Game Fishing Business

Head Of Uk Carpet Firm

Moves Into Fiji's Big

From Bob Hawkins in Suva Predicted as a threat to New Zealand’s Bay of Islands’ big-game fishing industry, the reef-strewn waters of Fiji are now being explored by a company which has already invested £50,000 in the Colony and plans a further £25,000.

rPHE company was formed by a Scots-born carpet manufacturing tycoon, Mr. Harold Dutfield, who, until eight years ago, had travelled no further afield from the United Kingdom than its off-shore deep-sea fishing grounds.

Mr. Dutfield—Harry to his fishing friends from the North Sea to North Island—holds half of the company’s £50,000 paid-up share capital.

He still owns its first operating vessel, the Susan Jane 11, valued, fuffy-rigged, at over £20,000. But thjs will soon be sold to the company, Marlin Investments (Fiji) Ltd.

The word “marlin” has come to mean the South Pacific, sparkling

waters and fighting fish, to Mr.

Dutfield, who, for years, contented himself with the lesser offerings of Britain’s waters, He might never have visited the South Pacific if the New Zealand Government had not let Britain know *bat It had room for another carpet factory.

In New Zealand

Already firmly established as head of Britain’s famous Axminster Carpets Ltd., Mr. Dutfield looked into the suggestion and took the plunge.

He visited New Zealand for the first time in 1959, and with years of

fresh and, salt-water fishing in Britain behind him, it was inevitable that hti should visit New Zealand’s Bay oc Islands.

His first marlin, a 285-pounden probably played an important pan in his decision to make a go of j carpet-making concern in New Zealand.

Initially he called it Overseas Carpets Ltd., but today it is Marlin Carpets Ltd.

Fiji remained a mystery to Mn Dutfield, despite annual trips from the UK to New Zealand from 1959 onwards, until two years ago.

Then he stopped off for four on his way to Auckland and fisheo out of Korolevu with Mr. Graham Wallace in Mistress.

The fishing was great and he cur his New Zealand stay that year to spend a further four days in Fiji.

"A lot better"

He was back in Fiji last yean accompanied by his son, for another fishing holiday with Mr. Wallace, thisi time on the Sereniwai.

“I have confirmed that fishing in Fiji is a lot better than in the Bay of Islands,” Mr. Dutfield told m©i recently, as he eagerly helped to rig his Susan Jane II for a voyage to Yanuca—her maiden voyage in Fij:[ waters.

It is from Yanuca, soon to b©( Fiji’s most exciting holiday resort.! that Marlin Investments will operates Besides the Susan Jane, th©i company will use a sleek-lined big-* game fishing launch to be named) Fleet Lady. This is being built atrx Miller’s boatyard, Suva.

Keeping an eye on the company’s'

Mr. Dutfield with his certificate o[?] membership of the International Gam[?] Fishing Association.

The 45 ft "Susan Jane II", which ar rived in Suva in January.

[?]ome fine craft

derations is another British business lan, Mr. Mike Connell, who will ; manager of the company at anuca.

Until a few months ago Mr. onnell lived in England where he ivned half a dozen fishing trawlers, hich were used for commercial fish ig during the winter and for game shing charters in the balmier lonths.

Mr. Connell, still only 42, will live ith his wife Daphne and son Jastair, aged 23, in a house to be uilt on Yanuca Island.

And if all goes well for Marlin ivestments, “we’ll be here for keeps”, e says.

Fine craft

When Susan Jane 11 arrived at uva from London on the Otaio early i January, she was acclaimed by lany an experienced seafarer as one f the finest craft of her type ever ) grace the waters of Fiji.

Susan Jane II was built 18 months go by a renowned English West Countryman, Mr, Percy Mitchell, at levagissey, Cornwall.

Her design was the result of a lending of his and Mr. Mitchell’s leas.

She is 45 feet long, 13 ft 9 ins. cross the beam and has a draft of ft 6 ins. She is powered by twin 'arsons Barracudas, each of 86 hp, dth a 2-1 reduction. She cruises at ine knots and has a maximum of 1.

Mr. Connell says; “ Susan Jane’s lull is built on the lines of a raditional West Country fishing boat, /hich has proven over many lundreds of years to be one of the nost suitable types of hull in all /eathers.

“Some of her lines are ‘fined’ to i yacht finish’.”

The Susan Jane is equipped with l Norwegian “sonar-type” depth ounder which provides a 360-degree vatch.

Locates fish

But the secondary service the equipment provides appeals more to he fishermen.

It can locate, count and measure the size of fish up to several hundred yards.

The Fleet Lady, being built at Miller’s, will be 43 ft long with a 14 ft beam and 3 ft 9 in. draft. She will have similar equipment to the Susan Jane 11.

Powered by twin Cummins

Vultures, each with 177 hp, Fleet Lady will be the slickest big-game fishing vessel in Fiji.

Hotel Services Ltd., which is build ing the Yanuca Island resort, has granted Marlin sole concession rights for big-game fishing, water skiing, sail and glass-bottomed boating.

Under construction at Miller’s, in addition to the Fleet Lady, are two ski-boats and one glass-bottomed boat to give Marlin an initial fleet of five vessels.

£5O for day

To take out Marlin’s cruiser or launch for a day’s big-game fishing will cost £5O, according to Mr.

Connell.

The only other expense fishing parties will incur will be the pro vision of food and drinks.

The Susan Jane II fishes four at a time and the Fleet Lady will fish two heavy and two light rods simultaneously.

But both boats will take a dozen people comfortably.

Local investment in the Marlin project is small, although about 10 Fiji residents hold shares in the company.

Great interest, however, has been shown by people in Britain who are eager to invest their money over seas, according to Mr. Dutfield. « The Governor of French Poly nesia, Mr. Jean Sicurani, paid an official visit to the Marquesas Islands in February. On Nukuhiva, he looked into town planning problems at Taihohae, the principal port, which, according to the Papeete Press, “will play an important role in the future of the Marquesas in the field of tourism”.

Mr. Connell