The Greens NSW have urged environmentalists and commercial tuna fishers to remain vigilant against the supertrawler Veronica, warning the death ship may yet sweep into Australian waters.

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Hans van Leeuwen
h...@nsw.greens.org.au
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September 5, 2004

"The Greens join the SA and NSW governments and the Tuna Boat Owners Association in resisting the arrival of supertrawlers in Australia, but we believe the fight is far from won," said Greens NSW Senate candidate John Kaye.

"As we understand it, the Veronica supertrawler is not proposing to fish tuna but to vacuum the seas for pelagic fish such as mackeral, slimy mackeral and redbait, which are used for low-value purposes such as feed on tuna farms.

"While tuna fishing may not be commercially viable, the Veronica may see commercial sense in trawling for pelagic fish.

"The impact of supertrawlers on Australia's stocks of pelagic fish, and the trawlers' deadly bycatch of turtles, dolphins and other fish species, could decimate Australia's oceans," said Dr Kaye.

Hans van Leeuwen
Media Officer
NSW Greens federal election campaign
02 9519 0877
0425 310 562