‘No confidence’ held in Fishing Industry Board

Press, 9 July 1986, Page 20

‘No confidence’ held in Fishing Industry Board

PA Dunedin The performance of elected members of the Fishing Industry Board has been strongly criticised by the Federation of Commercial Fishermen’s president, Mr Bob Martin. He told delegates to the annual conference of the Seafood Processors and Exporters’ Association in Dunedin that he and his executive had absolutely no confidence in the board. Staff of the board were dedicated to the betterment of fishing, but it was imperative that they had confidence in the integrity and capability of the elected members who directed them, he said. "Unfortunately this confidence is not there, and this is having a marked effect on their attitudes, which borders on complete disillusionment,” said Mr Martin. Representatives on the board were often party to important decisions which could benefit individual members, he said. “I am certainly not suggesting this has hap-

n pened,” said Mr Martin. "I am pointing out that it f needs strong-principled e people to resist that tempfl tation.” “Members of the board f should always present the s views of the trade organisations but they should 9 always make their deciJ sions based on what is 1 fair, just, and beneficial to i the total industry. 5 “They should not make r them for the benefit of : their company or organ- - isatlon,” he said. s Mr Martin said the board had little of the ! confidence of fishermen and small processors. He and his executive had no confidence in the board as it is constituted. Mr Martin said this view was no reflection on the commitment or capability of the chairman, Mr Mark Hinchliff, who had managed to control situations which “Solomon himself could not resolve.” The sooner the Minister of Fisheries, Mr Moyle, “shook up” the arrangement, the better off the industry would be, Mr Martin said.