FISHING RIGHTS

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20346, 10 November 1937, Page 2

FISHING RIGHTS

LIMIT IMPOSED TERRITORIAL WATERS (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Provided New Zealand territoria waters are not Invaded, tnere is nothing t<3 prevent the Alfle Cam or an} other Ashing vessel from trawling or the eastern side of the Tasman Sea This was made clear to-night by Mi A. E. Hefford, Chief Inspector o: Fisheries, when invited to comment or a cablegram from Sydney stating tha: the Alfle Cam was to trawl near Ne\* Zealand for the Sydney market. Mr Hefford said that a previous vlsil had been paid by the Alfle Cam, presumably to investigate the possibilities for trawling on the New Zealand side of the Tasman Sea. On that occasior the skipper had appeared genuinely anxious not to poach and no doubi during the coming trip the Alfle Carr would operate outside the three-mile limit, where the waters were free tc whoever cared to flsh there. There was no need to come withir territorial waters in order to traw successfully. In some places flsh were available 12 miles off the coast, although not in any great quantity. With the objeot of obtaining three big modern trawlers to work the eastern side of the Tasman Sea, a development company is being floated ir Australia. Encouragement has beer lent to the enterprise by the fact that the flsh supply from Australian ooastaJ waters is not coping with present-day demands. Areas near the large coastal cities have been extensively trawled and heavily depleted. “We do not want the same thing to happen on this side,” said Mr Hefford, “but if the big project goes ahead and the trawlers keep outside the territorial limits, nothing oould be done except by further regulation, especially as there has been a proposal to establish a base of operations in Wellington and ■ thus link it up as a New Zealand industry.”