Tag Archives: New Zealand
Drugs on deck: Meth abuse hampers use of fisheries observers
Methamphetamine abuse aboard the commercial fishing fleet is preventing officials from placing observers on high-risk vessels. Reports released reveal hard drug use and the erratic behaviour of crew has led to observers feeling unsafe. And in some cases, the Ministry for Primary Industries have refused to put staff on board. And a survey commissioned by Maritime NZ reveals 30 per cent of fishers knew someone who used drugs while on deck. It follows the death of 26-year-old Steffan Stewart, who died after becoming trapped in a piece of machinery aboard a factory trawler. He was found with methamphetamine in his system likely consumed at sea, a Transport Accident Investigation Commission review found. >click to read< 11:37
Tonga tsunami: Tutukaka damage has business wondering, ‘what next?’
The clean-up is set to continue at Tutukaka Marina on Monday, after a tsunami surge from the Tongan earthquake hit the marina on Saturday night. About eight to 10 boats have sunk, numerous other boats have been damaged, and there is extensive damage to marina structures,,, While the tsunami surges were noticed across Northland’s west and east coasts, Tutukaka appears to be the only place where there is significant damage. >click to read< 11:07
Fishing charges dismissed after ‘regulatory storm’,
Campbell McManaway steamed out of Bluff Harbour headed for Dusky Sound to fish for kina, unaware of the regulatory storm awaiting upon return. The fisherman found himself in a three-and-a-half year, $350,000 dispute with the Ministry for Primary Industries, after processing kina at sea in Fiordland in June 2018. In the midst of the legal dispute, McManaway was going into debt, paying up to $40,000 a month in legal fees and thinking about leaving the industry. >click to read< 09:03
Whirling ‘Triffids’ are now cluttering our coastlines
For years now, subsidised wind energy investors have been razing ridgelines, felling forests, and slicing birds, bats, and insects. But neighbours and nature-lovers are fighting back. So now the wind speculators race for off-shore space in shallow seas. ‘The Day of the Triffids’ is coming for coastal communities as these towers of whirling knives accelerate their invasion of shallow coastal waters. They pose a lethal danger to sea birds – beheading or de-winging pelicans and petrels, seagulls and sea eagles, gannets and grebes, kites and gliders. They also endanger coastal shipping, barges, helicopters, fishermen, and tourists. And the noise pollution from pile driving and turbine whine is affecting whales and seals. >click to read< 15:22
Little piece of gold tradition in $6m boat build
Construction of a new $6 million fishing vessel in Nelson is well underway, with a keel laying ceremony held in line with tradition. The $6 million longline fishing vessel Te Runanga is being built for Westfleet by Nelson-based Aimex Service Group. Newly appointed Aimex general manager Andy Smith said that following tradition a ceremony was held this month to place a gold coin under the keel to keep everybody involved with the vessel safe, from during construction to when it was at sea. The “massive” steel keel block was lowered onto the coin. >click to read< 08:10
Crewman admits leaving vessel’s bridge before collision
A fishing boat crewman who had left the bridge unattended when the vessel collided with a bulk carrier outside the Lyttelton Heads has admitted a charge under the Maritime Transport Act. Christopher Anderson, who had been employed by the fishing company for 12 years, admitted the charge of causing unnecessary danger or risk to the F/V Leila Jo fishing boat, and the bulk carrier, and the people on board, in the incident on January 12, 2020. >click to read< 08:53
Sanford fined for crew member’s ‘avoidable’ death
Sanford Limited has been fined $375,000 and ordered to pay $121,860 reparations and $35,000 costs to the family of a crew member who died on one of its fishing vessels,,, Steffan Antony Stewart, 26, of New Plymouth, died after becoming entangled in machinery on the factory fishing vessel, San Granit, on November 14, 2018. Stewart had entered part of an automated freezer system to clear a blockage. When the system activated he became caught and was fatally injured by moving parts of the system. “The factory supervisor checked workers every hour. However, the factory supervisor on Mr Stewart’s shift was unfamiliar with the automated freezer system and therefore limited in their ability to monitor and provide the supervision necessary to help keep workers safe. >click to read< 08:39
Selling Whale Poop
The stone is waxy, gritty, and leaves on the skin a trace of oily resin not unlike cannabidiol. Its smell, which so many have labelled “indescribable,” is an olfactory kaleidoscope: tobacco, wood, damp leaves, live animals. It smells like the sea, which is where it comes from, and shit, which is what it is. It seems absurd that people have been shot at, run over and threatened by a territorial mob known as the Beach Mafia… for this. Ambergris. One of the world’s most mysterious substances, these hardened little lumps of bodily fluid have been misidentified over the centuries as everything from meteorites to mushrooms, dragon spit to fish liver.,, In reality, the precious stones are a digestive byproduct of one of the largest animals on Earth. And to the right buyer, namely, someone who knows the right people in the luxury perfume industry, they’re worth a small fortune Video, >click to read< 10:33
New Zealand: Reparation sought for family of man who died on Sanford factory trawler
New Plymouth man Steffan Antony Stewart, 26, was discovered fatally injured on the factory deck of the San Granit on November 14, 2018, after becoming trapped in a piece of machinery aboard the New Zealand-registered deep-sea factory trawler. The deckhand immediately raised the alarm, but after Stewart was removed from the accumulator the ship’s medic found no signs of life. The 67-metre vessel, which had been trawling 102 kilometres east of Banks Peninsula, immediately returned to Timaru’s port, arriving about 4pm that day. Representatives of Maritime New Zealand and Sanford appeared before Judge Tony Couch in the Timaru District Court on Thursday. >click to read< 09:25
Retiring rescue helicopter paramedic Doug Flett recalls life on the frontline
The call came at midnight. An emergency beacon had been activated. That was all intensive care paramedic Doug Flett, pilot Graeme Gale, co-pilot Mike Reed and Search And Rescue’s Brian Benn knew as their helicopter ascended into the darkness at Taieri Airfield. Who, why, where – they did not have a clue. “We picked up the beacon not long after lifting off and tracked it heading north towards the coast,” Flett recalls of that May, 2003, night. Back then, the National Rescue Co-ordination Centre was a Monday to Friday, daytime operation. After-hours jobs were run from the on-duty staffer’s home using a briefcase and a cellphone. On this occasion, things did not go well. >click to read< 08:59
Ocean Fisheries Ltd: Propspeed foul-release coatings has now become a must-do job at all haul outs.
Propspeed, leading innovator of underwater foul-release coatings, announced today it has been selected by Ocean Fisheries Ltd. as the preferred foul-release coating for its fleet of commercial fishing vessels. “Application of Propspeed has now become a must-do job at all haul outs. In addition, we historically had issues with weed growth on the keel coolers for the main and auxiliary engines, ice maker, hydraulics and echo sounder transducers. After a discussion with Propspeed we applied the product to the echo sounders and keel coolers at our most recent 2020 haul outs and we expect the same lack of growth to occur. We would have no hesitation in recommending other trawl vessel owners apply Propspeed because it severely inhibits weed and marine growth. >click to read< 10:15
Illegal trawling trial concludes after 10-month hiatus
Fishing company Amaltal has maintained its position that a vessel found trawling in an unauthorised area was the fault of the skipper and not the company. Amaltal, the deepwater division of Talley’s Group, and skipper Charles Shuttleworth are on trial in the Nelson District Court for allegedly trawling in an area closed to fishing in the Lord Howe Rise in the Tasman Sea – from an incident in May 2018.,, The Amaltal F/V Apollo left Nelson in May 2018, on a trip to fish for orange roughy and alfonsino. During the trip, there was confusion over the area the vessel was fishing in. >click to read< 14:44
Speaking of the nutters! U.K. weighing ban on boiling lobsters alive
Under new amendments to animal welfare bill, crabs, lobsters, octopi, squid and other invertebrates, are set to be recognized as sentient beings that are capable of feeling pain. A simple google search will tell savvy home cooks looking to try their hand at cooking lobster to simply plunge the live creatures, headfirst, straight into a pot of (salted) boiling water. A piece of animal welfare legislation is currently winding its way through the U.K. parliament. “Lobsters struggle violently for approximately two minutes after being placed in boiling water,,, “scalding” animals to death is “unnecessarily cruel”, a belief that has been echoed by other animal welfare advocates and organizations, like the U.K. based Crustacean Compassion. Legislation banning boiling of lobsters alive has already been passed in a handful of countries, including New Zealand, Switzerland and Austria. >click to read< 20:34
Fire on fishing trawler forces it to drop net at sea, becomes target of Greenpeace vandals
The fire broke out in the engine room of the Talley’s ship Amaltal Enterprise on July 2, while the vessel was trawling more than 35 km off the coast of Greymouth, the company said. The ship was towed back to Port Nelson, where it became the target of an early morning protest on July 6 by Greenpeace activists calling for an end to bottom trawling,,, The fire was extinguished swiftly by Talley’s on-board fire personnel, and the authorities were immediately notified.,, No evacuation of the vessel was required, and none of its 45 crew needed medical attention. >click to read< 13:41
Leaked document reveals Govt’s proposals to reform New Zealand fishing industry
Proposals to vastly increase marine protections in the ailing Hauraki Gulf and ban trawling in all but “carefully selected” corridors have been revealed in a leaked document. The document also outlines Oceans and Fisheries Minister David Parker’s proposals to reform the New Zealand commercial fishing industry, including progress on the rollout of cameras on commercial vessels. The document, produced for the Labour Party’s Infrastructure and Environment Committee, outlines a suite of papers to be taken to Cabinet that will “underpin the Government’s work on Oceans and Fisheries”. It was reportedly leaked to the Act Party and published online. >click to read13:15
Opinion: As seafarers, we’ve been thrown overboard by the NZ Government
Your shift starts at midnight. It finishes at midday. You’ve done this before. This is the 68th day straight, or is it the 69th day? Who knows? They all begin to blur together at this point. You try calling home to your loved ones, get about five minutes into the chat you’ve so desperately needed, before the connection is lost mid-sentence. You’re on a container ship, or a fishing trawler, or a support vessel for oil and gas platforms. Working alongside the same people, eating the same food, day in day out. You stay focused, you have to – one mistake can spell disaster. Lives can be lost. You don’t complain, because you’re needed. It’s your job. If you don’t do the work, who will? >click to read< By Nathan Schumacher
Blessing of the Fleet: Riding the wave of celebration and sorrow
Losing her husband to the sea more than 20 years ago still feels like yesterday to Jude Wells, but the annual Blessing of the Fleet brings some comfort to the heartache. At the 20th anniversary of the Blessing of the Fleet held at the Sunderland Marine Pier on Saturday afternoon, hundreds turned out on the sunny Nelson autumn day to sample the $3 fish and chip trays, and take in the sights and sounds of the event. But for some, the day is more than an enjoyable afternoon out , it’s a commemoration of those lost to the sea. video >click to read< 11:18
The last cowboys – a replay of the story of cattle in the American West
Norway, a country less than a quarter the size of Alaska, is on pace to bring 1.2 million tonnes of salmon to market this year, and the technologists in that country are talking about the potential to grow their production to 3 million tonnes per year by 2030. Chile, Scotland, the Faroe Islands, and Canada are all significant producers with lesser production in Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, France, Ireland and Finland. Meanwhile, land-based, recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) farms are threatening to lead to an explosion in salmon aquaculture almost everywhere. To truly understand the threat these farmers pose to the future of one of Alaska’s oldest and still largest industries,,, >click to read< 08:52
New fishing vessel boosts jobs in Nelson and West Coast
A $6 million longline fishing vessel will be built in Nelson and is set to create new jobs for the West Coast fishing industry. The 26-metre vessel F/V Te Runanga will provide up to 25 new jobs on the West Coast, and more during its construction Nelson.,, With a crew of up to eight, it will in effect create around 25 full time jobs collectively with the additional fish it brought to the factory. It will also be built strong enough to go into the Southern Ocean around the Bounties. “Some might think it’ll be too small to venture there but this boat’s built like a tank,” Boote said. >click to read< 19:02
Beached fishing trawler Remus refloated, making way to Nelson
The New Zealand-flagged trawler Remus ran aground at Big Bay, 40km north of Milford Sound, about 10am on Thursday. Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand was alerted but no distress call was made, and no search and rescue action was taken. There were no reports of injuries to the four crew members on board. The first attempt at refloating it yesterday was unsuccessful. But around 1am on Monday, they managed to get the heavy, steel constructed trawler refloated. >click to read < 07:14
Fishing trawler stuck on Big Bay beach near Milford Sound
Attempts to refloat a trawler grounded at a remote beach near Milford Sound with four people onboard have been unsuccessful. Southland harbourmaster Lyndon Cleaver said the boat, named Remus, suffered a mechanical problem before grounding at Big Bay, north of Milford Sound on Thursday. A salvage team from Wanaka flew to the area at 7am this morning on behalf of the boat’s insurers, Cleaver said. They were able to start the vessel at high tide and tried moving it off the beach. photos>click to read< and >here<08:17
Forfeited: Seafood firm loses $20m vessel after trawling in protected area
Seafood company Sanford Limited has lost a $20 million fishing vessel after it admitted trawling in a protected fishing area off the coast of Stewart Island. The Christchurch District Court has ordered the company to forfeit the San Waitaki, a 64m deep water stern trawler with a processing factory and freezer facilities on board, to the Crown. The company has also been fined $36,000. In February, Sanford pleaded guilty to trawling in a lower buffer zone of a benthic protected area (BPA). >click to read< 21:39
Southlander to restore 106-year-old boat for history
Brian Railton beams from ear-to-ear at the thought of restoring a 106-year-old fishing boat in his backyard.,,, Railton bought the hand line fishing boat just before New Zealand went into lockdown last March. It was owned in Dunedin and for various reasons the boat was unable to be transported from Careys Bay to Wyndham until last week. “It had always been in the Otago Harbour and was hand lining up till 20 years ago.” Video, >click to read< 10:26
SAFETY: A gradual culture change has been taking place across much of the fishing industry
As one of the world’s leading insurers of fishing vessels, Sunderland Marine keeps a close eye on the fishing industry’s evolution and has encouraged increasing safety awareness. Sunderland Marine has taken the initiative where it has seen that improvements can be made,,, This is not just in the UK, but also through initiatives in Australia and New Zealand, both of which have also seen a safety culture developing in the right direction In the US, Sunderland Marine has also been instrumental in making available independent safety drills for crews working on East Coast draggers and scallopers. In addition, the offshore crab fishery that’s familiar to anyone who has seen the Deadliest Catch on TV has seen positive changes. photos, >click to read< 17:32
Caught: New Zealand Company faces losing $20m trawler fishing in a protected zone
Sanford Ltd, and two employees, skipper/master Grant Walker and first mate William Lash, used trawl nets on several occasions in a Benthic Protection Area (BPA) in New Zealand seas in 2017 and 2018. The company, along with Walker and Lash, have pleaded guilty to breaches of the Fisheries Regulations and are being sentenced at Christchurch District Court. Sanford is the registered owner of the 64m deep-water stern trawler San Waitaki,, On both trips, 50-year-old self-employed fishermen Walker and Lash, 45, trawled along the Puysegur BPA seabeds on several occasions. Sanford said they relied on the professionalism of the master and crew of their vessels to follow company instructions and be familiar with all the relevant laws. >click to read< 21:35
Coronavirus: Covid-19 discovered in second group of Russian mariners
The 11 cases of Covid-19 were discovered in a group of 190 mariners who flew into the city from Russia on Wednesday to work on fishing boats in New Zealand waters. The group was originally scheduled to arrive in November, but was delayed after more than 30 Covid infections emerged in the first group of 137 Russian and Ukrainian mariners who arrived in October. The approximately $1.2 million isolation cost for the second group of mariners will be met by the fishing companies where they will work, which include Sealord and Independent Fisheries. >click to read< 11:16
Russia and NZ in ‘knock out brawl’ over fishing vessel in protected Antarctic waters
Russia has accused New Zealand of falsifying evidence in a diplomatic clash over illegal fishing in protected waters around Antarctica. New Zealand and many allies rejected the accusation,,, On January 19 last year, a routine New Zealand surveillance flight over the Southern Ocean spotted a Russian-flagged ship called FV Palmer fishing in a marine protected area where fishing is banned by international agreement. The Palmer’s satellite tracker, officially called a “vessel monitoring system” ,or VMS, indicated the vessel was about 800 nautical miles (1500 kilometres) from that spot. >click to read< 15:44
New Zealand crayfish in hot demand in China, selling for $100, as China-Australia relations sour
Though this time of year is usually quiet a shift in global politics has made for a busier November and December than expected. A diplomatic stoush saw China refuse various Australian exports, including live crayfish, also known as kōura or rock lobster. Suddenly Chinese buyers are paying a lot more to get hold of New Zealand crays. The extra cash has been a welcome boost, after the industry’s $38m loss during lockdown. >click to read< 16:43
New Zealand: A boost for training fishing recruits on the West Coast
The fishing industry is making a push to recruit more Kiwis into jobs by funding more scholarships. The industry was thrown a lifeline by the Government last year when it granted exemption for Russian and Ukrainian fishing crews to enter New Zealand to fill the shortage on deep sea fishing vessels because of Covid-19. A total of 440 Russian and Ukrainian fishermen were due to be flown to New Zealand on two flights chartered by fishing companies in an effort to save the local deep-sea fishing industry,,, To help boost the number of domestic fishermen, Westport Deep Sea Fishing School director Peter Maich said the fishing industry had increased the number of its industry-funded scholarships four-fold. >click to read< 16:22
Electronic Monitoring in New Zealand: “not excusable” some skippers are fishing in protected areas
It comes as data obtained under the Official Information Act shows the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is investigating a set netting vessel in the South Island. It alleges it fished in both a dolphin-protected area and a marine reserve. “It’s not excusable at all,” chief executive Dr Jeremy Helson says. “We will work with MPI and the companies to make sure skippers and crew understand their responsibilities.” In December last year, new electronic monitoring rules came into place for 860 commercial fishing vessels, meaning the movements of vessels were tracked by the Ministry for Primary Industries. >click to read< 09:16 – Commercial fishing vessel offences 10-times higher after Ministry for Primary Industries starts tracking location information – >click to read<
