Oyang 77 crew members charged in NZ over illegal fish dumping

Wednesday 16th May 2012

The skipper and factory manager of the Oyang 77, a fishing vessel part-owned by South Korea’s biggest fishing company, will face 13 charges of misreporting and illegal dumping of fish, the Ministry of Primary Industries says.

The skipper faces eight charges, while three have been laid against the factory manager. The two men will appear in court on July 5.

“Commercial fishing relies largely on the honesty of fishers and their understanding that complying with regulations ensures the sustainability of the resource they depend on for their business," said Scott Gallacher, the ministry’s deputy director-general.

The operator of the vessel, Southern Storm Fishing, is about 25 percent-owned by Korea's Sajo Oyang Corp and 75 percent by Christchurch-based fish and food company owner Choi Hyun Gwan, according to the Companies Office.

Another vessel owned by Sajo Oyang, the Oyang 75, is separately before the courts on 26 fishing charges.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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