More abuses at sea
February 20th, 2012 at 11:00 am by David FarrarTina Law at The Press reports:
Another Korean-owned fishing vessel berthed at Lyttelton has been embroiled in claims of unpaid wages and human rights abuses of its crew.
Slave Free Seas, a charitable trust set up to help crew on foreign-owned fishing vessels in New Zealand, has filed papers at the High Court in Christchurch alleging the 35 Indonesian crew of the Melilla 201 are owed more than $1 million in wages, which it says they are entitled to under New Zealand law.
Lawyer and Slave Free Seas spokesman Craig Tuck said crew had also complained about verbal abuse and general ill treatment from Korean officers.
I’ve read a report documenting some of the abuses that happen on these boats. They are horrific and should not be happening in our waters. The problem is not our law – it is the lack of enforcement of it.
I think the problem is so bad, that independent observers could be warranted on all foreign crewed boats.
Related posts:
- Key promises fishing action
- A principled decision
- Slavery on our seas
- Foreign Crewed Fishing Vessels
February 20th, 2012 at 11:10 am
Why would we simutaneously allow the (our) ocean resource to be pillaged and degraded. people to be abused and exploited, avoidance of employing New Zealanders, for no economic advantage to New Zealand or it’s people.
Vote:Only thing I can think of is that brown paper bags of cash are passing from hand to hand
February 20th, 2012 at 11:18 am
They would need balls of steel and carry a gun. Out at side, would take a lot to enforce it.
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 11:42 am
sea*
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 12:06 pm
” I think the problem is so bad, that independent observers could be warranted on all foreign crewed boats.”
Whilst not disagreeing with you I suspect you would be hard pressed to find observer prepared to go to sea in the substandard FCV fishing our territorial waters. Look at the number that have been lost at sea over the last couple of years. The condition on board are not that great even on the sound ones.
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 12:14 pm
Ban foreign fishing vessels full stop.
You can’t put observers on board a ship– there’d be some deaths for sure.
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 12:32 pm
Jonno, they are observers ie have no role in enforcing compliance.
Wreck, if you mean deaths due to the condition of the FCV fishing our fish no argument, if you mean deaths due to foul play you are in dreamland. There is a reason why the incidents happen in safe harbour and not on the high seas.
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 12:42 pm
And of course who owns the Quota. Ah that’s right. A treaty claimant.
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 12:46 pm
Surely the Quota holders have a great deal of responsibility.
Vote:As the Quota Holders have high unemployment why not charter boats, and train their own people to fish, not bludge off others.
Oh – sorry it means working for a living, not bludging off taxpayers.
February 20th, 2012 at 12:50 pm
Can the navy not do enforcement/inspections?
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 1:02 pm
We were sold the treaty claim on jobs and a future for maori.
Vote:A future for the brown table maybe.
Their over paid leaders are ripping them of wholesale And Maoridom is to dysfunctional to do anything about it.
At a small decrees in profit the leaders could give jobs to many unskilled and unmotivated maori
Small fishing vessel ownership does not have large cost barriers A useful vessel can be obtained for less than $100000
a relatively easy industry to enter as owner not employee. Yet all we see is profit driven greed like any other corporation
Were is the leadership? Driving around in corporate BMW’s at the cost of its peoples future
February 20th, 2012 at 1:27 pm
It doesn’t matter Hamish, my main point sticks. Even with an observer, they would need more than a notebook for protection on the wrong boat, no young MAF advisor would make a difference.
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 1:29 pm
yep its the Horis that charter these tubs to fish THEIR QUOTA.
The silence from the Hori Party Hone The Greens and Labour is deafening.
They would be screaming blue murder if a whitey owned company chartered these rusting death traps.
Same ole same old 2 faced arseholes the lot of them
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 1:32 pm
I’m pretty sure there are other fishing companies other than those that are Maori-owned. Somehow, this canard keeps coming up – it’s a red herring (cough).
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 2:03 pm
You know, milkenmild, this isn’t the plaice for that sort of flippant comment. It would take a real manta stand up to a fishing boat captain regarding wages. Plus, and I don’t mean to carp on about it but I don’t think this sort of ‘eel be right ‘attitude towards the safety of putting MAF inspectors on the boats is best. One of these fishing vessels is guaranteed to flounder at some stage.
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 2:04 pm
Ban foreign boats. Only NZ flagged boats with crew paid thru NZ tax system under NZ law.
Vote:Its about the only time I would ever say a union may have a place in the world.
February 20th, 2012 at 2:10 pm
Maori control up to 37 percent of New Zealand’s domestic fishing quota
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/maori-economy-expected-continue-grow-135034
Sealord – half owned by Maori iwi quota owners – believes making a good economic return is not about “New Zealandisation”, but rather making profit.
Peter Talley of rival Talley’s Fisheries say it is about New Zealanders fishing New Zealand fish.
Vote:http://www.michaelfield.org/slave%20fishing.htm
February 20th, 2012 at 2:28 pm
These alegations don’t surprise me at all.
cheers
David Prosser
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 2:52 pm
Do some research on Peter Talley and you will see why he is happy to front all this – it plays into his hands because guess who controls most of the NZ owned fleet? The Talleys do nothing but further their own self interest (not that there is anything wrong with that) but don’t go thinking he is a saint either. Also if you know anything about the fishing industry then the use of ‘brown paper bags’ is pretty prominent – biggest bunch of scallywags going around and no, I am not referring to the 37% mentioned above. Two biggest things that need to happen? (1) Ban foreign vessels and (2) make recreational catch reporting mandatory (and ramp up the fines for poaching). Maybe that is 3… must be following the same counting method as the NBR…
Vote:February 20th, 2012 at 3:15 pm
I love Sealord tuna canned in “fresh spring water” canned in Thailand (like every thing else basically) from seaload the “fresh spring water” is probably downstream from the local sewer pipe.
Vote: