Kiribati captures

US tuna boat

P.I.M. correspondent Batin Bataua reports from Tarawa on the capture and arrest of a US tuna boat charged with illegal fishing in Kiribati’s exclusive economic zone.

Towards the end of April New Zealand Orion surveillance aircraft re ported the sighting of four US purse seiners right in the middle of Kiribati’s EEZ.

With its sophisticated electronic equipment, the Orion took photographs and the names of the four boats.

Its report back to capital Tarawa listed the boats as the Voyager, owned by the Voya ger company of Puerto Rico, the Ocean Pearl of the Inter Ocean Ships San Diego, Uncle Louie of the Uncle Louie company of San Diego and Carol Linda owned by Carol Linda company of Las Vegas.

The sth ship, the Lone Wolf was moving further away from the four, who where just about a mile apart from each other.

The Secretary for Natural Re sources, Mr Teken Tokataake, was one of the Kiribatise key witnesses onboard the Orion.

Over the following days further reports of more US fishing boats were received from the local commercial planes. They were again sighted in the same vicinity as on previous days.

The Ministry of Natural Re sources Development then mounted a sea and air opera tion code named ‘Enforcement Operation’. The National air line, Air Tungaru and the State Fishing Corporation were told to co-operate.

First a Casa plane on the Ist of May was sent for aerial survey within the Nonouti Tabiteuea Islands area. The Casa reported back that there were five of them busy fishing.

The local plane did not alarm them. In fact the pilot of the Casa reported that two of them extended their nets while the other three rolled in their nets.

The Casa named the boats, as the Ocean Pearl, the Carol Linda, Captain M.J. Souza, Gem and the popular Jeanette Diana. The later was captured by the Solomon Islands Gov ernment a few years back for

fishing illegally in local waters. (During the US and Solomon Islands dispute over the Diana, the US imposed economic sanctions against the Solo mons. In the end the Solomons had to sell back the Diana to the owner at a moderate price.) Minister for Natural Re sources, Mr Babera Kirata, sent a strongly worded protest to the US Government. In his press release he expressed his shock and dismay at what he de scribed as the continued and flagrant breaking of the spirit of the fishing treaty recently signed by the US and Kiribati.

Enforcement operation came to action after President leremia Tabai sent another bitter protest to the US Government on the same topic. In his release he said he was disappointed and distressed at the inability of the United States Government to keep its own side of the recently signed treaty with small Pacific nations including Kiribati.

President Tabai said his trust in the people of the United States has been shaken and reduced by these illegal actions.

He stressed that until the US has apprehended those con cerned then and only then would the people’s trust be restored. Mr Tabai made it clear the friendship between his country and the United States can be affected by these viola tions and bully manners of the US fishing boats.

Since the first of May the Kiribati Government had made four international press re leases, which also called for foreign press and TV teams to come to Kiribati and see for themselves what ‘the richest nation’ on earth has done to one of the poorest ones.

Early Wednesday morning sth May, a local Japanese built fishing boat Nel Arintetongo which had just undergone ma jor engine repair in Fiji was where she should be according to the Enforcement Operation Plan.

The local plane with full tank was up there at dawn for an early ‘catch’. Both had govern ment officials on board. But Nei Arintetongo had extra, very effi cient police officers with their rifles and pistols.

The men in charge of the operation were Senior fisheries officer Tekaabu Tikai, and police inspector Temaua Tena no. The ‘Tradition fell into the trap with a sister vessel who managed to escape later. The plane reported the Tradition location and the Nei Arinteton go moved in.

The actual seizure of the US purse seiner was not that easy.

Although government officials who actually went on board the Tradition declined to comment they agreed that they had a pretty hard time to make the captain of the ‘Tradition ’ obey orders.

The normal procedures according to Maritime Regula tions on such occasions require certain steps to be taken so the captain of the chased vessel will comply with orders. As in the case of the Jeanette Diana, there were shots fired the shots were communication signs easily understandable by every captain. But Nei Arinte tongo does not carry one, only the police rifle and pistol guns.

There was resistance from the captain and crew members of the ‘Tradition which include Filipinos, American and West ern Samoans. The captain was

later named as Paul Megallan, 36, of the United States.

The ‘Tradition was owned by the Tradition company from Las Vegas in Nevada, U.S.A.

With things under local con trol, the captain was taken onboard the local boat and Tradition was escorted to Betio port. Both arrived at midnight.

The next morning police and lawyers, immigration and cus tom officers boarded the Tradi tion for further investigation and enquiries.

The Minister Mr Kirata said the captain and his crew will be charged with illegal fishing. The same day, President leremia Tabai who was on his home island campaigning for the Presidential Election was taken back to Tarawa on a special flight.

The Cabinet reaffirmed its strong disappointment against the US fishing boats who have been alledgedly fishing illegally in Kiribati’s EEZ.

The Deputy US Ambassador to Kiribati Mr Rick Sherman based in Suva was flying to Kiribati to discuss the matter and seek a compromise with the Kiribati Government.

Kiribati President leremia Tabai