XN000022-1977-12-19 — Page 2

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1977

$10M FISHERIES RESEARCH-VESSEL TO REPLACE

CAPE ST. MARY ****

A $10 MILLION FISHERIES RESEARCH VESSEL IS BEING BUILT IN - HONG KONG FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES.

THE 129-FOOT (39.32 METRE) COMBINATION SEINER/TRAWLER WILL EVENTUALLY REPLACE THE PRESENT RESEARCH VESSEL, CAPE ST. MARY, WHICH HAS BEEN CONDUCTING A SERIES OF ACOUSTIC SURVEYS OF THE NORTHERN AREA OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA.

THE NEW VESSEL, YET TO BE NAMED, IS BEING CONSTRUCTED BY CHUNG WAH SHIPBUILDING AND ENGINEERING CO. LTD. AT YAU TONG BAY. IT IS EXPECTED TO COME INTO SERVICE IN MID-1979.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY THAT CAPE ST. MARY WAS BUILT IN 1951 AS A SIDE-TRAWLER AND HAS BEEN USED AS A RESEARCH VESSEL IN SOUTH AMERICA, WEST AFRICA AND HONG KONG.

PRESENT RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS CALL FOR A MORE VERSATILE TYPE OF CRAFT. CAPABLE OF STAYING AT SEA FOR LONGER PERIODS AND MORE SUITED TO MEET THE CONDITIONS PREVALENT IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA. ACOUSTIC EQUIPMENT, PROVIDED BY THE SOUTH CHINA SEA PROGRAMME, WILL BE TRANSFERRED FROM THE CAPE ST. MARY TO THE NEW VESSEL.

THE NEW SHIP WILL HAVE A CRUISING RANGE OF 8,000 MILES AND AN ENDURANCE OF 30 DAYS. ITS COMPLEMENT WILL CONSIST OF 17 CREW AND FIVE SCIENTISTS WHO WILL HAVE ONBOARD FACILITIES OF TWO LABORATORIES- ONE FOR FISH HANDLING AND THE OTHER FOR HYDROGRAPHIC STUDIES - AND TWO FISH TANKS WITH A TOTAL CAPACITY OF 2,000 CUBIC FEET (56 CUBIC METRE). IT WILL ALSO BE FITTED OUT WITH THE LATEST NAVIGATIONAL AIDS, INCLUDING SATELLITE NAVIGATIONAL EQUIPMENT.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID OTHER FEATURES OF THE VESSEL INCLUDE A +LOADED DISPLACEMENT+ OF ABOUT 850 TONS, A +CONTROLLED PITCH+ PROPELLER, +MULTI-VANE RUDDER AND FIXED NOZZLE+ AND IT WILL CRUISE AT 11 KNOTS.

AS FOR ACCOMMODATION, IT WILL CONS IST OF 25 BERTHS ON THE THREE DECKS, ALL FORWARD, LEAVING A CLEAR AFTERDECK FOR CATCH HANDLING.

THE ACOUSTIC SURVEYS CONDUCTED BY THE CAPE ST. MARY HAVE BEEN DELAYED BECAUSE OF MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VESSEL. THE SURVEYS WERE DESIGNED TO LOCATE AND DETERMINE THE SEASONAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL ABUNDANCE OF PELEGIC FISH STOCKS FOR IDENTIFICATION FOR MID-WATER TRAWL ING.

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