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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 39, Number 24, September 27, 1976.

The Law of the Sea and New Zealand

The Law of the Sea and New Zealand

With the proposed extension of a fisheries management zone to 200 miles New Zealand would have the fourth largest fishing zone in the world - some 1,409,500 square miles.

However, the possibility of the establishment of such a zone is being treated in a totally cavalier manner by the present government.

The Secretary of Defence Mr John Robertson has pointed out that New Zealand is "woefully unprepared" for the establishment of the zone and called for action now to decide policy. His call has been echoed throughout the New Zealand fishing industry. The government response has been as hard to find as was Parliament in the first six months of this year.

On the two main problems facing a depressed industry: (i) the need for capital investment and (ii) the problem of foreign exploitation of fish stocks, the government has advised the industry to: (1) "Think Big" (Mr Maclntyre, Minister of Agriculture and fisheries 9/6/76) and (2) is busy arranging joint-stock companies with foreign fishing nations, is busy bartering off assessed fish stocks for questionable assurances on markets for agricultural produce, is busy putting off the date of establishing a 200 mile zone, is not so busy in building up a patrol force capable of properly policing a 200-mile zone, and has got its feet up and is snoring while the Question of immediate steps to control and restrict foreign fishing activity before the establishment of a 200 mile zone passes it by.