Professional Skipper Magazine from VIP Publications

EDITORIAL TM Gnashing of teeth required ON MARAE Servicing the maritime industry since 1996 Incorporating New Zealand Workboats, NZ Professional Skipper & Oceans ISSN 1176-3078 ISSN 1176-8665 is published by: VIP Publications, 4 Prince Regent Drive, Half Moon Bay, Auckland 2012 Ph 09 533 4336 Fax 09 533 4337 Email keith@skipper.co.nz advertising@skipper.co.nz website: www.skipper.co.nz Editor: Manager: Editorial assistant: Contributors: Advertising: Designer: Printers: Distribution: Keith Ingram Vivienne Ingram Sandra Gorter Baden Pascoe Carol Forsyth Michael Pign��guy Hugh Ware, USA David Ledson Daniel Corbett Stuart Cawker Margaret Wind R. Lea Clough Lynton Diggle Trevor Coppock Karyn van Wijngaarden Louise Deehan-Owen Rod McCullum Sandra Gorter Jeff Cook Justine Inns Hamish Stewart Rachel Walker GEON Gordon and Gotch Ltd Subscriptions: Professional Skipper is published for the maritime transport industry. It is available on subscription in NZ and overseas. General: Reproduction of articles and materials published in Professional Skipper in whole or part, is permitted provided the source and author(s) are acknowledged. However, all photographic material is copyright and written permission to reproduce in any shape or form is required. Contributions of a nature relevant to the maritime transport industry are welcomed and industry participants are especially encouraged to contribute. Letters to the Editor should be signed and carry the writer���s full name and address. Articles and information printed in Professional Skipper do not necessarily reflect the opinions or formal position or the publishers unless otherwise indicated. Material and information of a formal nature provided by the MSA, MoF or TAIC is identified by the use of their logo. All material published in Professional Skipper is done so with all due care as regards to accuracy and factual content. The publishers and editorial staff however cannot accept responsibility for any inadvertent errors and omissions which may occur. Professional Skipper is produced bi-monthly. JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR ��� MPA AWARDS 2012 JUDGED HIGHLY COMMENDED EDITOR OF THE YEAR ��� MPA AWARDS 2009 Finalist 2008 Qantas Media Awards t last, the elephant in the room is about to be revealed as we all consider the ramifications of the government���s decision to implement the 15 recommendations from the Foreign Charter Vessel review commission. A For some ten years the government has buried its head and procrastinated over the conditions and plight of what foreign seafarers have had to endure at the hands of their Korean masters. Yes, it is nothing short of slavery at sea and good old little New Zealand is at the forefront of condoning and supporting archaic and barbaric activities happening just over our horizon. Making the government see the light has taken a huge commitment from some within our fishing industry, experts from Auckland University and the media, including this magazine, and finally, through public pressure, we have been able to shame the politicians into doing something. The result is 15 recommendations that have to be implemented, with the crux being that either the FCV���s operate under demise charter, or; become New Zealand owned and the crews be paid the equivalent of the New Zealand minimum wage, with wages paid into New Zealand banks where they also contribute to New Zealand tax, ACC levies and the like. An amazingly fair outcome you could argue. However, the commission stopped short of identifying the elephant in the room, and that is the source of the quota that these FCV���s are fishing. Over forty percent of our fisheries resource is now in the hands of local Iwi. Ten years ago New Zealand vessels and crew were catching nearly seventy percent of the deepwater catch. By the time of the commission hearing the tables had been reversed, and substandard FCV���s, the rust buckets of the sea, with their underpaid crews, were harvesting over 62 percent of this lucrative deepwater catch. What is not included in the discussion is the huge tonnage lost by fishing mortality, and poor handling of fish caught, resulting in large scale dumping of a valuable resource that should be destined for overseas market and earning this country, export dollars. The public pressure resulted in a government decision in October to table legislation that will require all fishing boats to be New Zealand flagged by 2016. At last, there is hope of turning this woeful situation around and seeing a return to New Zealandisation of our deepwater fleet. I do not subscribe to the notion that these companies cannot make money out of the catch. If the catch is of such low value as to become uneconomic to harvest, leave it in the water as part of the food chain for other species! But if one responsible company can include lower valued mackerels and such as part of their quota fishing package and still make an economic return, then one must ask who is kidding whom? All too often government and officials have been frightened to address the elephant in the room, and that is: the majority quota owner, our own local Iwi. When I heard a prominent Iwi fishing representative on the news recently, stating that Maori would be seeking three hundred million dollars in compensation from government because they no longer had access to the FCV���s to catch their quota, my blood ran cold. Here was just another example of snouts in the trouts. Did they not consider the human interest and the well-being of seafarers? Did they not think of the welfare of these foreign seafarers? Did they not consider the risk that these rust buckets pose to the environment and lives at sea? Were they not thinking of the sustainability of our deep-water fishery? Obviously not. It would appear that we have yet another gravy train being exploited on the back of the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Settlement Act. The allocation of fisheries quota was meant in part to give opportunities for Maori to develop into our fisheries, creating jobs and opportunities for young Maori to work in a meaningful industry. Granted it is, hard work, but the pay is good. And I do not subscribe to the argument that fishing companies cannot get workers willing to work at sea when the evidence suggests otherwise: provide good ships, working conditions, and rates of pay and the fishing companies will all have waiting lists. But those who are out to rip the nation off by using dangerous rust buckets manned by foreign crew in an effort to cream higher profits are going to argue otherwise. While we applaud the government for finally making a decision and introducing new policy, the implementation date of 2016 still allows the rogues of our industry the opportunity to rip the guts out of our deepwater fishery before the door is finally closed. The responsibility for developing enduring solutions rests on our elders within the tribal communities. Clearly they now have to demonstrate leadership and create opportunities for their young ones. They do not have to conform with recognised international business models and continue to feed lawyers large fees to work the compensation system. They could enter into partnerships, or even lead with sound business development decisions by taking on the social responsibility that in the end will create the opportunities that ensure they get the best bang for our buck. This will require much gnashing of the teeth on our marae as our kaumatua and kuia take up the cudgels to lead their people towards fisheries success. A challenge in itself! In closing, from all of us here at Professional Skipper magazine, we wish all our readers and their extended whanau the very best for the festive season and may the new year bring good will, improved economic times and a level of common sense to all. Keith Ingram, Editor

• A4 TO ADVERTISE
• 01-20
• 21-40
• 41-60
• 61-80
• S91 covers
• AC51 web