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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FOREIGN CREW BY CHRIS "CAPTAIN CAREFREE" CAREY I have been involved with the New Zealand fishing industry for 35 years, most of that time at sea as skipper of Kiwi flagged factory freezer trawlers. Over the years I have had the privilege of working with fishermen from all corners of the world. On one vessel with a crew of 24, I was the sole "white dude" and the only one from the southern hemisphere. While cultural and religious backgrounds will determine how you behave, by and large it boils down to one simple ideology; irrespective of race, colour or creed, if you work hard you earn the respect of your crew mates. Looking back, you remember the good bastards and those "characters," the hard cases and you'll remember the plonkers, but memories of the mediocre ones in the middle soon fade with time. My first experience at bottom trawling was in the early 80s where I was one of a number of Kiwis working on the Banshu Maru 8, a Japanese FCV fishing for Watties out of Gisborne. For 20 years I worked for Amaltal Fishing Company, during which time I was mate and skipper on a number of their vessels, by and large with a Kiwi crew, but there were also Japanese and Filipino crew employed at one time or another. My final years as a fishermen were as skipper of Independent Fisheries Limited 46m factory trawler Independent 1 where the majority of the crew was from Indonesia. Kiwis are a pretty gregarious breed, we get on well with most people except perhaps when it comes to Aussies and sport. We take an interest in things "foreign" and most of us can't wait to head off on the big OE, so I found that the atmosphere aboard the vessels was all the better for it when we had a mix of foreign crew. Those who have sailed with me know that I expect a high standard of behaviour. If it's good enough for me to turn-to on time and sober then I expect my crew to show the same courtesy. I've been forced to sail short-handed on a number of occasions. Crew didn't show, and some couldn't even pick up the phone to give me enough notice to find someone else, or where an individual's cognitive and motive powers were so severely impaired that he was a risk not only to himself but to the rest of his crew mates. Independent Fishing Company bore the brunt of harsh criticism 30 Professional Skipper May/June 2013 for employing foreign crew but all the company wanted, in fact all I wanted, as did Allan the previous skipper, was a fair go. Arthur, the mate summed it up: "No booze, no drugs and no bullshit." Why did IFL need to employ Indonesians? It was the only door left open to them to keep the boat fishing. Cuts had eaten into her quota package so severely that she was restricted to two threemonth fishing seasons a year. Despite extensive advertising, only a handful of Kiwis applied for jobs. I don't blame them. Who wants a job only to be laid off after three months of hoki season and then expected to return three months later for a brief summer on squid? Those Kiwis who were happy with this arrangement filled the roles of skipper, mate, chief and second engineers, factory manager, factory foreman and freezerman. There were five Kiwi factory hands. The remaining 24 Indonesians worked in the factory, ran the deck, the galley and operated the fish meal plant. The whole operation of catching fish and processing it ran like a well-oiled machine. Many of these guys had been fishing for years on trawlers all over the world so their deck work, net mending and factory skills were up there with the best. All you had to do was show them how you wanted it done and leave them to it. Spend some time on deck with them or stand alongside them at the packing station in the factory and the respect you earned was immense. The cook was Muslim but happy to dish up bacon and eggs. "I just don't eat 'em Cap.' " Most of us however, preferred his ethnic dishes. Our stores bills dropped by more than eight grand a trip, not through skimping but simply clever budgeting and no wastage. The fish meal produced was some of the best tested off a Kiwi vessel and our clients found no issues with the frozen product. My Indonesian crew bought with them a willingness to work which boiled down to them being grateful for having a job. At the end of the day, we all want the same thing; money in the hand, a roof over our heads, food on the table and an education for our kids. It brought home to us how fortunate we are living here in Godzone where, sadly we all too often take our standard of living for granted. They didn't and it showed in their work ethos. Employed under the same contract as the Kiwis, the only deductions made were for "smokes" or cash advances, their spending money in port. There were no deductions for airfares or