Paul Fantham News

Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) says the $10,500 fine sends a clear message to polluters of New Zealand waters. Southern Storm Fishing Ltd, owners of the fishing vessel Oyang 75, was sentenced in Christchurch District Court on a charge under the Maritime Transport Act 1994 of failure to notify two harmful discharges to sea. “The rules around discharging waste are clear – we will not allow any operators to flout these regulations and damage New Zealand’s marine environment,” MNZ Manager Intelligence and Planning Paul Fantham said. On 8 August 2011, MNZ inspectors discovered a concealed piping arrangement aboard the Oyang 75 that allowed unfiltered bilge effluent, containing oil, to be discharged directly into the sea when a hidden pump switch was turned on.