THE PRESS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1977. A chance to go fishing

Press, 25 February 1977, Page 12

THE PRESS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1977. A chance to go fishing

News reports of Soviet fishing vessels in Pegasus Bay and of missions from Hull and Aberdeen in New Zealand to discuss fishing are reminders that within three or four months New Zealand will become responsible for the management of fishing in about 1.4 million square miles around its shores. The fishing industry and the Government are both ill prepared for their new responsibilities.

The next session of the Law of the Sea Conference will be held in May. If the conference does not agree to confer the 200-mile economic zone on coastal States, New Zealand will almost certainly declare such a zone unilaterally soon afterwards. It will do so in concert with other South Pacific countries, but not before many other nations, some of which have already acted and some of which intend to act soon

The fishing around New Zealand’s shores represents the biggest known resource yet to be developed by this country. A potential of 500.000 tonnes a year has been estimated: at the moment New Zealand fishermen take about 50.000 tonnes a year. The potential would bring New Zealand an estimated export income of between S2OOM and $3OOM —about the same as the present earnings from exports of butter and cheese. About 20 to 30 large fishing boats are needed to take the fish available: the acquisition of such craft

has only begun. It is obvious that for some time foreign vessels will continue to take by far the largest quantities of fish from waters within the 200-mile zone. The speed with which New Zealand displaces the foreign fishermen will depend on sound planning, of which there is so far little evidence.

The problem does not begin or end with the fishing to be done by New Zealanders. The country will have to manage the zone in a convincing way. This means a great amount of exploratory work will have to be done, a knowledge of the varieties and stocks of fish will have to be acquired, and the area will have to be policed. As New Zealand increases its own catches, it will need sophisticated ships, highly trained fishermen and good equipment. New’ Zealand fishermen have engaged in comparatively little pelagic fishing. Processing and marketings will need attention. The joint ventures being undertaken are only a beginning. An over-all plan to develop fishing is needed urgently. An interdepartmental report issued in September of last year, and the Task Force report, “ New Zealand at the Turning Point ”, published in December, detailed the issues and the problems. The last thing that is needed is another report, which in all probability wmuld still be being written when New’ Zealand’s sovereignty over this vast area was declared.