FISHING VESSEL ORDERED INTO PORT

29 June 2001

A foreign flagged vessel under charter to a New Zealand fishing company has been ordered back into port after being boarded at sea in a joint Ministry of Fisheries/New Zealand Navy operation yesterday.

Fishery Officers using powers under the Fisheries Act boarded the Korean vessel Dong Won 519 and examined statutory and vessel documentation accounting for fish product held on board.

After inspecting the hold, Fishery Officers were able to establish the vessel was holding a great deal more fish product on board than had been recorded in fishing returns. The Ministry then ordered the master to return the vessel to port for further investigation.

The vessel had been fishing off the West Coast of the South Island and was en route to fishing grounds on the East Coast when it was boarded about 4.30pm on Thursday. The master is cooperating with Fishery Officers and the vessel is heading under Navy escort for Port Timaru where it is scheduled to arrive on Saturday morning.

The Ministry expects to make another statement following further investigation of the companies involved.