S. Pacific drift-net ban soon

Press, 11 July 1989, Page 9

S. Pacific drift-net ban soon

By

BRENDON BURNS

in Kiribati

A convention seeking to ban drift-net fishing in the South Pacific will be drafted at a meeting in Wellington later this year, the region’s leaders’ decided yesterday.

The South Pacific Forum, meeting in Kiribati, however, rejected attempts by Australia to seek to extend the ban worldwide. Australia’s Prime Minister, Mr Hawke, had announced an initiative against drift-net fishing before formal consideration by the 15-member Forum. His recent visit to Europe and the United States had convinced him that world opinion could be mobilised against the wall of death technique, said Mr Hawke. “In my recent visit to France, the United Kingdom, the United States and West Germany, I raised this issue and I got a positive response to it." But the Forum’s spokesman, the Cook Islands’ Prime Minister, Mr Geoffrey Henry, said the view of most members was that a regional initiative was needed. ‘ An offer had been accepted from the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, to host a meeting in Wellington of legal, diplomatic and fishing experts. Their task would be to draw up an effective ban. Mr Lange announced in Kiribati yesterday that New Zealand had passed regulations to ban drift-

net boats from its ports. Severe economic penalties, including the forfeiture of vessels, would apply to vessels caught drift-net fishing in New Zealand’s economic zone or shipping such catches. Mr Lange had said it was now up to the Forum to enforce similar regimes. He had announced last week that New Zealand would promote an initiative at the Kiribati meeting against drift-net vessels. He said yesterday that Mr Hawke’s initiative did not faze him. “I don’t regard it as a contest between us. The target is to save a species and preserve economics.” Mr Lange also supported a world ban but said the “rough spots” could be ironed out in a regional compact first. No date has been set for the Wellington meeting but Mr Lange said time was precious. The drift-net fleets, now estimated to number 190 vessels in the South Pacific, would wipe out fish stocks within two to three years, he said. Questions have been raised by the Forum Fishing Agency as to whether action can be taken against drift-net vessels

outside the economic zones of Pacific nations. Mr Lange said New Zealand’s assessment was that drift nets affected the fish stocks of Pacific nations and so were unlawful. Research showed that the resource could sustain the . taking of 10,000 tonnes of juvenile albacore tuna stock, but 50,000 tonnes was being fished. He said there were signs that Japan and Taiwan, which had driftnet fishing fleets, were becoming more sensitive about the issue. “If Japan is going to remain a fishing nation, it has to have fish. If it has this type of approach to catching it, it won’t have fish,” said Mr Lange. He welcomed suggestions that other nations, as well as New Zealand and Australia, might be invited to help to provide surveillance of South Pacific fisheries resources. The Forum will finalise today its position on driftnet fishing, before concluding its twentieth annual meeting. It decided yesterday to take up a long-standing offer from Japan to host a visit by Forum representatives.

outside the economic zones of Pacific nations.