Wesermunde faces more problems

Press, 23 April 1979, Page 6

Wesermunde faces more problems

PA Invercargill The joint-venture fishing vessel Wesermunde, the subject of a national controversy for the last month as to who should unload her, came into Bluff Harbour at 11 a.m. yesterday and into further negotiations.

This time they were about taking off tarpaulins from the unloaded fish, once it was ashore. Watersiders asked that they should be given another two men to help take off the covers and fold them.

A spokesman for High Seas Fisheries, the joint venture company, said the issue was resolved after talks between the company and other involved parties. Further points were to be clarified last evening — one concerning the land round the buffer cool store where the fish will be sorted and stowed before export.

The Wesermunde did not berth at the No. 7 berth where work has been progressing urgently while the vessel was at sea. Under the new arrangement, imposed on the fishing industry pending new legislation, the berth will not be necessary.

The fish from the Wesermunde will be taken to the Southland Cool Stores, Ltd, where space has been made available.

A spokesman for the com-

pany and the general mana-' ger of the Southland Harbour Board (Mr N. C. Cantick) both emphasised last evening that there was no dispute.

“The talks should clear up all the outstanding points which remain,” said Mr Cantick. He was sure that unloading would start on time at 7 a.m. today. Under any agreement reached on Friday, the watersiders will work supplementary hours which will take them through to 11 p.m. This means two gangs, each of 10 men, will be used every day to give the vessel as quick a turnround as possible.

She is expected to sail on Friday as the company is anxious to get the vessel back to the fishing grounds in the Chatham Rise area as soon as possible. The area proved extremely prolific in squid catches. With the usual squid season ending in about a month, it is important for the crew to spot as many trawls as pos-

sible in the time available. The crew is employed on

a share basis, and is as anxious as the company to get back to sea in a hurry, It is under 12-month contracts of employment and consists of Portuguese, West

Germans, Englishmen, and two New Zealanders. In Wellington last Wednesday, agreement was reached between the Federation of Labour and High Seas Fisheries over the unloading. Gangs of watersiders will be involved on the deck and on the wharf. However, this agreement is unsatisfactory to all others in the fishing industry, and the Government has promised legislation defining the role of watersiders in un-

loading fishing vessels. The Wesermunde agreement is subject to legislation but doubts have been expressed about whether it can be changed, even by legislation. Since leaving Bluff a month ago, her holds still loaded, the Westermunde has been carrying out

further exploration in southern waters.