New Zealand Urged To Arrest Poachers; Defence Minister Blasts Ron Mark For Calling Navy 'An Embarrassment'

The New Zealand government is in the hot seat after New Zealand First accused the navy of being too passive in its approach to fishing ships trying to poach toothfish in Antarctic waters. The government has since denied the accusations as Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee declared that such accusation was based on misinformation.

According to Brownlee, the operation against the illegal fishing boats was actually a success. The captains of the boats had denied entry to the crew of HMNZS Wellington. The crew did not attempt to board the boats by force because they thought it was too dangerous, Radio NZ reported.

New Zealand First defence spokesperson Ron Mark called the New Zealand navy's efforts as an embarrassing and "toothless" response. He said the navy could have shot the bows. Mark remarked that the navy's reaction only reflects what it will do to future poachers and pirates. He went on to describe the New Zealand government as "gutless" and thought that all it took would be a "burst of gunfire" to end it all.

In defence of the New Zealand government, Brownlee said Mark's statement were nonsense as the issue was not about starting a war but illegal fishing. He defended the captain of the navy ship for his judgment. He said the captain of the Wellington had done a great job and had all the authority to decide on the matter. Brownlee assured the media that the information the navy acquired from the poachers would make it difficult for the fishermen to sell whatever they catch.

Sanford, one of two fishing companies in New Zealand licenced to catch toothfish in the Ross Sea, has welcomed the news of the navy tracking the movements of the three fishing vessels. Sanford's chief operations officer Greg Johansson said illegal fishing is a threat to the environment. He believes the New Zealand navy who approached the vessels acted appropriately since forcefully boarding the ships could backfire on New Zealand. He said it could also be an embarrassment to the country if the navy cannot find proof that the vessels were fishing inside economic zones.

Meanwhile, Australia-based conservationist group Sea Shepherd has urged the government to arrest the poachers. Captain Peter Mammarstedt of the Bob Barker ship called on authorities to arrest the poaching vessels Songhua and the Kunlun after they were intercepted in the Southern Ocean, Scoop Media reported.

Amid reports of continued poaching despite the navy's warning, Hammerstedt warned that the vessels will continue to fish illegally if not arrested. He said the ships have been fishing in the Antarctic for a decade.

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