Greens see super trawler as 'death ship'

[jaybee]

Last Update: Thursday, September 2, 2004. 10:47am (AEST)
Greens on the NSW far south coast are considering civil disobedience if a giant super trawler is let loose in local waters.
The ship, the size of a football field, could come to Australia from Ireland after the formation of the joint venture company, Veronica Sea Fish.

But Greens' NSW Senate candidate Dr John Kaye says his party is committed to preventing the kind of overfishing that has decimated fish stocks in the north Atlantic.

He says the ship is a giant vacuum cleaner.

"Ships like the MC Veronica pose a huge risk to the future of our marine population, the pelagic species like mackerel and red bait, because these ships go through and they vacuum out everything in their path," he said.

"By doing that we could pose a huge threat to whale populations, to seal populations, to all the marine species populations.

"Without any knowledge, any baseline studies of where those populations are at the moment, we are about to let lose a death ship."

[el_carpo]

That doesn't sound good. Who gave permission for that giant thing to invade Australia's waters? Indiscriminate catching nets can be bad news. Whales, dolphins, sharks, mermaids, they gobble them all. If it's the size of a football field, it's going to take a football field's worth of fish. Bad idea. I think I have to side with the Greenies on this one. Have to use moderation in all things or tragedy strikes. Gorging today will starve us tomorrow.

[bungie]

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/20...&oneclick=true

The owner --> http://thepost.ie/web/DocumentView/d...-2FProfile.asp

http://www.feasta.org/documents/papers/fishcrisis.htm

The company that owns the veronica has problems using its super trawlers in its own waters and the EU so it comes here ??

"Fishing Vessel Licences.

103. Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the terms and conditions under which a super trawler (details supplied) is permitted to fish in Irish waters; if his attention has been drawn to the concerns expressed by a number of fishermen regarding the implications of this development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17055/02]

Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. D. Ahern): I am aware that concerns have been expressed regarding the operation of the Atlantic Dawn in EU waters generally. Under the terms of its licence the Atlantic Dawn must predominantly operate outside EU waters.

The vessel is allowed strictly limited access to EU waters as a result of arrangements reached with the European Commission and the Atlantic Dawn company. The company permanently withdrew its other vessel, the Veronica, from the Irish and EU fleet registers, which enabled Ireland to resolve a long standing engine power over capacity situation in the pelagic segment and comply with mandatory EU fleet capacity limits.

The Atlantic Dawn is only allowed to fish in EU waters to the same degree, in terms of catch limits and fishing effort, as the Veronica was allowed. The vessel has been allocated the same catch limits for mackerel and herring as those previously given to the Veronica. It may also target other pelagic species such as horse mackerel and blue whiting, as the Veronica was entitled to do, subject to strict effort limitations. There is no increase in fishing effort within EU waters. The situation is, therefore, status quo as far as the rest of the fishing industry is concerned.

Under the terms of its licence the Atlantic Dawn is prohibited from fishing within 12 nautical miles of Ireland's baselines and from fishing in the Irish Sea. The vessel's compliance with the terms of its licence with respect to EU waters and elsewhere is closely monitored. The entry of the Atlantic Dawn into the Irish fleet was facilitated by a decision of the European Commission to grant additional capacity and fishing effort to take account of fishing opportunities in Mauritanian and west African waters. The Atlantic Dawn company will continue primarily to focus its attention on developing sustainable fishing opportunities outside the EU and positioning itself as a successful player in the international seafood market." from the irish version of hansard http://www.gov.ie/debates-02/9Oct/Sect9.htm

[where_is_dave]

Surely the local commercial fishos won't like it either.

[baldyhead]

SO WHO'S GETTING HOW MUCH TO ALLOW THIS TO EVEN BE A PROPOSITION?

[Dug]

I would not like to get in the way of that sucker. There was an interview on ABC radio that mentioned it they need such a huge haul of fish just to pay to run a ship of that size they must work it round the clock basically round the year. They are trawling deeper and longer than any existing trawler because of the net size they can tow YUCK

[smiley=end.gif]

I think we should be writing and calling MP on this one. [smiley=angryfire.gif]

[moondancer]

Sometimes I just have nop words - at least words I can type here!!

What sort of politics do we mere mortals need to manipulate to get some sense into the situation? Also, what absolute hypocrisy - different states buying out pro fishishing licences then we deal with this potential!

I just don't get it - I really don't.

Lawry

[Cloud_9]

i cant under stand why such a huge ship would even be allowd to come here went there are too many pro fishers here allreddy.
I think australia should expand its coastal limits from 200Km to 500km to protect our fish stocks from the world fishing fleets because they've fu##ed up the rest of their waters.

Cheers Cloud 9

[Dug]

send out the Navy for some target practice or maybe those cruise missiles we are buying could be put to a good use.

[jaybee]

Last Update: Friday, September 3, 2004. 11:21am (AEST)
Minister urges ban on 'death ship'
NSW far south coast and Eurobodalla fishers received a boost yesterday in their fight to keep an Irish super trawler, referred to as a "death ship", out of local waters.
It is believed an Australian-controlled joint venture company has chartered the ship, the size of a football field, to fish in Australian waters for small pelagic migratory fish.

But the NSW Government's Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald, yesterday called on his federal namesake, Senator Ian Macdonald, to ban the ship.

He says the ship could wipe out a fishery in one sweep.

"This vessel dwarfs any of the vessels trawling we have operating within the structures of sustainable fisheries," he said.

"It is 106 metres long, has a crew of 50 and three processing factories on board.

"It can deliver virtually the entire tonnage of our entire fishery in some of these areas in one hit."

Greens' NSW Senate candidate Dr John Kaye has labelled the trawler a "death ship".

[gcourt]

G'day All
considering what i read elsewhere that the catch(small pelagics) will be turned into fish meal to feed farmed tuna makes this an even bigger debacle.Aquaculture was suppose to be the enviroments friend. >
cheers
Glenn

[charexblue]

8) ELECTION PROMISES 8) for mere average folk to have a say
play dept game back at them ???
any objection send via REGISTERED Mail as then you Recieve
Proof of Sending Letter . Depts have to acknowledge Recieval
of letter, Local MP's will act if enough pressure brought to bear
via communications channels especially in an election year 8)
not surprised glenn about fisheries debacle, have seen a few stupidity ones over the few years i have been in aquaculture
{yabby farmer} It took many objections to get steady eddy to
back down some years ago. All because some one wanted to be greedy > yeh great place.
hhhmmmm rather be fishin no phones fax or stress 8)

[Dug]

Sending via registered mail is a good idea you can also send "Person to Person " so the addresse is the only one who can sign for mail this could be interesting


I recently sent a registered letter to the minister for Immigration after prievious letters had been "Lost" the registered letter was signed for then "lost" so don't bet on a reply if it's something they don't want to hear about. PS i have faxed phoned written emailed and so far have not had one intelligent answer but lots of interesting replies. Like " we lose lots of mail in parliment house" and from the PM's office "No, I have no idea who is responsible for security round here" he did not like it when I suggested he look at his fridge magnet [smiley=dunce.gif]