Super Trawler Proposal For Nsw

[Hookem_Herby]

Last Update: Wednesday, September 1, 2004. 2:12pm (AEST)

Fishers reeling at super trawler proposal

NSW far south coast fishers are trying to scupper plans to allow a super trawler the size of a football field into local waters.

It is believed an Australian-controlled joint venture firm, Veronica Sea Fish, has chartered the Irish-owned super trawler to fish Australian waters for migratory fish known as "small pelagic".

Environmentalists are warning the vessel could have a disastrous impact on fragile fisheries because of the lack of knowledge on what effect it would have on migratory fish.

Far South Coast Fisheries Management Advisory Council representative Garry Braithwaite says the super trawler could cripple the local industry.

"It''s monstrous...it''s a large vessel that can process a lot of catches. It could leave us in a situation where we lose a lot of our bait species that are abundant down through these areas, and that will bring on a flow-on effect of our other pelagic species disappearing, such as tuna and marlin," he said.

"It will have a flow-on effect to tourism in that game fishing will drop off."

The Sydney Morning Herald says there are plans to also use the trawler in the Australian Bight, Tasmania and Victoria.

[fisho1]

is this for real????????? if something like this was erver even trialed they should be blown out of the f*****g water i have never heard such a stupid idea but it does make sense we have dumb azz people making desicions for us normal people

Edited September 1, 2004 by fisho1

[Hookem_Herby]

Lastest Update: Thursday, September 2, 2004. 10:47am (AEST)

Greens on the NSW far south coast are considering civil disobedience if a giant super trawler is let loose in local waters.

The ship, the size of a football field, could come to Australia from Ireland after the formation of the joint venture company, Veronica Sea Fish.

But Greens' NSW Senate candidate Dr John Kaye says his party is committed to preventing the kind of overfishing that has decimated fish stocks in the north Atlantic.

He says the ship is a giant vacuum cleaner.

"Ships like the MC Veronica pose a huge risk to the future of our marine population, the pelagic species like mackerel and red bait, because these ships go through and they vacuum out everything in their path," he said.

"By doing that we could pose a huge threat to whale populations, to seal populations, to all the marine species populations.

"Without any knowledge, any baseline studies of where those populations are at the moment, we are about to let lose a death ship."

[Mick]

Below is part of an article on super trawlers which shows just how effective these floating factories are. They have pillaged european waters, third world country waters, so it looks like they are working their way around the globe like a disease.

Super trawler joins fleet of floating fish factories

by Eddie Cassidy, Marine Correspondent

A FATHER and son are set to launch one of the world’s most ambitious fishing projects later this year when their £50 million trawler takes to the waters off South Africa.

Equivalent in size to Croke Park stadium, the vessel will be targeting fisheries outside EU waters and will initially operate in seas off Third World countries.

The Atlantic Dawn will join an elite fleet of super trawlers which, despite representing less than 2% of the world’s 3.5 million fishing boats, have the capacity to seize almost 60% of the global catch.

The vessel, built by the Kevin McHugh shipyard in Killybeggs, is so large it will be capable of landing enough stock every day to feed 14 million people.

Believed to be the world’s longest fishing vessel, the ship has a 24 metre beam and main engines with 20,000hp to propel a gross weight of 13,500 tonnes.

With the first phase now complete at the Umoe Sterkoder shipyard in Norway, the new superboat will employ about 100 people onboard, including engineers and processing workers.

Achill Island born McHugh is already internationally established as the owner of Ireland’s only other factory ship, the 100 metre long Veronica

[Guest Mike.L]

heres a pic of 'The Atlantic Dawn' im guessing the one they want to bring is similar size

Its quite a lump of steel not quite what we need in these waters

[Guest Mike.L]

Ok so the Atlantic Dawn is the biggest and here is the close second and the vessel they want to bring down here... MC Veronica

[kikila]

By the look of both the Atlantic Dawn & Veronica I think that they would make brilliant artificial reefs

[Guest Mike.L]

The world's second largest fishing trawler with the dubious reputation of having killed more fish than any other boat in the world is bound for Australia to trawl untouched fishing grounds.

I think that sums up whats in the pipeline.........

[Hookem_Herby]

:welcome: Kikila

I agree, all bad news for our fishing resources. Just hope it never happpens!

Herby

[Markus]

despite representing less than 2% of the world’s 3.5 million fishing boats, have the capacity to seize almost 60% of the global catch.

The vessel, built by the Kevin McHugh shipyard in Killybeggs, is so large it will be capable of landing enough stock every day to feed 14 million people.

What tha???? Is that for real? Did i read correctly?

[Guest Jocool]

Guys...Just had a meeting tonight with Ian Macdonald. He is the Fisheries Minister. He is VERY opposed to this ship working any waters around NSW. He has suggested that legal action will be taken if they persist in their plan!

[bombora]

Hi guys, just saw a press release; NSW govt has banned the super trawler from NSW waters. A small victory. But can the feds over-rule? chers Bombie

[Guest Jocool]

No Bombie...the Feds wont over rule that decision.

But what they need to do is also ban it. The NSW Gov. can ban it from NSW waters, but it will take the Federal Government to ban it from australian waters.

This is one of the issues that was brought up in my meeting on Monday!

[bombora]

Thanks Jo, might see if I can get someone to quiz the feds on this. Bombie

[Guest Jocool]

Thanks Jo, might see if I can get someone to quiz the feds on this. Bombie

I'll be doing just that Bombie. Trying to tee up a meeting for mid next week! :thumbsup:

[Ken A]

The NSW ban only prevents it operating within 3 nautical miles of the shore according to the ABC news. I doubt very much whether they would consider using it that close in.

I think it will be up to the Federal Government.

[snapperpete]

The other thing thing Ken is their targets are pelagics... so even if NSW bans this monstrosity if Victoria allows it we'll eventually feel a knock on effect.

[Guest bluecod]

Ken's deadset right!

The State has soverign rights to 3 nautical miles. The Comonwealth has soverign rights to 12 nautical miles and an exclusion zone to 200 kms from the coastline wherein they can issue fishing licenses and impart Customs activities. Where the 200km exclusion zone overlaps with a neighbour [PNG] Australia has muscled the neighbour's rights out of the way.

Futhermore, unless unconstitutional, Commonwealth legislation over-rides State legislation and this gutless State Government won't lodge a constitutional challenge because they don't have the funds [mismanaged again], but that's getting :-offtopic

As we have a Federal election coming up very shortly, let them know its more than just a money issue.