No extension to inshore fishing

Press, 31 December 1982, Page 24

No extension to inshore fishing

Wellington reporter

The Ministry of Transport has decided against extending the area covered by the Inshore Fishing Skippers’ Certificate from 12 miles to 25 miles from the coast. It had been asked to consider the matter at the August meeting of the catching sector liaison committee. The Ministry has given, four reasons for its decisions:

• Ministry records show that most certificated boats are between 6m and 9m long. These are considered too small for safe use 25 miles from land.

• The knowledge required for safe running 25 miles offshore is similar to that required for a skipper of a coastal fishing boat. The provision of two separate certificates to a similar standard is undesirable. • If the area to be ' covered were to be extended to 25 miles, a new format would have to be adopted for the certificate. The examination for this would be a great deal more difficult than for

the present certificate and it seems unnecessary that fishermen wanting to fish in the 12-mile area should be subject to a new examination. • Complaints received by the Ministry from inshore fishermen indicate that most people seek a greater length of coastline on which to fish rather than an extension beyond the 12-mile limit.

It appears that the Ministry will adopt the proposal of discontinuing the present system of zones and allowing fishermen anywhere within the 12-mile limit.

The other proposal by the catching sector liaison committee was that the limit of 75 miles, applying to coastal skippers, engineers,' and coastal survey certificate, be extended to 100 miles.

The Ministry has agreed to this. However, it will not be until the 1983 session of Parliament that the requisite amendments can be made to the Shipping and Seamen Act.