West Coast tuna fishing venture depends on Japanese response

Press, 2 September 1981, Page 21

West Coast tuna fishing venture depends on Japanese response

The future of a fledgling New Zealand fishing industry may be decided on the floor of a Japanese auction market this month. A freezer ship will leave Westport this week with 160 tonnes of southern blue fin tuna caught off the West Coast. The frozen cargo represents an all-New Zealand venture to develop a major new fishery. The success or failure of the venture could determine the sole right of New Zea-

LEE SCANLON

Pictures: COLIN WARREN

Report:

land fishermen to harvest the resource. Big southern blue fin have been part of West Coast fishing lore for years, according to the Fisheries Division scientists, Dave' Gibson and George Habib, writing in “Catch ’80.” In 1979, substantial sight-

ings were made during commercial operations of foreign fishing vessels. In May and early June of that year, several Korean bottom longline vessels were working in an area about 90km west of Westport. They found many big blue fin attracted to their vessels by discarded fish of-

fal — and, it is rumoured, a substantial number of the fish were subsequently caught with baited hooks and harpoons. On June 1, an 82kg blue fin was hauled aboard the Kwang Myong 20. A crewman armed with a knife was bending over the fish to bleed it when the tuna vigorously flexed its tail, catching the knife and flicking it into the man’s chest. The knife pierced his heart and . killed him.

“Catch ’80" reports that m the months that followed the crew on' many of the foreign vessels fished for blue fin while the vessels engaged in their normal fishing operations. They .were soon joined by local fishermen who found that by operating near the large trawlers and trolling heavy gear they could catch the tuna themselves.

The first fish caught in this manner was landed in early August, 1979, packed and sent to Japan, but for various reasons realised a poor price on the fresh chilled “sashimi” market.

A further fish was caught on August 18. carefully processed aboard the vessel according to a procedure recommended by Japanese advisers, quickly transferred ashore, and air-freighted in a fresh chilled form to Japan. On August 22, the 94kg fish realised 3500 yen (about $l6) a kilogram at the Tokyo fish market. This was the first tuna from New Zealand waters to achieve the high “sashimi”

price in Japan. For the remainder of the 1979 season, and the 1980 season that followed, New Zealand fishermen had varying success on the “sashimi” market. A quality product could fetch as much as $2l a kilogram, but lack of understanding of correct processing procedures sometimes meant the fishermen received less than the cost of air freight. Success improved after the Fishing Industries Board organised seminars to instruct fishermen, but even then prices were often disappointingly low. Some suggested the Japanese had their own eyes on the fishery and were deliberately underpricing the New Zealand catch. .

In May of this year, the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. Duncan Maclntyre, praised the Fishing Industries Board and West Coast fishermen for their efforts in mastering the art of catching, processing, and marketing the blue fin tuna.

“We have excluded foreign competition in their waters to let them have a go,” he said.

First to seize the opportunity was a young, all-New Zealand company, Solander Fisheries, owned by Charles Hufflett, Talley’s Fisheries, and R. H. Potton, each having equal shares. In June, Solander chartered a Taiwanese freezer ship at more than $3OOO a day and brought her to the West Coast to take tuna direct from the New’ Zealand fishing boats.

Except in very rough conditions the Ho "Chun No 1 loaded at sea. saving smaller boats the cost of steaming back to port. The blue fin tuna were processed aboard the catching vessel and held in ice baths or holds before transfer to the freezer ship, where they were blast frozen at minus 65 degrees C; then stored at minus 55 degrees. To ensure high standards, Solander had three Japanese aboard: an operation manager. a quality control officer,

and a refrigeration engineer. The ship was crewed by 13 Taiwanese, with a New Zealand liaison officer, David Falconer, as go-between. On-shore at Westport David’s father, the operations manager, Buzz Falconer, emphasised that the company was breaking new ground and needed the full support of New Zealand fishermen to ensure success.

“For the future of this fishery we must prove to other countries that New Zealand fishermen can catch southern blue fin tuna,” he said.

Mr Falconer expressed high hopes for the fishery because of the low costs to set up and operate in it — a boat could become equipped for tuna fishing for as little as $3OO. Some vessels were soon grossing more than $lOOO a day.

Within a month of Ho Chun’s arrival, about 30 boats from Nelson, Greymouth. and as far afield as Bluff, were fishing into her. Solander paid $2 a kilogram,

with the prospect of a bonus when the tuna was sold in Japan.

“If we can fill the vessel a second payment is more ’likely than if the vessel is only half full,” said Buzz Falconer. The deadline was September 3, the latest Ho Chun could leave New Zealand waters to reach Tokyo before her charter expired.

As the season progressed it became evident there was no shortage of southern blue fin tuna off the West Coast; the only place in New Zealand where fishermen could use “chumming” (feeding) the waters, to induce the fish to the surface where they were caught on hand lines. Apart from sharks and broken gear, which accounted for the loss of'up to 10 per cent of fish, the main problem was weather.

Ho Chun’s arrival was followed, by three weeks in port, during which she loaded only 12 tonnes. After a fortnight of fine weather the vessel had 78 tonnes on board, but once again the

rains came and the fleet spent another week in port. Buzz Falconer expressed doubts that fishermen would catch 3000 of the 5000 season’s quota set by the Minister. A week later he was more optimistic. Fine weather and calm seas had yielded 35 tonnes of tuna. Ho Chun, capable of handling only 6.5 tonnes a day, was fully extended.

Although the catch has still to be sold and no-one will predict a price, Solander is confident-enough to make a major investment in the fishery. On August 12, the company announced that it hoped to build a freezer ship before next season to work the West Coast blue fin tuna grounds.

Owned and operated by New Zealanders, the vessel w’ould be the only one of its kind in New Zealand capable of blast freezing fish to minus 65 degrees C, would be able to handle 15 tonnes of tuna a day, and catch fish as well as process them.