Tag Archives: F/V Tasman Viking
One Trawler’s Coral Damage Forces Fishery Closure at Lord Howe Rise
A commercial fishing vessel in New Zealand is finding itself yet again on the spot after allegedly destroying deep sea corals in international waters. The trawler F/V Tasman Viking is accused of scooping up corals in Lord Howe Rise, a region known for diverse marine life. The accidental removal, which occurred last month, has forced authorities in New Zealand to suspend fishing in the Lord Howe area of the Tasman Sea between New Zealand and Australia until 2026. This is the second time in as many months that the 320-ton Tasman Viking is finding itself in trouble over destruction of corals in the Lord Howe area. In June last year, the trawler was confiscated after the crew failed to report bycatch of about 20 kilograms of rare bamboo corals in an incident that occurred in October 2020. The vessel was released after the operator paid a fine of NZ$52,000. more, >>CLICK TO READ><< 10:22
Fish and chips may ‘double’ in price without fuel help
A major figure in New Zealand’s fishing industry warns more boats could be tied up and the price of fish and chips will double unless the sector gets the same fuel assistance given to others. Already Westfleet Seafoods’ 400 tonne trawler Tasman Viking has been tied up at Nelson’s port for a fortnight because of the spiraling cost of fuel. The company’s chief executive, Craig Boote, said that if the government did not play fair and apply fuel discounts to all New Zealand businesses the fishing industry could be on its knees in weeks. “Fuel is a huge component of our commercial operations and without a reduction the price of fish will unfortunately skyrocket,” he said. “The only other option is to tie boats up, which of course has a snowball effect, with onshore jobs in the factory, engineering and more, being negatively affected.” >click to read< 09:02
