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Officers of Oyang 75 found guilty for fish dumping

Five Korean officers on the "Oyang 75" have been found guilty of aiding the dumping of more than 400 tonnes of New Zealand quota fish during two trips off the South Island in 2011. The officers failed to appear on June 22, 2012, in the Christchurch District Court, where evidence has been heard over the past two weeks. The Judge ordered the vessel be forfeited, as it is now the property of the Crown. The prosecuting lawyer said the verdict is still significant despite the fact that the guilty men are out of the country. A payment in lieu of the vessel can be made if the owners do not want to give it up. Sentencing is scheduled for Sep 21. It is believed to be one of the largest cases of fish dumping in New Zealand. Meanwhile, the Ministry for Primary Industries has seized another Oyang vessel, the "Oyang 77" for illegal fish dumping.

Crew members locked in storage area

A court has heard that an officer of the "Oyang 75" entertained himself by locking crew members in a fish storage area. Five of the vessel's Korean officers are accused of illegally dumping up to 1000 tonnes of New Zealand quota fish valued at almost $1.3 million during two trips to New Zealand waters in 2011 and of making false statements. The Korean officers have failed to appear at Christchurch District Court. An affidavit from Ministry of Fisheries observer Susannah Barham, who was on She described how one of the officers became very drunk and, for no apparent reason, locked away a crew member in a fish storage area. She was appalled by that behaviour and immediately intervened because it was unsafe.

Officers of Oyang 75 failed to appear at court

South Korean officers of the "Oyang 75" have failed to appear at a court hearing where crew members are giving evidence against them on fish-dumping and catch-misreporting charges. The Christchurch District Court was told the five officers were overseas and had not returned or given instructions to a lawyer to put their case at the hearing. Without the accused present, the hearing is likely to become a formal proof hearing instead of an eventual trial. The "Oyang 75" is overseas but has been bonded back to New Zealand fishery authorities. It would be forfeited to the Crown if the charges were found proved. Fisheries prosecutor Grant Fletcher said the officers had a cavalier and arrogant attitude to the rules, and crew members would describe their behaviour as "cruel". The Indonesian and Filipino crew walked off the ship at Lyttelton after two fishery trips in 2011, citing inhumane treatment, long hours and pay issues. Six Indonesian crew were scheduled to give evidence at the hearing that began on June 11,2012. It was likely to finish on June 12 and then adjourn for more evidence to be heard from fishery observers and affidavits from other crew members who are no longer in New Zealand. If the judge hearing the case concludes that the charges have been proved, the hearing will then move to a sentencing phase - again without the five defendants. The master of the vessel is charged with aiding the dumping of fish, making false or misleading statements and hindering a fisheries observer. The deck bosun is charged with aiding the dumpings. The radio operator and the chief officer, are charged with aiding the dumpings and making false or misleading statements. The factory manager is charged with aiding the dumpings. Fisheries officials allege that damaged and small quota fish were dumped at sea. Fish caught that were not worth a great deal were discarded and higher-quality fish then caught for maximum returns for the company. The maximum fines on the dumping charges are $250,000, but $100,000 on the reporting charges. The vessel would also be forfeited. It was estimated that 1000 tones of fish worth about one million US$ had been dumped by the "Oyang 75" on its two trips. The vessel had no observer on board on the first of its two trips in New Zealand waters. On the second trip, dumping would take place when the observer was asleep or not in the factory part of the ship, and on one occasion when the female observer was too intimidated to intervene. A watch was sometimes in place to ensure the observer was not returning to the factory when dumping was occurring. The first witness, a deckhand, said he had seen discarding always going on in the factory, and the captain would have known that significant fish dumping was taking place on the first voyage. He had never seen fish being dumped like this in his 17 years as a deckhand. The crew worked continuously when the vessel was fishing, with only short breaks for eating. The longest of these work periods was two days and two nights. He was fearful of some officers. The "Oyang 75" operated out of Lyttelton. It had eight South Korean officers and a crew of 33 Indonesians and 2 Filipinos. It was worth up to eight million US$ and was operated by Southern Storm Fishing Ltd, which chartered it from its South Korean owners, the Sajo Oyang Corporation.