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FCV's WORTH THE RISK? BY SANDRA GORTER N ew Zealand administers 4.4 million square kilometres of marine environment, the sixth largest maritime administration in the world. In 1986 we introduced a tool to administer the fisheries of this huge area, and although hailed as a "world leader", the Quota Management System, is now twenty years old and due for a well-earned review and update. On March 1 this year the government released its 128 page report on its inquiry into Foreign Charter Vessels fishing under charter in New Zealand waters. The principle objective of the inquiry was to ensure that the operation of these vessels: did not negatively impact New Zealand's international reputation and trade access, maximised the economic return to New Zealand from our fisheries resources, and, ensured that acceptable and equitable New Zealand labour standards are applied on fishing vessels. The inquiry made 15 recommendations, and if they were vigorously applied, it would change the way in which FCVs are operated in New Zealand for the better. The government has agreed to implement the first six. The ministerial inquiry heard allegations of physical abuse, sexual abuse and under-payment, and although they concluded that the issues had the potential to damage the New Zealand fishing industry's reputation, they did not investigate them. How on earth this fulfilled their objective of ensuring that the operation of did not, "negatively impact on New Zealand's international reputation and trade access", is beyond imagining. When the Oyang 70 sank in August 2010 with the deaths of six crew it seemed like a postscript underlining points made in a TV documentary that had screened just one year before. Guye Henderson's documentary, rumoured to be funded from a New Zealand fishing industry source, asked questions about the management of the country's fishing resources and the wisdom of allowing FCVs to catch our deep sea resource. Since then a number of Korean-chartered vessels have been embroiled in allegations of slavery and inhumane labour conditions, 38 Professional Skipper July/August 2012 Once these vessels depart over the horizon they are out of sight but, not out of mind in sin country where many are a law unto themselves including 20-hour working days, culminating in a report written by E. Benjamin Skinner published in Bloomberg Businessweek in February this year. The article has resulted in major US retailers like Safeway, Walmart and others, questioning the market appeal of fish that is known to have been fished by slave labour. Needless to say this is enormously damaging to New Zealand fishing's international market image, and to the country's image in all our export markets. The findings of the ministerial enquiry were therefore eagerly anticipated by all those concerned about our image in international markets, as a way of clawing back from an invidious position somewhere near rock-bottom. Although six out of 15 recommendations made by the government's independent review panel have been implemented, comment from a fishing industry executive who takes his responsibilities very seriously, is that the six recommendations chosen for immediate adoption are: "largely 'window dressing' and do not address the substantive issues at all." Andrew Talley says, "all recommendations one to six do is underline the existing compliance and enforcement regimes… There is no change to the operational structure of FCV's". In other words: nothing has changed, the government gets to say its done something, but its just business as usual for FCV's, and the New Zealand fishing industry and our export markets as a whole, are left with a huge slur to contend with in already highly competitive international markets. Then the Government announced the dreaded clanger when it resolved that all FCV's will need to meet New Zealand standards and laws by being Demise Charters and being reflagged as New Zealand ships in four year's time. The Chief Executive of the New Zealand Seafood Industry Council Peter Bodeker was a little more positive, supporting Government changes to FCV's saying that the Government's announcement to phase out foreign-flagged fishing vessels over a four-year transition period recognises that there are significant