A weekly current affairs programme introduced by Neil Billington. This week Frontline looks at Asian driftnet fishers.
“Laid like gigantic fences just under the ocean surface, driftnets from Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese fishing boats plundering the Pacific. All that swim into these huge nets - dolphins, seals, as well as every kind of fish, are trapped in what have aptly been described as walls of death. If not checked, the alternate casualty could be Oceanic fishing throughout the Pacific. Last week at the South Pacific Forum in Kiribati, New Zealand announced a ban on driftnets within our two hundred mile exclusive economic zone. It could only be a gesture. The driftnetters operate in international waters, beyond the reach of individual governance, and they’ve told Frontline they intend to return to the South Pacific next year in pursuit of the albacore tuna. But it’s not just the tuna that are at risk. Driftnets are an indiscriminate form of mayhem, and there are many who now believe it’s time to stop the piracy of the Pacific.” Dugald Maudsley and Chris Ghent bring this report.
‘Last Harvest’.
Interviewees: Sam LaBudde, Earthtrust Biologist; David Benton, Dir. Alaska State Fisherines; Charles Hufflett, Owner, Daniel Solander; Damian Briggs, General Manager, Westfleet; Taniela Koloa, Tonga Ministry of Fisheries; Grahame Southwick, Fijian fish exporter; Minoru Morimoto, Japanese Fisheries Agency; Dr Talbot Murray, Research Scientist, MAF; Philipp Muller, Forum Fisheries Agency; Geoffrey Henry, Prime Minister, Cook Islands; Surendra Sewak, Director, Fiji Fisheries; Peter Ho, Taiwan Fishery Foundation; Geoffrey Palmer, Environment Minister.
“To my knowledge, Della Newman, the ambassador Washington is sending us to replace Paul Cleveland, has been interviewed only once by a New Zealand reporter. Sadly it was not by us, but not for lack of trying. Nevertheless, in a memorable exchange a couple of months back with Radio New Zealand’s Tino Pereira, Ms Newman, a former real estate dealer, showed an appreciation of New Zealand’s scenic attractions but knew almost nothing of this country’s politics. Now there are some who might see this as a deficiency for a diplomatic posting, and Della does have her critics in the US Senate. But as Bill Ralston’s being finding out, it’s a deficiency which the state department believes can be cured.” Bill Ralston reports to camera in the studio.