Claims of brutality on foreign fishing boat to be probed

Allegations of brutality on a foreign ship fishing in New Zealand waters - including the use of fish as weapons of assault - have been referred to the police.

Six Indonesian crew of the unidentified vessel also told Labour Department inspector Robin Semmens they had to wash in salt water, and that one who returned from hospital in Timaru with bandages for frostbite was made to remove these and get on with work.

Mr Semmens said in a report issued yesterday by Labour Minister Paul Swain that three of the six suffered injuries serious enough to leave scars, yet were also made to work on.

They complained of being hit with open hands or fists, and sometimes even with fish, and anyone who stood up against the abuse was taken to a private cabin to be beaten.

The group told Mr Semmens they had all had previous fishing experience, but had never worked in such bad conditions.

"If these tales are correct - and I have no strong reason to doubt them - the conditions amount to little more than sweatshop ones," he said.

The vessel, which was under contract to an unnamed New Zealand company to catch part of its fish quota, was one of several visited in an investigation into claims by unionists and others of widespread breaches of labour laws in the fishing industry.

Between 35 and 50 foreign boats fish in this country's waters, with combined crew of 2500, leading to claims they are reducing jobs for New Zealand workers and undermining local pay rates.

The Indonesian crew said they were paid between $193 and $289 a month, plus modest catch bonuses, compared with minimum wage requirements entitling those working an average 84 hours a week to more than $3000.

They had to pay their fares to New Zealand, but on the understanding they would have their return fares paid for them as long as they completed two-year contracts, which the vessel's captain tried to enforce by holding their passports and fisherman's books.

Mr Semmens noted claims by local fishing companies that it was difficult to maintain a New Zealand fleet against competition from foreign vessels, but said there was another side to the problem, as it was hard recruiting enough locals against a buoyant labour market ashore.

He also referred to reports of beatings on another foreign vessel, including suggestions that crew were hit with pieces of wood and even with a hammer.

There was "absolutely no regard" for religious and cultural needs, according to these reports, and some crew had jumped ship to escape abuse.

Some of his investigation was conducted with immigration and Maritime Safety Authority officials, who were concerned about the loss overboard of a foreign fisherman from a contract vessel which had no rescue craft.