What DON'T THE CHINESE WANT?

Wilkie warns of ‘exploitation’

Thu
7 Apr

Wilkie Rasmussen: ‘It’s about our ocean.’ 09011301

It now seems China wants to exploit Cook Islands fisheries and wasn’t just interested in being friends and advancing its ‘One China’ policy, says Penrhyn MP Wilkie Rasmussen.

The signing of an exploratory fisheries MOU between government and the Chinese Fisheries Association is proving to be a true a prediction made by the late professor Rob Crocombe that China would eventually want to harvest fish stocks from Cook Islands waters.

Opposition spokesman for marine resources, Rasmussen says this is why he took a position while in government some time ago not to be too agreeable to Chinese interests.

“Chinese diplomats come here to soften us up and then put us in the commercial sector of Chinese interests.”

Foreign purse seiners are suspected to be prowling the northern Cook Islands and possibly fishing as helicopters are seen by Penrhyn islanders flying overhead from time to time, says Rasmussen.

Personally opposed to purse seining, Rasmussen says the helicopters are used by large purse seiners to spot schools of fish.

A 20-year old Multilateral Treaty exists between the Forum Fisheries Agency countries including the Cook Islands and the United States which permits purse seining by US vessels.

Marine Resources estimates purse seine hauls out of Cook Islands waters make up around 0.3% of the regional purse seine catch. The most recent MMR records of US purse seine catches is 954 tonnes netted in 2009.

Rasmussen says purse seining is a form of fishery that is just too huge and will deplete the stocks flowing through our waters.

“The sheer mass of each catch worries me and if we are thinking of sustainable fishing we should be very, very careful about that.”

Rasmussen admitted being very disappointed that government “very quickly signed a memorandum of understanding in relation to purse seining – there are no benefits really for the Cook Islands apart from some fees being paid.

“I dare say there are some personal agendas there trying to secure the deal very quickly rather than waiting for full consultation.”

Former deputy prime minister Sir Terepai Maoate says that while many other countries oppose purse seining, he asks whether the Cook Islands is going to be amongst the foolish ones and allow it to happen in our EEZ.

He adds government must not be tempted with offers of quick money from companies wanting to purse seine here as the fishing method is just far too detrimental to allow in our waters.

“We have to think better than that.”

If government wants to generate more revenue from fisheries, then increasing the number of licensed commercial long line fishing vessels should be the alternative, says Sir Terepai.

He says he knows many fishermen are opposed to plans to allow up to four purse seiners, possibly to be owned by the Chinese Fisheries Association, to operate in the northern waters of the country’s EEZ.

Locals involved in the fishing industry are understood to be organising themselves to formally oppose Marine Resources’ exploratory fisheries plans for purse seiners and lobby government not to proceed with this.

• Florence Syme-Buchanan