JPRS 77835 15 April 1981

Worldwide Report

LAW OF THE SEA

No. 150

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JPRS 77635

15 April 1981

WORLDWIDE REPORT Law oF THE SEA No. 150

CONTENTS

ASIA INTER-ASIAN AFFAIRS

Burmese Intrusion in Indian Waters Reported CTHE WIMDU, 19 Mar sä 1

Major Expansion Plans for Bombay High Reported (THE TIMES OF TWDTA, 15 Mar FT) ooo ccc ccc ccc www nw uuu 2

Steps To Undertake Seabed Exploitation Out lined CTHE WIMDU, 17 Mar BL) occ ccc ccc ween ecw u nu unuuunuuuns 4

Committee Established To Aid Fishermen Arrested Abroad (DAO SIAM, 27 Feb 81, TAWAN SIAM, 28 Feb 81) ........... 6

Many Held in Burma Editorial Comments

LATIN AMERICA BERMUDA

Fishermen Challenge Ocean Research by Canadian Ship (THE ROYAL GAZETTE, 4, 7 Mar BL) 26. ccc ccc cccuucunuues 9

Fear of Explosions Survey Cancellation

-a- {Ill - Ww - 136)

Briefe Warning to Fishermen 11 SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA SOUTH AFRICA Briefs Fishing Zone Announced 12

INTER-ASLAN AFFAIRS

BURMESE INTRUSION IN INDIAN WATERS REPORTED

Madras THE HINDU in English 19 Mar 81 p 1

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MAJOR EXPANSION PLANS FOR BOMBAY HIGH REPORTED Bombay THE TIMES OF INDIA in English 15 Mar 81 p 6

{Text} Fifty-nine more platforms will be installed in the Bombay High region during the next three or four years, the general manager (operations), O11 and Natural Gas Commission, Mr H. S. Cheema, said here today.

Mr Cheema was speaking at the international diving symposium organised by ONGC and the Indian Navy.

He said that the commission had requested the Centre to sanction two more jack-up rights and the matter was stated to be under the consideration of the authorities. "We are hoping to go in for a 12-rig programme,” he said.

The general manager said :hat, at the moment, the ONGC had 34 divers and the number was likely to dowble during the middle of next year. The rise in the number of drilling rigs, off-shore platform and what are known as submarine pipes will necessitate the increase in the number of divers. “And new oil fields, when discovered, will be named after gems," he said.

Earlier, inaugurating the seminar Vice-Admiral M. P. Awaiti, flag officer, commanding-in-chief, Western Naval Command, saic that the “eighties” had been aptly termed the “decade of the oceans," with underwater research and explora- tion as the key note of all future ocean activities.

According to the Vice-Admiral during the last decade offshore installations had come up in more than 30 countries, including small island-states like Trinidad and Taiwan. “I am informed that in each of these areas there is massive diving activity ranging from “shallow water bounce diving” to “long duration saturation diving” employing more than 5,000 commercial divers.

Missile Submarines

In a reference to underwater warfare, he said chat some developed nations possessed ballistic missile submarines. “Attack submarines, fitted from stem to stern with hydrophones, seek these missile submarines out with the help of ships and planes,” he said. He stressed that privacy under the sea was becom- ing difficult and with the development of different types of detection and kill systems, sub-sea forces would have neutralised each other by the turn of the century.

Referring to what is known as “saturation diving,” he said that this system was common in moet offshore fields. Saturation dives had been carried out to

—— of more than 1,000 feet, and it would soon be possible to touch 2,000 eet.

The Vice-Admiral stated that a major difficulty faced by divers is what is known as “down time” due to rough seas and bad weather. "To overcome these problems submarines are going to be used with a separate ‘diver lock out' system. They will be operated by ‘saturated’ divers who will be taken to work sites equipped with life support systems and work tools. “One such submarine will be shortly put into operation,” he said. [as published)

He regretted that the commercial diving industry was still very auch in its infancy in this country. “Young and unwary divers are exploited," he said. He was .orry that there was no effective legislation as yet to support the diver and there were also instances when contractors used sub-standard equip- ment. "More often than not, brute force is employed where special equipment is called for, he said.

He said that the copper mined on land would last us only another 40 years at the present rate of consumption, but there was a vast reserve of the same metal in the sea which could last us 500 years.

Prof. C. Karunakaran, directc:, Centre for Earth Science Studies also spoke. Commander G. A. Duke, chairman, technical committee, proposed a vote of thanks.

The two-day sympc sium will discuss a large number of topics, such as diver

training, underwate: communications with special reference to divers, and underwater work at the atomic power «tation.

cso: 5200

INDIA

STEPS TO UNDERTAKE SEABED EXPLOITATION OUTLINED

Madras THE HINDU in English 17 Mar 81 p 8

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CS0O: 5200

COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED TO AID PISHERMEN ARRESTED ABROAD Many Held In Burma Bangkok DAO SIAM in Thai 27 Feb 81 pp 3, 10

Article: “In the Past 8 Years, Burma Has Seized 120 Boats and More 1,000 Crewmen Have Been Imprisoned” |

Text ] The cabinet has roved the proposal of the Ministry of

riculture and Cooperatives to establish an international fishing committee composed of representatives from the government sectors concerned and the fish associations. Its duties will include setting policies concern fishing and fishing negotiations with foreign countries, exchang rotection measures and measures to solve the problem of Thai fish boats being seized by foreign countries, stipulating measures for carrying on fishing operations in foreign countries and holding discussions on the sale of Thai fishing boats to countries that need them.

This resulted from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives making a proposal in accord with the reports received from the

transported war materials to the a = exchange for fishing rights in their territorial waters. If this allowed to continue, this

will lead to a loss of wealth and a loss of security for the country.

Editorial Comments Bangkok TAWAN SIAM in Thai 28 Feb 81 p 3 [ Editorial: "Thai Fishing Boats Have jeen Seized" |

[Text ] The cabinet hasheld a conference and passed a resolution approving the proposal of the Ministry of Agriculture and C atives concerning the establishment of an international] fisning ttee composed of representatives from the government sectors concerned

and the fishing associations, Its duties will include setting policies concern fishing and fishing negotiations with foreign countries and solv the problem of Thai fishing boats being

seized by foreign countries.

The reason that the Mir istry of Agriculture and Cooperatives proposed establishing this committee is that it received a report from the Fish Department stating that, since the time that —ã— countries expanded their special economic zones, 116 Thai fishing boats valued at approximately 400 million baht have been seized. During the past 8 years, Burma alone has seized 120 Thai fishing boats valued at 420 million baht that violated [Burmese] territorial waters. Approximately 1,100 crewmen have been imprisoned and Burma has never returned any of the fishing boats to Thailand. Besides this, it appears that some fishing boats have secretely transported war materials to the enemy in exchange for fishing rights in their territorial waters.

The problem of Thai fishing boats being seized by foreign countries is in fact a chronic and long-standing problem. Before the announcement of special economic zones and in particular during the time when Thailand still maintained a 12-mile limit as its territorial waters, it can be said that outside these waters were international waters. Thus, it should not be said that [ fishermen] continually entered and fished in the territorial waters of foreign countries. The truth that must be accepted is thatthe officials of some neighbor countries have frequently used various means to seize Thai fish boats in international waters like pirates and used weapons to force the boats into their territorial waters in order to accuse them of scrious charges. But when Thailand has sent warships to protect Thai fis':iing boats from being seized in this way, such incidents have declined,

Even though the Ministry of Agriculture has only just now started to take action in the matter of Thai fishing boats be seized by foreign countries, this is better than taking no action at all. But [one 3 the problems that we feel should be discussed and quickly

s holding negotiations in order to quickly reach a fishing

solved

agreement with some neighboring countries so that the fishermen have fishing grounds. We should also send warships to patrol Thailand's territorial waters in order to prevent fore warships from violating or entering [our waters] and easily seizing Thai fishing boats and, at the same time, to keep Thai fishing boats from secretely transporting goods in and out,

11943 cso: 5200

FISHERMin CHALLENGE OCEAN RESEARCH BY CANADLAN SHIP Fear of Explosions Hamilton THE ROYAL GAZETTE in English 4 Mar 81 pp i, 3

{Text} local fishermen are challenging the right of a Canadian research ship to take core samples from the ocean floor at Challenger and Argus Banke this weekend.

The fishermen believe work by the ship C.S.8. Hudson involves the uses of explo- sives, which would damage the environment and affect their livelihood.

Protesters include Messrs. John “Sean” Ingham, Hugh Petty, Albert Soares, Kevin Ingham, Allan Bean, Allan Card and William McCallan. Mr. Card and Mr. McCallan are on the Fisheries Advisory Board.

And according to Mr. “Sean” Ingham, the group catches 80 percent of the fish Landed in Becmda.

"Ninety-nine percent of our work is done on the banks," Mr. Ingham said, adding that the fishing industry was Bermuda's third largest, coming after touriem and the exempted company business.

The group was angered that they were notified by Mr. Norbert Simmons, Fisheries Assistant, about the ship's pending arrival on Monday, giving them just five days to clear fishing pear from the Bankes.

"That ship came here to do a geophysical survey of St. George's,” said Mr. Ingham. “Before it left, somebody in Government had to know well in advance that it was

coming back."

Added Mr. Petty: “If .sything goes wrong with the experiment, the fisherman are going to get blamed for it." [as published]

Fishermen were third-clase citizens, said Mr. Ingham, adding: "When the environ- ment is ruined, we are not going to .sake the blame for Government's stupidity,

incompetence and recklessness."

They took issue with the Government's explanation that it had no control over for- eign vessels outside the three-mile limit except in the case of fishing rights, for which Bermuda had contol up to 200-miles off the island.

The Hon, Ralph Marshall, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, said last night that the work wae being done by the Canadian government.

He said he wae not aware that explosives would be used, but felt that the research would not harm the environment.

"We have no jurisdiction three miles off Bermuda except in fishing," Mr. Marshall eaid. “The Canadian Government has been co-operative.”

Mr. Marehall admitted that he had known about the arrival of the ship for some time and agreed that fishermen should have been notified earlier.

He promised to look into their request for six observers to be put aboard the research ship.

Survey Cancellation Hamilton THE ROYAL GAZETTE in Englir. 7 Mar 81 p 3

et The controversial Canadian A

Teeter

WARNING TO FISHERMEN—-Georgetown, Guyana, Saturday, (CANA)--Guyana's Minister of Fisheries, Robert Williams, has warned unlicensed Guyanese fishermen to keep clear of the territorial waters of neighbouring Suriname. The ‘ocal new agency said that the Minister's advice was given during talks with fishermen in the Eastern Corentyne area which borders Suriname. [as published] Several fishermen from the area have been arrested (and some jailed on conviction) bv the Suriname authorities in

recent months on charges of fishing illegally in that country's waters. Fishing vessels and fishing tackle have been seized by the Suriname authorities. Some of the men convicted on illegal fishing and entry charges have been jailed. To

fish in Suriname waters, Guyanese fishermen are required to be licensed by the authorities in that country, but the locals have complained about difficulties in getting such licences renewed. An official of the Corentyne Fishermen's Cooperative, some of whose members have been among those detained in Suriname, suggested that the Government should hold negotiations with Suriname to try to resolve the problems. Mr. Williams aseured the fishermen that the Government

was pursuing the matter and discussions held so far would "go a far way in regular- ising the situation". [Text] [Bridgetown SUNDAY ADVOCATE-NEWS in English 15 Mar 81

CSO: 5200

11

AMMOUNCED--The South African Department of Economic Affaire has 320-ke fishing sone will come into effect along af tomorrow. The new sone will not affect

for 198) with the 16 members of the International Commission for the Southeast Atlantic Fisheries. The introduction of the sone has become necessary because of the serious depletior of fish resources along the South-West Afxican coast. [Text] [LD311647 Johannesburg International Service in English 1500 Gi ‘1 Mar 81)

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