Samoa seeks fishing rights

Press, 11 October 1979, Page 18

Samoa seeks fishing rights

NZPA Apia The Prime Minister of Western Samoa (Tupuola Efi) has revealed that Western Samoa seeks Squid-fishing rights in New Zealand's 200-mile economic zone. During his recent visit to New Zealand he asked for a catch of 14,000 tons of squid a year. The squid will be processed at the multi-million dollar fisheries complex built in the centre of Apia by the Japanese Government. A joint venture has been proposed in which Western Samoa will own 70 per cent of the shares, Japan 20 per cent, and New Zealand 10 per cent. Japan has indicated to Western Samoa that squid from the New Zealand zone is needed for the project to be viable. Tupuola Efi said he had made the proposals to the New Zealand Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) The New Zealand Government’s decision would determine whether the protect would proceed.

When the fisheries centre was being built, the Western Samoan Government said it would be a research centre and would process only small fish foods. However, it had always been the Government's intention to make good use of the facilities. A fish-canning factory would greatly help the

country’s economy, said Tupuola Efi. “We have been importing canned fish and other fish products over a long time,” he said. “These keep on rising in price because we have no control over them. Having our own fish-processing plant will reduce our foreign-ex-change spending and it will also provide employment for our people,” he said. If the factory goes ahead it would be supplied by Japanese ships, all of which would land their catch at Apia. The ships would also fish in Western Samoan waters. “We have to accept that other countries are fishing in our waters without our knowledge because we do not have the ships and aircraft to patrol the area,” he said. In neighbouring American Samoa, the Government and two canning factories are co-defendants in a multi-million dollar law suit by a family which says that the obnoxious smells from the factories have caused health hazards to members of the family. At a press conference in Apia on his return from talks in New Zealand, Tupuola Efi said he was dissatisfied with what he called “attempts by the New Zealand press to get me in a confrontation with Mr MuldOon on the

problem of overstayers.” He said if he had done as the press wanted, it would have defeated the whole purpose of his visit. “I will choose my own time and place to have talks with Mr Muldoon, I will not allow the press to advise me on this,” he said. Private talks had been held with Mr Muldoon on

the issue ot overstayers, he said. In Apia, there is growing concern about the issue. There are fears that young Samoans deported from New Zealand and who cannot get employment in Apia, will most certainly refuse to return to village life and contribute largely to an existing youth problem.