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
Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/73196
WATERFRONT BUSINESS In brief… Akaroa Marine Reserve gets second chance The High Court has quashed the Minister of Conservation, Hon Kate Wilkinson and her decision, to decline the Akaroa Harbour Marine Protection Society's application under the Marine Reserves Act 1971, for a 530ha marine reserve in Akaroa Harbour Justice Whata ordered her to reconsider the application taking into account the wider benefits of the proposed marine reserve. Set net ban: A cover for inaction The New Zealand Seafood Industry Council has renewed its call for collaborative action on Maui's dolphins. Chief executive Peter Bodeker said, "The dolphin washed up on a Taranaki beach had died of natural causes. The industry is not implicated and yet it set off a whole stream of anti-industry invective. We need to be clear on the objective, which is to save an endangered species. Exclusion (of set nets) are not going to make any difference to the plight of the Maui's dolphin. The industry has repeatedly offered its resources to assist with the protection of the Maui's dolphins but this will not be enough on its own. What is required is a proper Government-initiated management plan, not a ritualistic flogging of the fishing industry. This issue deserves mature consideration, not sensation." SBW scores again No, it's not the All Blacks midfielder getting the plaudits, this time it's New Zealand's $36.3m southern blue whiting fishery. SBW has been certified by Intertek Moody Marine as sustainable against the Marine Stewardship Council's standard for a sustainable and well managed fishery. It can now bear the internationally recognised blue MSC ecolabel, recognition of the careful, science-based management of the fishery. 11 rescued after waka capsizes Eleven people were rescued after their waka capsized in three metre swells at Tolaga Bay, north of Gisborne on June 2. The double-hulled traditional Maori canoe was practising for the transit of Venus celebrations and tipped as it tried to get through the heavy seas at the mouth of the Uawa River. None of the group were wearing a life jacket. Most were in the water for more than an hour and were suffering from hypothermia when they were rescued. 42 Professional Skipper July/August 2012 SCIENTISTS FROM THE National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Department of Conservation, and University of Auckland have just completed a successful trip to Stewart Island tagging great white sharks to investigate the sharks' habitat and behaviour, and to determine the periods during when they inhabit locations such as Stewart Island. The data tells the scientists where each shark was and when, and last year's tagging showed that all of the sharks tagged in March 2011 left Stewart Island by mid-June to mid- July 2011 and made journeys of more than 2500km to tropical islands north of New Zealand. The sharks are first attracted to the boat with a berley of tuna oil and minced tuna. When it is close enough, a long pole is used to stab the tag into the shark, injecting it under the skin, in the muscle below the dorsal fin that is only exposed SCIENTISTS CAUGHT TAGGING! for a short time as it swims by. Photos were taken of at least 30 different white sharks, 23 of which were also tagged. "Great white sharks are individually recognisable from their colour pattern, particularly around their gills and on the tail, and the pattern of notches on the trailing edges of their dorsal fins," said DOC's Clinton Duffy. "By building up a photo catalogue of known individuals, we can start to understand which sharks return each year, and which ones are new arrivals. Last year around 100 sharks were in the region at some time over the previous three years. So far it looks like this year's estimate will be higher than last year." TAIC faulted for lack of assistance TAIC IS UNDER fire for refusing to provide evidence to a Coroner's Court hearing in Wellington into the sinking of the 38-year-old Korean fishing boat Oyang 70 which sank in calm conditions near Bounty Island, 740km east of Otago, on August 18, 2010 with the loss of six lives. Coroner Richard McElrea said the Transport Accident Investigation Commission wrote a report on the sinking on behalf of the Korean Maritime Safety Tribunal, which was in charge of the investigation. Both reports were obtained by McElrea but he said TAIC took the view that it was not investigating the sinking because the Oyang 70 sank outside New Zealand territorial waters. Graeme Christie of Lloyd's Register was critical of the way TAIC had behaved. It had interviewed crews and experts, but had not let police see its transcripts. Detective Sergeant Michael Ford said TAIC had told police it would not get information from it, "It seems odd that this kind of information would not be shared between government departments." McElrea said TAIC had a view of the law that kept it away from the court and added that it was "very protective of its sources". Christie said, "If TAIC wants to sit in the corner and hide, there is nothing I can do about it."