West Coast Fishing – An industry of opportunity

Amy Moore: Employment opportunities in the fishing industry

Meet Amy Moore from a pioneer Coast fishing family.

She is working to introduce Coasters to the West Coast Fishing industry and explains why fishing is a viable employment option for those about to leave school and those who are looking at new career directions.

West Coast Fishing – An industry of opportunity

Career opportunites via the Fishing Academy & the Westport Fishing School

The seafood industry is a proud combination of tradition and technological innovation.

New Zealand fisheries management is recognised as one of the most sustainable in the world and the fishing industry on the West Coast is a thriving and supportive industry.

Job opportunities in commercial fishing are vast and our West Coast fishing companies are looking for eager young people to recruit and develop for long term, rewarding jobs.

Our West Coast Commercial Fishing Academy Training Programme will teach the skills needed to enter a career on a commercial fishing boat. Participants will learn the shore-based skills required to become a successful fishing operator. From there, the career pathways are many and varied – from deckhand on a commercial fishing boat through to becoming skipper; or maybe move into a land-based role in seafood retail, sales or management.

Listen to Amy Moore as she talks about the new Commercial Fishing Academy Training Programme. For more details on the course, you can phone Amy direct on 027 696 7936.

Mining: the life blood of the West Coast’s economy

Let’s go goldmining

“It’s easy,” he said!

But it is not as easy, after all. We have a look at some of the fees and processes associated with obtaining a Mining license. The costs faced by the license owner and the miner can run to thousands of dollars.

The Permits

There are a number of different categories here:

• Prospecting Permit – this is needed to identify land likely to contain exploitable deposits. Application for Prospecting Permit costs the miner $3,450.00.
• Exploration Permit – this is needed to identify deposits and evaluate the feasibility of mining. Application for Exploration Permit costs the miner $3,450.00.
• Mining Permit – this is needed for the economic recovery of an identified resource.

Application for Mining Permit Tier 2, costs $5,750.00 while $16,675.00 is payable for a Tier 1 Permit (bigger operations).  Again, the miner writes the cheque for both of these.

Central Government Applications

Applicant Details. In addition, the services of an accountant are required by the miner to write up the applicant details showing, among other things, previous experience and financial details.

The Plan. A plan is required, clearly defining the area being applied for – a cadastral plan showing legal boundaries is preferred, although however a topographical plan or aerial survey may be used. A consultant and surveyor are needed for this plan whose costs are the responsibility of the miner.

Work Programme. A work programme is also required which clearly sets out all of the work intended to be undertaken during the duration of the permit. The work programme must include an estimate of expenditure. Again, the miner has to employ the services of a consultant to help prepare the work programme.

Specific information regarding what needs to be submitted for each of the above sections can be found on the form itself – which serves as both Form and Information Sheet.

Local Government Applications

Resource Consent. Of course, a Resource Consent is required, issued by the Regional Council and for which the services of a consultant are required.

Programme Approval. The programme of work also needs to be approved by the West Coast Regional Council. Cost of this application is borne by the miner.

Monitoring the Resource Consent. Then there are the costs incurred by the miner for WCRC to monitor the resource consent and to investigate every complaint laid often by anonymous or not affected parties.

Other

Landowner Agreement. The miner reaches an agreement with the landowner which usually falls between 8% to10% of all gold recovered.

Mining: The life blood of the West Coast’s economy

The real cost of a mining permit

Now, we’ve outlined the official permit costs, let’s get a bit of a reality  check from Patrick Phelps, Manager of Minerals West Coast. Here he talks about the actual costs and timelines in Mining Matters #5.

Karamea for the weekend

You stay at the Last Resort, Karamea, where you can book a room for two with ensuite for $130 a night.

Book direct on 0800-5050042 or on their web site www.lastresortkaramea.co.nz

We meet up with Gary Howard, former Mayor of Buller who introduces us to Ed and Tania the owners of the Last Resort in Karamea:

Checking out Karamea

Former Buller Mayor Garry Howard meets Steve Miller at Little Whanganui and talks blueberries – the little fruit destined to be bigger than grapes!

And for a bit of an adrenalin rush, Gary Howard catches up with old school mate Stu and experiences first hand the thrill of Karamea River Jet on the Karamea River. They take Bruce Smith with them. Brilliant stuff!

Tony Johnson of Karamea, shows Garry Howard and Bruce Smith around his vehicle showroom. And what a huge surprise they get when the shed door is opened.

Aratuna Freighter’s Update

Drivers and mechanics – Aratuna Freighters needs you!

Our weekly truckers catch up

We talk with Andrew Havill who is still on the lookout for drivers and mechanics to work at Aratuna Freighters:

Bulk cartage is an every-day event for Aratuna Freighters as Bill Millar will tell you and he’s been around a while, Coasters!

Building a trucking business on the back of State Highway 73, Arthur’s Pass, is like deciding to start a mining business in J.A. Genter’s backyard! It’s going to be fraught with heartache and obstacles. But Greymouth-based Aratuna Freighters has done just that, and the weapon of choice for the past decade and a half has been that West Coast stalwart, IVECO. Have a look at this little feature from NZ Trucking Media:

Coast Characters

Neville Stapleton – a Coaster

Neville chats about growing up in Hokitika, serving in the Navy and his life as a Coaster.

Coast Characters

Merv Velenski – a Coaster

Merv is no longer with us, but as a hunter, soldier, carver, fisherman, and a whole lot more besides, he lived a full and contented life.

He was a man of few words who would do anything for you. RIP, Merv.

of words, pictures and the arts

Delivering the Thursday Poem

with Mark Raffills

Glass Rain

When it rains on the West Coast, or in Golden Bay, it really rains! And beautiful it is too – at least from the vantage point of hill and fire. Maybe a work in progress still, but sort of sums up a rainy day, wherever we may be. Words below. Thanks Dr Jeff Obadiah Simmonds for the video.

Coast Business

Kawatiri Coffee: made here on the Coast

Kawatiri Coffee roasts only Certified Organic/Fairtrade Arabica coffee, sourced from select coffee plantations around the world.

Here on the Wild West Coast, we are possibly the most remote coffee roaster in New Zealand.

Sitting above the bush overlooking the Tasman Sea with the Paparoa Mountain as a backdrop, Kawatiri Coffee roasts in some of the world’s cleanest air–no industrial pollutants, just fresh, delicious, open flame-roasted coffee. Check us out here:

Coast Business

Cranberries Westland

Another great Coast growth industry

Kate is the current owner of Cranberries Westland.

She is proud that their fruit is grown on the West Coast, just out of Hokitika and sold around New Zealand. Here we have a look at the  Cranberry harvesting process:

Coast Business

Cranberry Farming

In this 2015 interview, Tony Allen talks about his cranberry operation.

I wanted to grow a crop that would allow Coasters to harvest from poor land.

After researching possible crops, including blueberries and black currant and receiving advice from Horticultural Research, Marj and I learned of the benefits of the newly available cranberry plant to New Zealand growers. Introduced to other West Coast growers in recent years, the cranberry has proven to be perfectly suited to the climate and weather conditions of the area.

Tony says when they started obtaining plants, they had a stroke of luck. They meet Horticultural Research in Motueka  who happened to have a complete bed of cranberries and were in the process of throwing them out. Tony made a number of trips to Motueka and loaded his trailer with the cuttings which was to be the start of his own cranberry beds.

Currently, he harvests his cranberry crop every year. Marj and Tony supply fresh cranberries to South Island supermarkets and can’t keep up. He exports a pallet a year to Japan. The variety of cranberry being harvested by Tony and Marj produces between 5,000 and 7,000 kg per ha per year.