Greenpeace Activists Rebrand NZ Bottom Trawler 'Ocean Killer' At Sea
Press Release – Greenpeace
The at-sea action comes just weeks after it was revealed a New Zealand vessel dragged up six tonnes of coral in a single trawl on the Chatham Rise, known for being a hotspot for coral life.
Greenpeace Aotearoa activists have confronted a bottom trawler on the Chatham Rise, rebranding it 'ocean killer', after bearing witness to it hauling in a net straining with marine life.
Launching from the Greenpeace vessel Rainbow Warrior, activists came alongside the New Zealand-flagged ship, Talley's Amaltal Atlantis, on the Chatham Rise on Friday afternoon, and painted the message on its hull with non-toxic paint.
Speaking from onboard the Rainbow Warrior, Greenpeace Aotearoa spokesperson Juan Parada says:
'Appalled by the most recent evidence of destruction, people defending the oceans rebranded this Talley's vessel today to expose the bottom trawling industry for what they are: ocean killers. When Talley's bottom trawlers drag their heavy trawl nets across the seafloor and over seamounts, they bulldoze everything in their path, including killing precious marine life from coral to fur seals, dolphins and seabirds.'We've all seen the shocking footage of bottom trawling in David Attenborough's film Ocean, and it's happening right here, right now.'
'Faced with a fishing industry that profits from trashing the ocean, and a government that condones bottom trawling, we're proud of the peaceful action taken today to call out this destruction and demand that bottom trawling stop.
'The Amaltal Atlantis trawls in the waters of Aotearoa, and has previously received permits to trawl in the High Seas of the South Pacific. Their trail of destruction is wide and long-lasting,' says Parada.
Talley's vessels have a long history of carrying out bottom trawling destruction. In 2018, the Amaltal Apollo trawled in a protected area on the Lord Howe Rise, in the international waters of the Tasman Sea. The Amaltal Mariner was also convicted of trawling in a marine reserve off Kaikōura in 2019.
The company also has a documented history of health and safety issues, with multiple injuries and even a fatality reported to WorkSafe.
In 2022, Greenpeace activists blocked the Amatal Atlantis from leaving Port Nelson for nearly 10 hours.
The at-sea action comes just weeks after it was revealed a New Zealand vessel dragged up six tonnes of coral in a single trawl on the Chatham Rise, known for being a hotspot for coral life.
In March, Greenpeace Aotearoa documented swathes of destroyed coral in areas of the Tasman Sea intensively trawled by New Zealand bottom trawlers. The Tasman Sea has been earmarked for one of the first high seas ocean sanctuaries, using the Global Ocean Treaty.
New Zealand is the only country still bottom trawling in the High Seas of the Tasman.
Parada says, 'As the rest of the world moves towards more comprehensive ocean protection for international waters, New Zealand is standing in the way of progress by continuing to advocate for the bottom trawling industry.'It's time Talley's, the trawling industry, and the government listened to the tens of thousands of New Zealanders who want ocean health valued over industry profits.
'From depleted fish numbers to smashed coral, dead sharks and seabirds, the cost of bottom trawling is too high. To protect the ocean for the future and safeguard the ocean we all love, bottom trawling must stop.'
In response to the activist's painting activity, Talley's responded saying they would seek legal action which 'may include the arrest of the Rainbow Warrior.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
17 hours ago
- RNZ News
Exhibition showcases an era where arts education flourished
history arts 41 minutes ago Following WWII, there was a strong push and a solid foundation to provide arts education to both teachers and children in schools. Art advisers supported and inspired teachers while many early-career artists trained at The Auckland College of Education; which later become the Faculty of Education and would merge with Auckland University. Practices included painting, print-making, weaving and ceramics. The university would then buy these artworks and as a result now has a considerable collection which is currently on display in an exhibition called Hands On at the Auckland University General Library until 16 July. The collection includes works by more than 100 artists including Len Castle, Barry Brickell and Ralph Hotere. But in 1989, after the introduction of Tomorrow's Schools, the style of education changed to focus more on measurable outcomes, set standards and less on creativity. In the past 20 years there's been further reduction in time allocated to arts education and trainee teachers to gain experience in the arts leading to a decline in focus on the arts within schools. That level of support and training for teachers is no longer there. This is despite international evidence showing arts-rich schools do better. 'Hands On' celebrates a time when arts education flourished, was prioritised and more heavily integrated into the wider school curriculum. Auckland University Arts Curator, Madeleine Gifford, speaks to Culture 101 about the exhibition.
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
80,000 books: Library service reaches schools, rest homes and young offenders
Rotorua Library has a Library to You service, delivering books to schools and housebound customers. Photo: LDR / Andrew Warner via Rotorua Daily Post A mobile Rotorua library service has delivered more than 80,000 books to housebound residents, schoolchildren and youth offenders over the past five years. Rotorua Lakes Council's Library to You service - previously the housebound delivery service and onsite outreach van selection service - has operated for more than 25 years. It was among the 92 percent of libraries offering a similar service. Council organisational performance and innovation group manager Thomas Collé said, in response to a Local Democracy Reporting official information request, that the service was about equity. It provided equitable access for the Rotorua community to enjoy reading resources regardless of their physical ability to visit the library. Library to You services were for people housebound because of age, disability, illness or injury, stress, wellness, caregiving responsibilities, social or economic issues, and who have a lack of available support. This could be at home or in a rest home. "We deliver books, magazines and memory aid resources from our dementia collection," Collé said. It also delivered to preschools and primary schools, including the School for Young Parents and the Youth Detention Facility. "Many schools no longer have libraries, and both schools and preschools have limited budgets to offer students books for recreational reading to supplement curriculum-based reading. The purpose is to encourage a love of reading and improve literacy." Anonymised examples of service users' feedback included the daughter of a Redwood Village resident who said how much her mum loved the books. Another was a 92-year-old from Lake View Villas who said receiving the books was the highlight of her day. How it worked was every individual or school filled in a profile for book selection; Western was "consistently" the favourite for those who were housebound. Staff chose fitting books and delivered to a schedule. The Children's Health Hub in Rotorua is co-located with Rotorua Library. Photo: LDR / Megan Wilson via Rotorua Daily Post The dedicated library vehicle is driven by the Library to You co-ordinator and customer support staff on a rostered basis. The vehicle is also used to provide literacy outreach programmes to preschools and schools. The service is funded through the library annual operating budget, received from rates, and costs about $40,000 a year. The vehicle cost $45,000 and was funded by Rotorua Friends of the Library. In the last five years, it serviced 26 preschools and 22 classrooms in six primary schools, reaching an estimated 1800 children over the past year. On average, the housebound delivery service supported 28-50 adults each year. In the five years to April, it issued 81,906 books, eight DVDs, 1018 magazines, 257 memory aids and 1234 talking books for a total of 84,423. Housebound deliveries were fortnightly and covered about 72.4 kilometres of driving each time. Monthly primary school deliveries covered about 135km each time, excluding the Christmas holidays, while preschool deliveries were about 96.2km each month. "Our longest-serving customer has been receiving housebound deliveries for 20-plus years. Most of the individual housebound customers would receive service for several years," Collé said. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
Teenagers who gain work experience at school more likely to be employed by age 20
Gateway supported short-term, work-based placements while Trades Academies provided learning in trades-related. (File photo) Photo: Supplied/ UCOL Teenagers who gain trade and workplace experience at school are more likely to get a qualification and complete apprenticeships, a report finds. A Ministry of Education report said students who participated in the Gateway and Trades Academy programmes were also more likely to be in substantial employment by the age of 20 than other students with similar characteristics. The report considered the cohorts that participated in the programmes in 2014 and in 2018 and compared their education and employment outcomes with similar students who did not participate. It said Gateway was set up in 2001 and supported short-term, work-based placements while Trades Academies had provided learning in trades-related fields since 2010. "Both programmes increased the likelihood of students staying in education at age 17 and achieving a Level 2 or higher qualification by age 18. "These effects were consistent across genders and ethnic groups," the report said. "Men in both programmes were more likely to enrol in and complete apprenticeships, though rates remained lower for Māori and Pacific men. Women's apprenticeship participation remained low. "Both programmes reduced the likelihood of being in limited employment and increased students being in substantial employment, particularly for men. "Gateway had a stronger effect than Trades Academies in reducing limited employment for women, especially Māori and Pacific women." The report said 87-90 percent of Gateway and Trades Academy students had a level two qualification by the age of 18, compared with 78-79 percent for similar students who had done neither programme. It said 10-12 percent had completed an apprenticeship by age 24, compared with six percent for similar students. About a quarter of the group of similar students were in limited employment when they were 18, compared to 16-19 percent for the cohorts that had participated in the programmes. By age 20, 46-53 percent of the Trades Academy and Gateway cohorts were in substantial employment, compared with 35-38 percent for the group that had done neither programme. The report said the programmes appeared to have "a protective role for educational participation and achievement during the pandemic". Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
