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Leaking Fuel Threatens NZ Fishermen's Livelihood

Story Filed: Friday, March 17, 2000 8:01 PM EST

WELLINGTON (March 18) XINHUA - Chatham islanders of New Zealand are fearing for their livelihood as fuel has been leaking from a sunken trawler a kilometer off the coast, New Zealand Press Association (NZPA) reported Saturday.

The Chatham Islands is 800 kilometers from New Zealand's east coast. According to NZPA, more than 100 tons of diesel, hydraulic and lubricating oils on the Seafresh One, which began sinking Friday night, are threatening to cause one of the biggest spills in New Zealand waters in recent years.

Local fisherman Paddy Lanauze was quoted as saying the slick has already spread across a three-kilometer by one-kilometer area in Hanson Bay, on the island's east coast.

"Everyone's really worried at the moment because it's not far from the entrance to the lagoon," he said.

If the slick reaches there, he added, some of the fishery stocks on which the island depends will be ruined.

The 41-meter trawler, owned by Wellington-based fishing company Seafresh NZ, was towed to the Chatham Islands a week ago after a fire in its engine room.

It was waiting to be towed back to Wellington when it began sinking Friday.

It was reported that a floating oil barrier has been stretched across the Hikurangi Channel to protect the ecologically sensitive Te Whanga lagoon.

Copyright ) 2000, Xinhua News Agency, all rights reserved.

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-- (Dee360Degree@aol.com), March 17, 2000