Trawlers highlight fishing’s prospects

Press, 1 September 1977, Page 10

Trawlers highlight fishing’s prospects

Nelson reporter

Two of the world’s most sophisticated trawlers have sailed into Port Nelson. They have begun work as pair trawlers for the Nelson firm Sealord Products. Ltd. The sister ships Fifeshire and Whitby were built in Japan for Sealord at a cost of $2.2M including ancilliary gear. Their arrival highlights the future economic importance fishing of New Zealand, and for Nelson in particular. The $2.2M paid for the vessles by Sealord is part of a $5.2M capital works programme being Undertaken by the firm.

The company’s managing director (Mr C. C. Hufflett) said that about S3M would be spent on expanding its plant. The company’s wharf has already been extended to provide berths for the new trawlers, factory space will be doubled, and refrigeration space tripled. Work on the buildings stopped as workers and staff streamed to vantage points to watch the new trawlers move through the harbour to the company’s wharf. The two vessels were dressed for the occasion and flew huge coloured flags bearing good washes

from the various contractors that worked on them in Japan. Mr Hufflett said there were no more sophisticated trawlers, for their class, in the world. No expense had been spared on their gear, which ranged from complex electronic equipment in the wheelhouse to a microwave oven and colour television in the mess.

Both trawlers are fully air-conditioned. The vessels were brought to New Zealand by mixed crews — including some Japanese seamen on exchange with New Zealand fishermen — but when working in New Zealand waters they would be manned entirely by Nelson crews. The Fifeshire on her journey to Nelson was skippered by Mr Tim Phipps, of Christchurch, and the Whitby by Mr Michael Bain, of Nelson.

Each vessel has storage for 80 tonnes of fish, and together they are expected to trawl more than 3000 tonnes a year.

Although they are well equipped to stay at sea for long intervals, Mr Hufflett said, the trawlers would not be at sea more than 10 days at a time.

Each vessel has ice making equipment.

Power for each trawler is provided by an 850 H.P. Daihatsu diesel engine and each has twin, six-cyiinder auxiliary engines. The shipyard lost no time in completing the contract. Keels were laid on March 18, they were launched on May 19 by Mrs Eleanor Hufflett, and delivered a week early on July 19. The company had been able to acquire the boats only through the Government’s temporary waiving Of import duty on such vessels, said Mr Hufflett. The waiver had saved the company 55.5 per cent duty, which would have cost a further SIM.

The vessels were no sooner cleared by the Customs Department than they were seething with activity as staff prepared them for sea. In direct contrast, across the water Jess than 400ni away, two other fishing vessels lay quietly rusting. They are the two Government fisheries research vessels, W. J. Scott and James Cook. A manning dispute has kept them tied up for months -r- the James Cook since April 18.