Maori forced to use cheap Asian fishing boats

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Iwi are being forced to use ageing low-wage foreign charter vessels (FCV) to fish their quotas because their allowable catch is not big enough to justify buying their own boats, according to the head of the key Maori fishing organisation.

Government papers have shown that decaying Asian and Ukrainian boats turned into high seas sweatshops are taking a large part of New Zealand's annual $1.4 billion catch, with their Third World crews beaten and forced to work for days without rest, earning between $260 and $460 a month.

Under Waitangi Treaty settlements 57 iwi are taking 40 per cent of the quota and most of them are using the boats.

Te Ohu Kai Moana Trustee CEO Peter Douglas said iwi did not have sufficient quota to be able to successfully invest in fishing vessels and establish production facilities.  

He said some iwi were considering working collectively in future.

''There is insufficient capacity in New Zealand-owned and manned boats to catch the full amount able to be caught sustainably,'' Douglas said.

If New Zealand is to harvest the agreed commercial catch, more boats are needed, but individual quota owners, including iwi, do not have sufficient quota to purchase and operate boats economically.  

''In this situation many quota owners including iwi utilise foreign charter vessels,'' Douglas said.

Last year 21 FCV operated in New Zealand waters, most utilising Maori quota. This included the Korean ship Oyang 70 which sank in the Southern Ocean last year, with the loss of six crew.

The latest issue of the monthly maritime magazine Professional Skipper claims in an editorial it is up to Maori to halt the use of old foreign charter boats.

''While we have New Zealand ships owned and manned by Kiwis, some of Maori descent, they cannot get to lease this quota because it all goes to the foreign boats who can fish for less cost, meaning more profit for Maori,'' the magazine says.

''By this action alone, Maori are condoning one of the biggest fishing scandals at sea, and turn a convenient blind eye after determining any loss of catch on a sinking ship will not affect their cash payments.''

While Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson and Fishing Minister Phil Heatley deny problems exist around FCVs, a leaked email from a top fisheries official, Aoife Ann Martin, reveals a special multi-agency project team has been set up since Fairfax News' exposure of the FCV slavery.

''At this stage no changes to existing policies are being contemplated,'' Martin advised. 

''However, it is possible that the project may identify areas where policy reviews could be considered.''

Meanwhile a Ministry of Fisheries report obtained under the Official Information Act reveals much of New Zealand's fish are shipped straight to China for processing and then shipped back to supermarkets here.

Hundreds of Chinese women are paid pittance to pick bones out of fish because New Zealanders will not.

The report, written under contract by Dr Christina Stringer of the University of Auckland business school, says New Zealand processing plants are closing and companies are tying up boats and switching to FCVs.

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Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz