Kiribati’s biggest catch

The charterer and the captain of the U S cap tured purse seiner, MV TRADITION, have been found guilty by the Kiriba ti High Court on 15 counts involving illegal entry and illegal fishing within 200 miles fishery limits of Kiribati on May 5, 1987.

Chief Justice V.O. Maxwell on May 19 also found the master and the fish master of the vessel guilty on two counts of conspiracy to effect an un lawful purpose, namely entry into the fishery limits of Kiribati and illegally fishing within. All the accused pleaded guilty on all counts.

The High Court fined the charterer of Tradition, Manuel Silva, and the master, Paul Magellan, $A150,000 each for illegal entry and fishing. The master and the fish master were also fined SA2SO on each of the two counts of conspiracy.

In addition, the court ordered that the 403 tons of fish found on board the vessel and the vessel itself should be forfeited to the Republic of Kiribati and disposed of in such manner as the Minister of Finance directed. Meanwhile, the 15 member crew, which included Filipinos and American and Western Samoans, who were also charged with similar off ences, were discharged follow ing an announcement by the Kiribati Attorney-General, Mr Michael Takabwebwe, that the Republic intended that the pro ceedings would not continue against them.

Attorney-General Takab webwe represented the Repub lic and was assisted by Titabu Tabane, a State Advocate. The accused were represented by a local lawyer, Tuarirake Teiwaki, and Mr David Burney of the United States Tuna Found ation, who acted as a Friend of the Court.

On judgment day, Mr Peter

Floumey, the Attorney-Adviser,

Officer of the Legal Adviser at the American State Depart ment, and Mr Julius Zolezzi, president of the American Tuna Foundation, were present.

MV Tradition is the first American fishing boat to be captured by the Kiribati Authority. Towards the end on April and first week of May more than 10 different U S purse seiners were seen fishing illegally within Kiribati’s 200 mile zone.

Kiribati does not have the proper facilities to patrol its vast ocean, the biggest in the Pacific.

It relies on New Zealand Orion surveillance aircraft and other outside aid, as well as its own domestic air service.

U S poaching was becoming

so frequent and annoying that a combined operation by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Development and the Police Division was mounted, using a Japanese built fishing vessel of the State Fishing Co, Mautari Ltd, and a Spanish made aircraft, the Casa of Air Tungaru, the national airline.

At the same time the Ministry sent about half a dozen over seas press releases and invited film crews to come and take shots of the fishing activities by the U S poachers. According to the captain of the local fishing

vessel, Nei Arintetongo, the biggest catch was caught at 7 am on May 5 when MV Trad ition was apprehended.

Captain Kararaua gave Nei Arintetongo full speed for the chase on the high seas. The captain said at first Tradition did not respond to orders delivered from Arintetongo on a PA system and pursuit began.

Eventually, the Senior Fisheries Officer, Mr Tekabu Tikai, who headed the oper ation, and Inspector Temaua Tenano from the Police Div ision managed to board the Tradition with arms, rifle and pistol and ordered the captain of Tradition to surrender.

Captain Magellan was taken on board the Arintetongo while his captured ship followed be hind, until both vessels reach Betio port at midnight. More police, immigration and cus toms officers boarded the Tradition for further investi gations and inquiries which led to the trial and conviction of the charterer, captain and fish master and the seizure of the boat and catch. By Batiri T.

Bataua from Kiribati.