WHO CHARTERED THESE VESSELS ? Two South Korean-flagged fishing vessels working off the West Coast have been ordered back to port over pollution issues. Maritime New Zealand said that in a joint operation with the Defence Force it had checked 16 fishing vessels in the Tasman Sea. Two South Korean-flagged foreign charter fishing vessels (FCVs), the Gom 379 and the Ser Este 700, were sent back to port to rectify non-compliance related to marine protection rules, MNZ said. In addition to environmental protection issues, inspection of the vessels covered certification and lifesaving gear, emergency preparedness and working practices. The South Koreans sent back to port were required to correct deficiencies in their oily water systems and have a full inspection before returning to sea. The Gom 379 remains under investigation by MNZ. The operation with the offshore patrol vessel HMNZS Wellington and an air force P3K Orion ran for six days, with boarding of six FCVs, four New Zealand-flagged factory trawlers and six smaller inshore fishing boats. Southern regional compliance manager David Billington said the rationale for the operation was that being on a ship at sea was the best way to get a true picture of how it operated. Its really good to see the vessel when its actually working, he said. Problems are a lot more visible than when its tied up. And when a vessel is on the water, you get to see the practices in action, which is when any issues will come to light. Billington said the New Zealand vessels in particular were observed to have good oil pollution prevention and garbage management practices. Their practices were excellent, he said. They were doing exactly what their plans said they would do. They had the right facilities and good practices. Our team observed that they often took the extra step to ensure they were not only meeting requirements but exceeding them. The 40-year-old Gom 379 is a stern trawler chartered to Northern Deepwater, which has been fishing for quota owned by Northland iwi Ngapuhi and East Coast iwi Ngati Kahungunu. The 31-year-old Sur Este 700 is already under MNZ investigation after a fisheries observer had his arm mutilated in a conveyer on the factory deck. It was holed and leaked oil last year after it hit rocks at Stewart Island. The ship is chartered by Timarus South East Resources. Both vessels have Indonesian crews.
Posted on: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 21:13:15 +0000
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