The only specialised marine publication in Oceania that focuses on the maritime industry, from super yachts to small craft to large commercial ships, including coastal shipping, tugs, tow boats, barges, ferries, tourist, sport-fishing craft
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L E T TERS CONTINUED��� liquid paraquat, into each gallon tin of antifoul, a practice no longer continued as you can���t get those products anymore. However! There are myriad chemicals available today, equally as nasty, being used in the agricultural sector and, as you pointed out in your interview, if the ���twittering idiots��� (aka ���Big Brother���), get their way, there���ll be rebellious boaties all over the country ��� in bloody spades mate! I wonder if the ���Twits��� have ever heard of letting sleeping dogs lie? Ian McDonald, Auckland SEAFOOD DISMAY Dear Sir RE: Auckland Seafood Festival on Anniversary weekend. As visitors, this much promoted event on Auckland���s new public waterfront was a key attraction for us, a must-attend event with the promise of learning and tasting the best in seafood culinary, along with professional advice on supporting wines, and an extravaganza of entertainment. Auckland did its bit and turned on beautiful weather and the waterfront is just a lovely place to wander about. It was packed. So, into the queue, and even the price of $20 per person including our teenagers was not going to put us off. We did note children under 13 were free which was nice. The VIP entry was empty, but at the price we can understand why. Here was the seafood industry���s greatest opportunity to showcase its seafood products, catch of the day, how best to cook, and what wines best compliment, in a fantastic venue of international proportions, only to let itself down and tarnish the brand. Once inside you can imagine how we felt as our excitement quickly faded when we saw the tasting prices for seafood dishes, North Island +64 (9) 358 2050 South Island +64 (3) 383 4399 glasses of wine and beer with every vender selling fast food and booze as quick as they could at extortionate prices. Stodgy mussel fritters, chewy paua fritters that even hungry teens turned their noses up at, and the list goes on. Yes, there were some tasty treats at a price that meant they had to be shared, and the noise! Why is it that entertainers when they set up to play to seated guests a few metres in front, turn the volume up so loud that the whole waterfront could hear for free while those inside suffered the ear pain? For us, the waterfront had many highlights, most of which we enjoyed outside the festival gates, only to find that we were not alone. Sir I have taken the time to write to, your industry magazine Professional Skipper, in the hope that by publishing this letter, the organisers and vendors might take note and learn before the festival gets tagged as a public and tourist rip off. It has huge potential. Just deliver on the promises made in advertising promotions and on your web site. And, turn the volume down. H Johnson, Queanbeyan, Canberra, Australia Formally Hibiscus Coast, NZ SKIPPER ACCOUNTABILITY Dear Sir As Maritime NZ and Coastguard say, ���The Skipper is responsible for everyone onboard.��� It is time for the Skippers to be fully accountable for their actions ��� from time the crew first step on board till the time they step off. Far too many times we hear of irresponsible recreational Skippers who have no regard for a bad weather forecast and actual conditions, and put to sea for few hours fishing: ��� Often in a substandard craft ��� Often without a reliable means of communication ��� Often overloaded ��� Often without supplying lifejackets ��� Often not insisting that crew wear them ��� Often not telling someone reliable on shore where they are headed and when to expect them back These actions sadly, all too often, have resulted in the unnecessary drowning of often younger people, who have not been properly cared for by their Skipper, who may also be their parent. It also results in rescue teams having to search for missing people or bodies in dangerous conditions. All because they don���t THINK. Or don���t know. It is high time for the Skipper, where such gross negligence is proven to have resulted in loss of life, to face a court of law and be charged according to the degree of negligence and lives lost. Manslaughter comes to mind. This should be regardless of whether the deceased was a relative of the skipper or not. Presently when it happens, we all think ���how sad��� for few weeks and then forget about it until the next time someone is lost at sea and dies. The Skipper should be charged by Maritime NZ and let the Courts decide. We should not have officers making dumb decisions out of compassion, or as in the case of the Gypsy sinking, as a result of an incompetent Antaeus Skipper motoring over another boat at speed. Warnings need to be publicised at all boating ramps and marinas. Then, just maybe, personal responsibility will spread and more young lives will be saved. The alternative may well be vessel registration and skipper licensing. At least we would know that the vessel was fit for purpose and the Skipper has some knowledge, and will be accountable. Roger Burrill, Snells Beach 8 Professional Skipper March/April 2013