Fishing-boat industry critical of Minister

Press, 17 April 1980, Page 3

Fishing-boat industry critical of Minister

The New Zealand Ship and Boatbuilders’ Federation is angry about the Government’s latest move to |Jlow more duty-free importation of fishing boats. Mr E. N. Sims, an association spokesman, said the decision would not help local industry. In his announcement last week, the Minister of Fisheries (Mr Maclntyre) said the duty-free scheme would be extended for a year. In the meantime, the Industries

11 Development Commission i'has been told to prepare a ■ plan for the local ship-build- ’ ing industry. i Mr Maclntyre said the long-term future of shipbuilding was tied only partly , to requirements of the fishi ing industry. The commission’s development plan will be completed by the end of September. Mr Sims said the industry had been “taken for a ride and it has completely lost faith in the Government.” The industry was closely tied to building fishing ves“TTiis is our specialty, and to say otherwise is ludicrous,” Mr Sims said. The industry had been concerned that a high construction

(standard of local vessels, 'according to New Zealand marine regulations, had not been reflected in the imported boats.

Mr Maclntyre said the duty-free scheme’s extension would encourage exploitation of resources beyond the 200-mile limit. A boat’s age would no longer be a criterion for duty-free entry; Used vessels were readily available on the world market, and the scheme would allow buyers to take advantage of a full range of prices. Mr Maclntyre said the need to replace a wide variety of boats over the years should encourage a strong local industry that could also meet continuing maintenance and repair needs.