Korean fishing vessel forfeited to New Zealand government

By Jung Min-ho

A Korean fishing vessel has been forfeited to the New Zealand government for dumping fish off the country’s coast.

According to the Ministry for Primary Industries of New Zealand, Sept. 4, Lee Dae-jun, 30, captain of the Oyang 77, was fined $120,500 New Zealand dollars (102 million won) in the Christchurch District Court for dumping the fish and misreporting his catch.

The trawler, owned by Sajo Oyang, and its gear were forfeited to the government, the ministry reported on its website.

In New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone, east of South Island, Lee dumped 53 tons of hoki because the fish were “small, damaged and unmarketable,” according to the ministry’s statement.

Lee filled his vessel with higher-quality fish worth $73,000, according to the Dominion Post, a local newspaper.

Other species involved in the case included squid and barracouta. The total catch reportedly weighed 75.8 tons.

Lee was aware of his obligations not to dump fish at sea, and told crew not to dump anything when ministry representatives were around, the ministry’s statement said.

Lee reportedly admitted during the trial that he had omitted to report certain details about fish that had been lost or returned to the sea.

The ministry’s district compliance manager, Peter Hyde, said in the statement that unlawful dumping of quota species undermined the integrity of New Zealand’s quota management system and threatened sustainable fishing.

“Accurate information is also used to ensure we have sustainable fisheries for the future,” Hyde was quoted as saying. “The system relies on honest and accurate reporting.”

No one from Sajo Oyang was immediately available for comment. But an official from Sajo Haepyo, an affiliate of the Sajo Group, which also includes Sajo Oyang, said it would be difficult to contact Oyang “because it has no marketing team.”