FINN (COM) DAILY RECORD: 26 JANUARY 2004

(With Relevant Articles from FIBS)

 

NAVY CATCHES SUSPECTED ILLEGAL FISHING VESSEL

 

Story © Commonwealth of Australia

 

A Royal Australian Navy warship has successfully apprehended a vessel suspected of fishing illegally in isolated Australian territorial waters, Defence Minister Robert Hill and Fisheries Minister Ian Macdonald announced today.

 

The fishing vessel Maya V was apprehended late yesterday after it was believed to have been fishing illegally within Australia's exclusive economic zone around the remote Heard and McDonald Islands over 4000 kilometres south-west of Perth.

"Our frigate HMAS Warramunga and her sailors on patrol in Australia's southern oceans battled extremely bad weather and high seas to intercept and board the Maya V," Senator Hill said.

 

"It is a credit to their skill and professionalism that they were able to overcome dangerous conditions to successfully board the vessel. These types of operations are always dangerous, but our sailors have exceptional training and extensive experience in environments ranging from Antarctic waters to the Persian Gulf."

 

The Navy boarding party first made contact with the Maya V on Thursday, 22 January and an attempted boarding was abandoned after the prevailing weather worsened.

The Maya V was issued with a legal direction to proceed to Fremantle and when weather conditions permitted late yesterday, the Navy took control of the Maya V after sailors fast-roped to the fishing vessel's deck from Warramunga's Seahawk helicopter.

 

The Maya V has a Navy steaming party embarked and is now under escort by HMAS Warramunga to Fremantle where it is expected to dock in early February. The Australian Fisheries Management Authority also has officers onboard and will investigate the vessel and its suspected illegal catch further once it reaches Australia.

 

"This joint Defence Force-AFMA apprehension marks another blow to illegal fishers and proves once again that Australia has the capability to act decisively in all sorts of locations and conditions to protect our fisheries resources and territorial waters," Senator Macdonald said.

"This apprehension further builds on the announcement that the Prime Minister and myself made late last year of an $80 to $100 million commitment to fund armed patrols to protect this nation’s sovereignty and the sustainability of our fisheries resources."

 

In October last year, suspected illegal fishing vessel Viarsa I was returned to Australia from the South Atlantic Ocean by a Navy steaming party after a 21-day hot pursuit and apprehension by Australian Customs and Fisheries Patrol Vessel Southern Supporter.

 

 

 

 

WOOL REPORT: for the week ending Friday 23^rd January 2004

 

Auctions

 

The Australian market’s Eastern Market Indicator lost about two percent this week, with  wool finer than 24 microns most affected.  The EMI dropped six cents on Wednesday and lost a further 10 cents on Thursday.  The EMI thus closed the week 16 cents lower at 811 A cents.  Nearly 57 thousand bales were offered, putting downward pressure on prices and pass-ins averaged 18 percent.

 

In New Zealand prices were little changed over-all. The Fine Indicator was not quoted.  The Medium Indicator added six cents to 525 NZ cents. The Strong Indicator lost a cent to 368 NZ cents, whilst the Lamb Indicator lost eight cents to close at 364 NZ cents.

 

The Cape Wools Overall Merino Indicator gained 5.2 percent from 3,343 SA cents to 3,516 SA cents.  96% changed hands, in particular to local processors buying to fill orders.

 

The British auction had 2.31M kilos offered, with 76 percent sold and prices relatively firm after recent drifting.

 

Currencies

 

The Australian dollar traded weaker towards the end of the week at 2.37 A cents/£ whilst the New Zealand dollar was also weaker at around 2.72 NZ cents/£.  Currency movements continue to have significant effects on wool values.

 

FWG Agency

 

We received good interest for a range of fleece and oddment types this week.  All additional supplies of Falkland wool would be much welcomed by our speciality customers.

Many thanks for all the bale specifications received of late.

With Regards

Robert.

 

FIBS NEWS DIRECT: Monday, 26 January 2004

 

VEHICLE MINE:

 

JSEOD have asked that walkers and beach comers remain vigilant when out and about especially when there are minefields in the area.  Even after 21 years there are occasions when things do get washed up.  Yesterday, Sgt. Gleave, one of the adventure trainers from Hillside,  found what he thought was a mine wedged in some rocks on one of the beaches on Yorke Point – the beaches between Minefields 5 and 5A.  He took a photo of the suspect object and on in inspection, BDO, Sgt Chris Fuller identified a C3B anti-vehicle mine.  Sgt. Fuller and his second in command, Cpl. King, went to the area and assessed the best possible way of dealing with it.  As the tide was coming in, it was decided that the best way would be to destroy it in situ.  It was finally destroyed using one stick of explosive.  Sgt. Fuller says that if it hadn’t been found, it would have washed up on the beach, which isn’t fenced off.  Although concerns have been raised as to whether this area should be fenced off, it was decided that it didn’t need to be as the team carry out regular physical mine checks, which are an important part of their work in Stanley.

 

BARRY ELSBY GETS BACKING:

 

Following on from Friday’s story relating to criticism of the Government Computer section, FIBS have received the following statement from the Community School Managers.

 

“At the recent meeting of the Board of Education on Friday, 23 January 2004, Dr. Barry Elsby, speaking in his capacity of Chairman of the Community School Managers, expressed serious concerns regarding the performance of the Computer Department in relation to the maintenance and provision of IT and Internet facilities at our school.  We have discussed these problems at numerous managers meetings and Dr. Elsby has raised our concerns at a number of previous Education Board Meetings.  But no progress has been made.  Pupils in the Community School are suffering as a result and we fully support his comments at the Board Meeting.  We, the remaining Community School Managers are pleased that the Board supported his call for an independent review and we wish to add our support to that call.”

 

Head Teacher, Alan Purvis, David Clarke, Kevin Ormond and Dr. Bernadette Paver signed the letter.  And, although Andy Brownlee is out of the Islands at the moment, it’s been  noted that he has expressed the same concerns at previous Managers meetings.

 

SCHOOL DAY LENGTHENS:

 

The Community School day is to be extended by 15 minutes.  This will be to provide additional support of various kinds to pupils, primarily to assist in developing a higher standard of literacy in students that need their skills boosted to help them access the secondary curriculum.  Head Master, Alan Purvis, feels the move will bring the maximum benefit to pupils with the minimum amount of upset to the school day.  For many pupils the time will comprise of sustained silent reading but can also be used to help pupils who need assistance in English as a second language, special needs work and generally monitoring student progress.  The move didn’t have to be approved by Executive Council as the laws affecting education allows the Director to make decisions affecting the length of the school day.  When the move is introduced, the school afternoon will run from 1330 to 1550.

 

TEACHING AND LEARNING POLICY:

 

A teaching and learning policy will shortly be put before Executive Council for approval.  The policy, drawn up by Community School Head Master, Alan Purvis, provides guidelines by which classroom teaching will be judged.  The school already had a set of standards, however, the schools inspector recommended that they would benefit from greater detail.  Mr. Purvis commented that it wasn’t rocket science but just outlining what’s considered to be good practice in schools.

 

BEAUCHENE:

 

After 16 years of working together, the owners of Beauchene Fishing and Trading Company Ltd. have parted ways.  Cheryl Roberts and Colleen Alazia spent three years looking for a solution that would be amicable to both parties.  And, in the end, Cheryl and her husband, Peter, bought out the fishing side.  Colleen said that she decided to sell the fishing side of the business for personal reasons and will now concentrate on the trading side, left in the capable hands of her Manager, Tina Ormond.  Cheryl, on the other hand, will be moving to her new office on Fitzroy Road at the end of the week.  Both Cheryl and Colleen would like to wish each other well and take the opportunity to assure their customers that nothing has changed and it will still be business as usual.  The split of the Company was celebrated at Malvina House Hotel on Saturday night for around 150 guests.

 

COMPUTER GAME:

 

A new computer game based on the Falklands War will be released next year.  Shrapnel Games have been given the go-ahead with the strategy game.  It’s been developed by war games specialist, Pro- Sim, who say that it may prove a controversial development. (Computer Buyer Magazine)

 

GRANVILLE:

 

On Friday, Argentine Corvette, Granville intercepted a Taiwanese Jigger inside Argentine Waters.  Clarin said the vessel pursued several boats that sailed off in different directions before following one called the Chin Sing.  The Granville sent a team to board it but as they were approaching the vessel took off. Prompting the crew to fire warning shots.  The Argentine Coast Guard was contacted, and together they chased the vessel and finally got it on Sunday.  The Taiwanese crew took to the life rafts and when the ship was boarded by the Argentine Naval Crew, they found that the crew had started a fire in the Kitchen and flooded the Generator room to sink it.

 

HARBOUR NEWS:

 

The sail ship Shenandoah  arrived back into Stanley Harbour at 0300.  Jigger 302 Chang Jin is also in the Harbour.  Fishery Operations report that she is due to leave in 10 days’ time after she gets a high-seas licence from Korea.  The Saga Rose is sheltering in Berkley Sound at the moment.  She was due into Stanley to Join the Polar Star but she couldn’t make it into Port William because of the bad weather.  She joins the reefers, Invincible, and Frost Delphi, which is currently transhipping with the Insung 66.  There are only 9 vessels fishing in the Zone after several left to try their luck on the high-seas.

 

 

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