duty free.” Above that limit, other criteria had to be taken into account. “Take the case of two other vessels also recently approved for duty-free entry, which are certainly within the size capacity of New Zealand shipyards, the two new deep*

water pair trawlers for Sealords, of Nelson. “These vessels are of a type never before handled in. New Zealand. This is for Sealords a step into the unknown. “The Japanese have arranged for two of their skippers to go to Japan and get

experience of operating these craft. “So Sealords are getting not just new ships from Japan, but also technology, expertise, and the practical experience which are absolutely essential if the success of this particular new venture is to be assured.”