Fishing industry urged to condemn thuggery

16 May 2005 - Wellington

Contact: Kevin Hackwell, Conservation Manager, 04 801 2215 (w), 04 389 4815 (h), 021 227 8420

The fishing industry is being called on to distance itself from the ransacking of a conservation information stall at the Motueka market on Sunday and to play by the rules.

"The behaviour of the five overall-clad men who said they worked in the fishing industry was thuggery," Conservation Manager, Kevin Hackwell , said.

"It was like something out of a Hollywood mobster movie, not what you would expect at a Motueka market on a Sunday."

Police are investigating the complaint and fifteen witnesses to the incident have provided their details to them.

"The fishing industry should make a public commitment to discipline any staff proven to have participated in the attack," Mr Hackwell said.

Last week, Forest and Bird members and staff joined with Greenpeace to raise public awareness of the environmental impacts of bottom trawling.

"The community response had been very positive to the stall's information about the damage done by bottom trawling," Mr Hackwell said.

The fishing industry needs to play by the rules, both on and off the water."

"Just last week the squid fishing fleet was recalled to port by the Minister of Fisheries because the majority of vessels had been caught 'in the act' of failing to implement their own code of practice to prevent the killing of albatross and petrels," he said.