[ad_1]
Supplied
Seafood company Sanford Limited could lose a $ 20 million deep-sea stern trawler after it was found fishing in a protected fishing area. (File photo)
Seafood company Sanford Limited could lose a $ 20 million fishing vessel after it was found fishing with trawls in a protected fishing area off the coast of Stewart Island.
The company’s defense attorney appeared in Christchurch District Court on Monday after it was charged with trawling in a lower buffer zone of a benthic protected area (BPA).
GAP are areas of the New Zealand seabed where it is prohibited to fish within 100 meters to avoid the destruction of ecosystems.
Bottom trawling is allowed in GAP if certain requirements are met, including prior notification to the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) and having two MPI observers on board during the activity.
READ MORE:
* Fishing company and captain indicted for alleged illegal trawling in the Tasman Sea
* Sealord fined $ 24,000 and ordered to seize the boat for trawling in the protected area
* Massive fine of over $ 1 million to Hawke’s Bay fishing directors and businesses
The charges filed by MPI relate to multiple incidents at the same BPA in 2017 and 2018.
On October 28, 2017, the San Waitaki, a deep-sea stern trawler with processing factory and freezing facilities on board, left the port of Timaru.
Grant Clifford Walker, 50, was on board as the ship’s skipper and William Dessiou Lash, 45, as first mate. Each took turns controlling the boat, working 12-hour shifts at a time.
Between October 31 and November 5, the San Waitaki entered a BPA located about 70 nautical miles west of the South Cape on Stewart Island. The area is known as Puysegur.
No contact was made with the Fisheries Communication Center before entering the protection area.
Supplied
The Ministry of Primary Industries seized a total of 22,860 kg of orange roughy. (File photo)
The onboard fishing reporting system captured the trawler on the seabed for more than three hours during this time. Orange roughy was the target species for trawl nets and accounted for 2,520 kg of the estimated 2,870 kg of fish caught.
On October 20, 2018, the trawler left the port of Timaru with Walker and Lash on board, entering Puysegur on October 28.
The data showed that the ship tracked the seabed in the protection area on numerous occasions.
In total, 22,860 kg of orange roughy were taken from a total catch of 24,970 kg of fish.
On November 5, 2018, MPI learned of the fishing activity in the protection area and contacted the Sanford vessel manager. The San Waitaki left the area quickly.
Stuff
Sanford is New Zealand’s largest fishing company.
When interviewed by investigators, both Walker and Lash denied knowing that they were fishing with a BPA at the time.
Walker pleaded guilty to two representative counts and Lash to one representative count of using a trawl in the lower buffer zone of a BPA. Sanford Ltd pleaded guilty to three of the same representation charges.
Both the company and the two men face fines of up to $ 100,000.
In addition, the company could be ordered to cede the San Waitaki, valued at $ 20 million, to the Crown.
The fish caught by the boat in 2018 was seized and sold, and the proceeds of $ 150,720 were retained by the Crown.
Judge Stephen O’Driscoll has reserved his sentencing decision.
Acting Sanford CEO Andre Gargiulo said the fishing on his boat was “completely unintentional”, that the company has an “exemplary track record” and that he was “ashamed and sorry this happened.”
“Frankly, we feel ashamed and disappointed in ourselves for what happened. We have long been one of the New Zealand fishing companies supporting GAP and helping to create it, ”said Gargiulo.
“Accidentally overlooking one and inadvertently fishing inside it is unacceptable to us, and we are very sorry.”
Since then, the company has implemented new processes to prevent similar mistakes from being repeated.
