Fears "supertrawler" will descend on Australia's fishing grounds

A boat the size of a football field and with the dubious reputation of having killed more fish than any other boat in the world is bound for Australia to trawl untouched fishing grounds.

The Herald understands an Australian-controlled joint venture firm has charted the Veronica - the world's second largest trawler - to fish waters across the Australian Bight as well as Tasmania, Victoria and southern NSW for migratory fish known as small pelagics.

The Veronica, which is 106 metres long and has a crew of 50, is five times bigger than a normal trawler and has three processing factories on board. It can hold 5000 tonnes of frozen fish and is capable of staying at sea for six months.

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority insists there has been no formal approach to use the Veronica in Australian waters. But the Herald has learned that the authority has been aware of the plans for at least eight months and has informally said it has no objections to the Veronica being used.

(emphasis added)
www.smh.com.au...

What a rip-off.

Sanc'.

OMG are they seriously allowing this to happen? This is utter Bull#! How come our governemnt would allow this to happen. Some trawler comes over to australia, takes our fish, then leaves and sells the fish elsewhere.

Secondly. I'm so siick and tired of our Bul# government lying to us and getting away with it! It's got to stop!

this is a disgrace! how dare such a thing come over and rape our seas! and our fish!!!

I hope someone blows this thing up! the crew and the people who own it deserve death for coming to our shores to rape our greatest treasure! this is something terrorists should be targeting.