Japan unlikely to accept drift-net ban

Press, 22 November 1989, Page 8

Japan unlikely to accept drift-net ban

By

BRENDON BURNS

In Wellington Japan is not likely to accept the South Pacific’s ban on driftnets, says the region’s fisheries agency director, Mr Philipp Muller. He was unimpressed yesterday by an appeal to the drift-net conference from the Japanese Ambassador to New Zealand, Mr Hirohiko Otsuka. Mr Otsuka’s call for a rational, unemotional assessment of driftnetting added nothing, said Mr Muller. Japan retained a tough position. The conference has brought together 20 South Pacific nations to formalise their individual ac-

tions against drift-netting into a regional ban. As director of the Forum Fisheries Agency, Mr Muller would oversee the ban. He said there was a good chance that Japan would reject the ban and keep its drift-net vessels in the South Pacific. “To be realistic, at this point there’s nothing to say they will soften,” he said. • He expects the ban to be concluded by Friday. This will prohibit drift-netting in the exclusive economic zones of South Pacific nations stretching from Micronesia to French Polynesia. Vessels involved in drift-nett-

ing would be barred from ports

in the region. ! ’ But the ban cannot be extended to iiiclude international waters. '' >

The Prime Minister, Mr Palmer, opened the week-long conference' yesterday, warning that drift-netting had boosted the albacore tuna catch to as much as five times the sustainable yield. “The albacore stock cannot sustain this level of exploitation,” he said.

Mr Palmer said he was pleased South Korea had stopped driftnetting in the South Pacific and that Japan had cut its fleet from 60 to 20 vessels.

He hoped Taiwan would follow this pattern. / More than 100 Taiwanese driftnet vessels fished the South Pacific ‘jast season and there had beep no indication of any reduction'as the new season gets under way. Mr Muller said Japan remained his main concern. Some Taiwanese drift-net vessels were financed by Japanese investors. “I think the harder nut to crack is Japan.” Mr Otsuka’s low-key appeal to the conference repeated the Japanese line that there was not sufficient evidence of harm to require an end to drift-netting.

With albacore stocks likely to be depleted ( yvithin two years it was essential South Pacific nations halted drift-netting, Mr Palmer said. - Mr Mimer said there were suggestions 1 that net sizes now extended up to 100 km. Nets were said to be 15 metres deep when 10 metres depth was used previously.

The regional ban he expects to see emerge by Friday would help reduce drift-netting because of the effect of withdrawing port access for vessels.

“If we continue the port bans it’ll break the backs of the large fleets," said Mr Muller.