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WATERWAYS – Waterfront Business In brief… Strait Shipping quits Nelson Declining volumes of domestic and international freight are behind the decision by Strait Shipping to cancel its weekly freight service between Wellington and Nelson from June 26. The shipping line has closed its Nelson office and is understood to be rerouting freight via its four daily return crossings of Cook Strait. The company's four daily return crossings of Cook Strait continue unchanged. Strait Shipping's managing director, Sheryl Ellison, said the service had become unsustainable, "despite everyone's best efforts". The chief executive of Port Nelson, Martin Byrne, said the loss of the service was disappointing, "but not a complete surprise." Woman dies after boat crash An Invercargill woman, Lynley Burnett, aged 49, who was a passenger in a powerboat accident during the Milton Boat Club marathon at Lake Waihola on July 2, died four days later. The 5m sports boat, Pure Insanity, powered by a modified 150hp outboard, was travelling at about 120kph when she suddenly veered and barrel-rolled on the lake. Burnett and the driver, Garry Sexton, were thrown from the boat. Burnett, a hairdresser, had been in an induced coma in Dunedin Hospital. Sexton, who suffered a cracked rib and shoulder blade, said he was devastated by her death. "It is terrible. I am so sad for the family. We thought she would get better." The police and Maritime New Zealand are investigating the accident. RAN sea boat capsizes off Darwin An investigation has been launched following an incident involving a Royal Australian Navy sea boat off Darwin, Australia. The rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) overturned as her crew was transferring 10 passengers from the patrol boat HMAS Maitland to the frigate HMAS Darwin. All personnel were recovered from the water, some with minor injuries. Four were taken to the Darwin and the others returned to the Maitland. Both ships returned to Darwin and two people were transferred to hospital for further checks. 42 Professional Skipper September/October 2011 STUDENT STUDYING OUR NATURAL RESOURCE DECISIONS A DOCTORAL STUDENT from Germany is spending nine months in New Zealand looking at the proposal to dredge Tauranga Harbour and the processes involved in making a decision. Lisa Marquardt, of the University of Bremen, is a member of a group of students on the Intercoast Programme, a partnership between the Universities of Waikato and Bremen. They are here to study the marine systems of the Bay of Plenty and understand the significant changes taking place along the coast. Ms Marquardt said the port authority of Hamburg also wanted to deepen its main channel by up to 3m so ships carrying over 10,000 containers can berth in the future, compared with an average of 6000 containers today. "The proposed dredging activities are the subject of hot debates in both countries, as the long-term impacts upon the environment are difficult to predict," said Ms Marquardt. Opponents of the dredging in Tauranga feared it might damage shellfish beds, including pipi, along with water degradation, change sedimentation and flood processes, and destabilise cultural sites, she said. Both ports faced similar issues of local authorities making decisions of national consequence. Her research will compare the German and New Zealand processes, looking in particular at public consultation and the input sought from potentially affected parties, and the criteria upon which decisions are made. Iwi should band together IWI CAN IMPROVE their opportunities and reap better benefits through greater collaboration in the face of competition with other fisheries sectors, says the Maori Fisheries Trust, Te Ohu Kaimoana. The trust represents Maori collective interests in fisheries. They can simultaneously help improve the management of New Zealand's fisheries resources, the trust says in a document it has released to promote a dialogue among iwi and hapu on how to foster greater collaboration in managing their common fishing interests, rather than let the government and third parties undermine their unity. "People talk about the commercial, customary or recreational sector but forget Maori customary rights include all three. That involvement continues today with Maori having significant interests in all sectors," said the chairman of the trust, Matiu Rei. "Unfortunately, these interests often appear to be pitted against each other as the different fishing sectors argue for priority." Tension between iwi and hapu was exacerbated by the Fisheries Settlement, which separated Maori customary fishing rights into commercial and non- commercial regimes. This had divided tribal structures, Rei said. "A key challenge for us is to exercise our customary commercial and non- commercial fishing rights in a balanced and integrated way – and within a tribal system that meets our needs in a modern context."