FINN (COM) Daily Record for 05 May 2004

FINN(COM) DAILY RECORD: WEDNESDAY, 05 MAY 2004

FRESHCO AND FIC REACH AGREEMENT ON MEAT SUPPLY

By J. Brock (FINN)

Freshco and the Falkland Islands Company have reached an agreement to supply meat to the West Store.  A spokesman for the Falkland Islands Company said that the agreement was reached in order to improve the quality of meat in the local market for their customers.  The agreement takes effect on the 1^st of June 2004.  According to then terms of the agreement, Freshco will supply the FIC retail outlets with their fresh meat products and sails through the Freshco shop on John Street will cease.  Further to this, existing outlets supplied by Freshco will continue to receive supplies.

When asked for a statement, David Castle, Director of FIC said, “The agreement should enable our customers to enjoy a higher quality and wider range of fresh meats and allow Freshco to develop further the excellent range of products they can supply.”

Nigel Leach, Manager of Freshco, was also contacted and he said, “I believe the extra time we will have for preparation as opposed to selling the products will enable us to fully explore the local market’s potential.”

Joint Media Release - Senator Chris Ellison, Minister for Justice and Customs and Senator Ian Macdonald, Minister for Fisheries, Foresty and Conservation

The sale of the illegal catch of Patagonian toothfish seized from the foreign fishing vessel Maya V earlier this year has netted in excess of $2 million, the Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation, Senator Ian Macdonald, and the Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator Chris Ellison, said today.

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority recently called for tenders for the 191 tonnes of Patagonian toothfish and the 64 tonnes of bait (sardines) found on board the vessel, with Australian fishing company, Austral Fisheries named the successful tenderer from the seven bidders.

The Ministers said all monies raised from the sale will now be held in trust until the conclusion of the legal proceedings relating to the Maya V.

Maya V was apprehended in late January 2004 on suspicion of illegal fishing in Australia’s fishing zone around Heard Island and McDonald Islands, in the remote Antarctic waters over 4000 kilometres south-west of Perth.

The Ministers also said that the latest Customs and Fisheries surveillance patrol in the Southern Ocean concluded without incident last week.

Senator Ellison said the Customs-chartered vessel Southern Supporter had begun surveillance of Australian waters around Heard Island and McDonald Island in early March, in an operation codenamed PATONGA II.

“The conclusion of this patrol in Fremantle earlier this month without incident means that our tough stance in the Southern Ocean is beginning to pay off,” he said.

“We will continue a strong presence in our Northern and Southern waters in a bid to protect our borders and our valuable fish resources.”

Customs and Fisheries officers used the patrol to conduct environmental and management checks on Heard Island, which is a protected area.

“The Southern Supporter also called into the French base at Kerguelen Island as part of the recently signed agreement between Australia and France to share intelligence and information about illegal fishing in each other’s exclusive zones,” Senator Macdonald said.

“The struggle illegal fishers in this region face is about to get tougher, with future patrols to include an armed boarding party and a deck mounted .50 calibre machine gun to enable Customs and Fisheries officers to take immediate action to apprehend an illegal fishing vessel.”

More details about this initiative will be disclosed in the May Federal Budget.

In another victory against the practice of illegal fishing, three senior crew-members of the foreign fishing vessel Volga have pleaded guilty to illegally fishing in Australian waters and will be sentenced early next month.

FIBS NEWS DIRECT: 05 MAY 2004

QUARK LOSE CLAIM FOR DAMAGES:

Joint venture fishing company, QUARK, has lost its claim for damages against the Foreign Office.  The claim was brought after Quark was refused a licence to fish by the South Georgia Government back in 2000 after the Governor took advice from fisheries and the Foreign Office.  Quark appealed the decision and, after a long series of appeals, that went right to the top of the British Courts, the company was finally awarded the licence.  But Quark also tried to suit the Foreign Office for damages to make up for loss of income caused by the unlawful refusal of the licence and it is this appeal that has been refused.  Quark is a Falkland Islands registered company that has Mike Summers as its only local director.  The other two directors are Spanish.  News Direct contacted Mike Summers for a comment yesterday but he said he hadn’t seen a full judgement yet and would prefer to wait until next week.

COURT NEWS:

Neil Watson was fined a total of £1,070.00 and disqualified from driving for two years in Court this morning.  Mr. Watson was charged with drink driving with a lower reading of 122 on the 19^th of April after a member of the public reported to the Police that he smelled of alcohol. 

Hugh Ferguson for the defence pointed out that there were no other aggravating features and explained the severe impact that a custodial sentence would have on the Farmer and his wife.

Senior Magistrate, Nick Sanders, after taking a number of factors into account, stated that he was only just persuaded that a custodial sentence would not be appropriate in this case but instead, imposed a maximum financial penalty for this offence.

There were also a number of other driving related cases in court this morning.  Grant Munro, Garreth Joseph, Cherry Robson, Ellen Davis, Dion Stevens, John Clifford and St. John Payne received fines for speeding, ranging from £135.00 to £250.00.  In addition to the fines, Dion Stevens and Garreth Joseph were also disqualified from driving for 14 days and 7 days respectively.  Two people had their cases adjourned until the 19^th of May at 0900 after being able to attend court due to them being at sea.  Fishery Protection Officer, Emma Jones has been charged with allowing a person to drive a vehicle without insurance and Fishery Observer, Rueben Arretta has been charged with driving without insurance.  One other case has been marked as withdrawn for the time being.  Ian Sterling is out of the Islands at the moment and is not due back until late June.  At this time, there will be no Senior Magistrate in the Islands so it will go before the Summary Court for Justices of the Peace to deal with.

Alvira Travenio was fined £150.00 in Court after he pleaded guilty to driving without insurance.  The Police stopped him on the 20^th of March after he clipped the curb on Philomel Street and when he was unable to produce the relevant documents, was asked to go to the Police Station.  He arrived with the owner of the vehicle, who had an insurance policy but it didn’t name the defendant as one of the drivers.  Mr. Travenio, with the help of a translator, told the Court that it had been a mistake and that he thought that the insurance did cover him.

Senior Magistrate, Nick Sanders, didn’t make a separate order for costs, due to the defendant’s very limited means.

LEEDS CASTLE:

The HMS Leeds Castle welcomed invited guests onboard this morning for a “Friends at Sea Day.  She sailed from FIPASS at 0900 offering invited guests a programme including a tour of the ship and a fly-past while en route to Mare Harbour.  Not all of the media were invited but FIBS will be bringing a report on Thursday.

COMMITTEE MEETING:

There is only one committee meeting happening today.  The Housing Committee sat at 1330 in the Liberation Room in the Secretariat.

(100X Transcription Service)