NZ threatens to ban foreign crews

NZ threatens to ban foreign crews

Agence France-Presse, Wellington

A large increase in the number of foreign seamen jumping ship in New Zealand has been blamed on an immigration racket and prompted a government threat to ban overseas fishing crews, according to a report on Sunday.

In the past two months, 62 mainly Vietnamese and Indonesian fishermen have abandoned ships at South Island ports.

Many were found in the popular Marlborough wine region and police believe syndicates are trafficking ship jumpers as cheap labor for vineyards, the Sunday Star-Times said.

Nine Indonesian ship jumpers were found in one house in the area last Thursday and "obviously someone's orchestrating it", police sergeant Michael Irving said.

Of the 152 people who deserted ship in New Zealand waters over the past year -- including 79 Vietnamese and 52 Indonesians -- 97 had not been found.

The deserters were part of 2,100 foreign fishermen working on foreign-owned boats chartered by New Zealand companies.

Immigration officials said the true desertion figure could be higher as they only recorded those reported missing.

Associate Immigration Minister Damien O'Connor said it appeared the desertions were part of an organized racket.

"There are industries out there short of workers. That message goes through some migrant communities and may be getting back to workers on the boats," he said.

O'Connor said a ban on chartered foreign fishing boats was a possibility.

"It has to be if the industry can't manage foreign crew properly and make sure they leave when they're supposed to."