Media Release
For immediate use
Monday February 14, 2011

12,000 New Zealanders oppose fishing jobs being exported overseas

A petition signed by 12,000 New Zealanders concerned that the fishing industry is exporting New Zealand jobs is being presented at Parliament today. (Monday February 14. 11.30am in front of Parliament)

The signatures have been gathered by members of the Service and Food Workers Union (SFWU). Their petition calls for a Parliamentary inquiry into the fishing industry.

“The inquiry is needed because the fishing industry is exporting New Zealand jobs overseas,” says SFWU Assistant National Secretary, Neville Donaldson.

“The fishing industry is using foreign crews on foreign boats to catch fish from New Zealand waters then sending 90% of the fish to China to be processed.”

“These are our fish. We should be employing New Zealanders to catch and process them,” says Neville Donaldson.

Seafood company Sealord - half owned by Maori interests and half by Japanese company Nippon Suisan Kaisha (Nissui) – has closed processing plants in Dunedin and Nelson and cut the night shift at its chief processing plant in Nelson. The closures and restructuring cost 850 jobs.

The fishing industry is allocated $3.5 billion worth of fish quota that its permitted to catch in New Zealand waters. Sealord is the largest quota holder. Seafood exports are worth $1.4 billion a year in exports.

“The hoki quota has been increased by 10,000 tons and Sealord is sending all of its’ additional hoki quota to China to be processed,” says Neville Donaldson. “This could lead to more job being lost in New Zealand.”

Unemployment rose by 8000 in the December quarter last year and 158,000 New Zealanders are out of work.

“With unemployment rising the billion dollar fishing industry should not be denying New Zealanders jobs by using foreign workers to catch and process our fish,” says Neville Donaldson.

“We should ensure that our fish, worth billions of dollars, are being used to create as many jobs in New Zealand as possible.”

“The 12,000 New Zealanders who signed this petition want their fish resource used to provide jobs in New Zealand.”

“They also want to ensure that the fish resource is not wasted through unsustainable fishing practices that damage the seabed.”

“Parliament should not ignore the concerns of 12,000 New Zealanders.”

“It must look at the steps needed to ensure our multi-billion dollar fish resource is harvested in a sustainable way that maximises job creation for New Zealanders and returns as much income to the country as possible,” says Neville Donaldson.

PETITION PRESENTATION: 11.30am Monday February 14, 2011. In front of Parliament.

The petition is being presented by three workers from the Sealord processing plant in Nelson who are SFWU members.

PETITION PRESENTERS
Dave Hancock President of the SFWU’s Sealord sub branch in Nelson
Roopu Pene Vice President of SFWU Sealord sub branch in Nelson
Victor Norman Cleaners delegate on SFWU’s Sealord sub branch executive in Nelson. Member of SWFU Runanga, the organisation inside the union for Maori members.

RECEIVING THE PETITION
Maori Party Te Tai Tonga MP Rahui Katene

OTHER MPS AT THE PRESENTATION
Labour MP Maryan Street Labour Spokesperson on Trade
Green Party MP Gareth Hughes Green spokesperson on Oceans (Marine Conservation and Fisheries)

SFWU National Secretary John Ryall and SFWU Assistant National Secretary Neville Donaldson will also be at the presentation

ends

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