Soviet explanation sought in fish row

Press, 19 July 1983, Page 8

Soviet explanation sought in fish row

PA Wellington The dispute with Soviet fishing authorities over an alleged breach of contract on a research programme is not likely to be settled for some months, according to the managing director of. Auckland-based Sanford, Ltd, Mr Neil Mills.

Sanford’s has cabled Moscow demanding an explanation for the failure of a hired Soviet vessel to cooperate in a Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries research programme off the New Zealand coast.

Under a Ministry contract, Sanford’s was to conduct a 42-day survey of orange roughy stocks, but several days after the voyage began Soviet fishing

authorities said the chartered Russian vessel, Dolomit, could not be used for the survey. Last Tuesday, the Ministry scientists aboard the Dolomit returned to Wellington, their costly and long-planned mission ruined, saying the Soviets wanted to dictate fisheries research terms to New Zealand.

A similar research voyage was made on a Soviet vessel last year, but the Soviet Embassy in Wellington says Russian fishing vessels are no longer to be used for such projects. However, Soviet authorities have offered the use of a specially equipped research vessel.

A report on the collapse

of the programme was received yesterday by the Minister of Fisheries, Mr Maclntyre. Mr Maclntyre discussed the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries report with officials before the Cabinet met yesterday. Mr Mills said the president of the Soviet Union’s equivalent of a fishing corporation was out of the country at present. It was unlikely that there would be any response to his company’s telegrams until that man returned. Even then, negotiations were expected to be protracted. He said it was unlikely the dispute would be resolved “for a few months yet."