Scallops in danger

Press, 28 August 1978, Page 6

Scallops in danger

PA Blenheim j Nelson-Marlborough’s multi-1 million dollar scallop fishingi industry is threatened with I disaster. Over-fishing has brought i the threat of unemployment! and bankruptcy to the men! and women who depend on! the industry for a livelihood.; The season opened onlyj three weeks ago, but it is unlikely to last much longer? say the experts. If the season, which is, supposed to continue until) February, does close within! the next two or three weeks/ big financial investments ■ might be lost, and scores of workers will be unemployed. The director of Blenheim ‘ Fisheries, Mr H. T. Reeves? says the disaster he has watched steadily creeping up • on the industry, has arrived. Regulation-size scallops have been fished out, he says. Damage done to the beds began five or six years ago. 1 Mr Reeves said, when there was no real control. Now takeable scallops had been fished out, but there were, still a number of undersized' shellfish in some areas. It would take a minimum! two-year closed season — ! and possibly five seasons —. for the scallops to come! hack, he said. Fifty to 55 boats were! dredging Pelorus Sound for scallops at the moment and the beds “just can’t take it."; Mr Reeves told a Marl-; borough Harbour Board meeting last week that in-1 stead of lasting until next] February, the season would be over “in a week or two.”] If this happened, he said/ about 100 boats could be tied up. Fishermen’s prospects of 11 earning a livelihood for the] rest of the season were i

threatened by a scarcity of wet fish, Mr Reeves said. If ■ i fishermen had to tie up, ;i many would be unable to iI meet their financial commitments. The scallop processors employed labour and they !! would have to reduce staff. “It is one big snowball,” he ! said. . “The beds have been over- • fished and there has been no (effective control on licensing 'over the years.” The new southern Scallop Fishing Licensing Authority ! issued 132 licences for the I season The father of two menj : who have been fishing for! scallops for many years said'

f that in a week one collected f 78 cases and the other 48. , “They used to get more j than that in one day,” the - man said. A few years ago, they si used to take up to 500 cases i a week. Golden Bay, he said, was ! fished out. Another fisherman landed only two cases in the ■ Marlborough Sounds — after > finding nothing in Golden 1 Bay. Boats which used to fish in i Golden Bay were now join- ' ing the scramble for scallops ' in the Sounds. The fishermen I were “very, very worried,” II he said. They had many ■(thousands of dollars invested Ilin their boats.