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WATERWAYS – Waterfront Business In brief… Study followed fish around FADs A team of scientists returned to the Seychelles on July 6 after spending two weeks in the Indian Ocean studying the behaviour of sharks and other fish around eight fish aggregating devices, or FADs. They conducted experiments to determine why several fish species aggregate around floating objects, and the best methods fishers can use to avoid catching sharks and other unwanted species. Divers recorded the different species and observed how sharks behaved around the floating objects. Some of the sharks were captured and fitted with electronic tags so the scientists could follow their behaviour for several weeks. The team also tested ways to draw sharks away from floating objects. They found sharks often left the FAD at night and returned in the early morning, said the project manager, Laurent Dagorn. "Moreover, when associated with a FAD during the day, it is possible to attract them up to several hundred metres, which is promising for the design of fishing techniques to mitigate bycatch." Ministerial inquiry into foreign charter vessels Foreign charter vessels (FCVs) fishing in New Zealand's exclusive economic zone will come under the spotlight during a ministerial inquiry. The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Phil Heatley, and Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson announced the inquiry on July 14. They said the full terms of reference had yet to be established. Heatley said it was important for the government and the fishing sector to affirm New Zealand's international reputation as a world-leading fisheries manager. "To do this we need to ensure we are getting the best economic return from our deep-sea fisheries, that robust employment protection provisions available on land are reflected at sea, and the monitoring of FCVs and domestic deep-sea operators in our waters is adequate," Heatley said. Wilkinson said the government had become concerned over reports alleging the failure of some FCVs to comply with proper employment requirements, including crew working conditions and vessel safety. "We decided a ministerial inquiry was the appropriate course of action, as a number of ministerial portfolios have an interest in FCV engagement and operation." 46 Professional Skipper September/October 2011 COMMISSION ACCEPTS CASE ON HEARING THRESHOLD THE HUMAN RIGHTS Commission has accepted a submission led by The National Foundation for the Deaf that a six percent injury threshold and age deduction scale was discriminatory on the grounds of age and disability. The chief executive of the foundation, Louise Carroll, said the main driver of the threshold set by the Accident Compensation Corporation was to save money, and the law had no regard for the effects of hearing injury on people's lives. "We believe every case should be judged on its merits, not according to an arbitrary and unvalidated formula," she said. "It can take a lot of damage to get a total six percent loss." She said everyone reacted differently to damaging noise levels, and the only way to deal with hearing injury claims was to treat them individually. The next step was for the commission to invite the ACC to join mediation, and further action would depend on how the ACC responded. Young Mariners celebrates 30 years BACK IN 1981, if girls wanted to join the Sea Scouts it was tough luck, until Ron Bird QSM set about righting that inequality and established Young Mariners of New Zealand. Thirty years on, Young Mariners has helped hundreds of young women between the ages of nine and 19 throughout the North Island to learn to sail, row and kayak. The group is now trying to locate past members from Whangarei, Auckland, Franklin, Cambridge, Rotorua, Tauranga and Gisborne to help them celebrate the anniversary on August 20. "Over the years I have watched hundreds of young women not only learn how to sail, but also hone their leadership and team building skills and go on to bigger and better things in life," says Bird, who is still a unit leader. "I am looking forward to catching up SKIPPERS WARNED AFTER ROUGH BAR CROSSING TWO RIVERTON SKIPPERS who crossed the notoriously dangerous Greymouth bar in rough conditions in January received improvement notices under the Health and Safety in Employment Act. The notices, issued by Maritime New Zealand, require them to develop alternative plans on how to get their catch safely to shore in the future. The skippers crossed the bar to get into Greymouth while a blue light at the breakwater was flashing to warn them the bar was considered too dangerous to cross. There were no regulations to stop them. The improvement notices acted as a warning, Maritime NZ spokesman Ross Henderson said on June 27. "Failure to comply is an offence." One of the skippers, David Haywood, said he would implement the safety checks, such as diverting to Westport or contacting reliable fisherman to check the conditions, before making decisions in future about crossing the bar. with as many people as possible at the 30th anniversary and would ask that 'ancient' Mariners help us spread the word far and wide." Sea Scouts and Sea Cadets now accept girls, and the three organisations often participate in each other's regattas. The patron of Young Mariners, Penny Whiting MBE, says it's important for young people, especially teenagers, to want to be motivated to participate in sport. "Something like the Young Mariners is just marvellous, because they can get out there in a regulated environment with safety and people who know what they are doing, and they are working in a team sport." The anniversary will be held on August 20 at the Bucklands Beach Yacht Club in Auckland. Tickets are $35 for adults, $10 for children aged five to 10 and under- fives are free.