Japanese Ship Arrested' At Palau

A Trust Territory court in Feb ruary ordered that a Japanese ship be forfeited to the TT Government after the captain and two others were convicted on two counts of illegal entry and unlawful taking of marine resources in the Yap District. Ruhhei Kamioka, a businessman, who was in charge of the expedition, the captain, Sadao Maesaton, and the fishing master, Eishi Kuramori, pleaded guilty.

Associate High Court Judge Robert Hefner, sentenced them to one year’s imprisonment on each count, and then suspended the sentences, provided each defendant paid a fine of 52,000 on each count, a total of $12,000.

According to the evidence, the ship was supposedly sailing towards a fish ing area in the Philippines, and entered Yap District waters. It went to Ulithi, where one of the crew was treated for burns. The ship also illegally visited Fais, Eauripik, Woli, Lamotrek and Satawal, all in Yap District. At Palau it was “arrested”.

Found on board was some “precious coral”, presumably from Yap waters.

The court ordered that in addition to forfeiture of the ship, all belong ings on board be forfeited to the gov ernment. The Yap District Attorney- General, Mr Philip Johnson, recom mended that the ship be assigned to Yap District for “fishing activities”.

These Korean fishermen, waiting on board the St Pedro No 55 at Suva for passage home, were under detention. They were among 16 who deserted their ships, some of them as long ago as last September, since when they have been illegally at Levuka, Fiji's old capital and headquarters of the fishing fleet.