Chatham Islands mayor upset by harmful bay use

WAITANGI - The Chatham Islands will continue to offer its bays to sheltering ships, but does not want to be exploited any more.

Mayor Patrick Smith said yesterday that he did not know the fishing trawler Seafresh 1, which sank last week in a bay on the eastern side of Chatham Island, was a "dead ship" until four days after its arrival.

The Wellington-based fishing vessel was towed to Hanson Bay on March 10 after its engine-room caught fire and it took on water while at sea. It sank on Friday and began leaking diesel, launching a national operation to contain the spill before it harmed marine and wildlife in the area.

Mr Smith believes the ship still had power and would have been able to leave the area without help. He will seek answers from the company that owned the vessel about why Seafresh 1 was not towed to the mainland immediately, instead of the Chathams.

"If the vessel was pulled to safety from outside into our inshore waters, why wasn't the vessel pulled directly to safety to mainland New Zealand?"

Local people had also questioned why a crippled fishing vessel was towed close to the island's fishing resources.

"We have, for years, looked at our environment as one being exploited. There has been no real partnership with central Government," Mr Smith said.

"We have been told the waters around our 200-mile limit belong to the nation and yet as part of the nation we have never been able to reap any financial reward to safeguard our environment or future economy."

Despite the incident involving Seafresh 1, the Chathams would still provide a safe haven for ships, Mr Smith said.

"Our bays have been used by these vessels. There is no way in which you cannot offer wind protection. We would not like to see any vessel of any type right out there facing the weather."

The Maritime Safety Authority said yesterday that there was no trace of the diesel leak in the sea off Chatham Island.

On Saturday, divers plugged vents leading from the vessel's fuel tanks. It was believed to be carrying 70 tonnes of diesel and on Saturday a 2km-long and 100m wide slick could be seen drifting 8km offshore. Spotter planes yesterday confirmed the area was clear.

The authority's director, Russell Kilvington, said monitoring would continue of booms across Hikurangi Channel, the entrance to the ecologically sensitive Te Whanga Lagoon which is a major source of food for Chatham Islanders and a recreational area.

The authority's wildlife centre will be on standby for up to a week and shoreline monitoring will continue. There were earlier fears that if any leaked fuel reached the shore it could threaten colonies of birds and seals.

A Department of Conservation check at the weekend found no diesel had made its way to shore and there were no wildlife casualties.

Mr Kilvington said a salvage team representing Seafresh New Zealand and the ship's insurers had arrived in the Chathams and would talk to the authority before a salvage operation was launched.

The authority would investigate the sinking.

- NZPA