Independent Fisheries

Independent Fisheries is one of the largest privately-owned fishing companies of New Zealand.[1] It started as a suburban fish and chip shop in 1956, became a fishing company in 1960, and grew to acquire multiple ships and storage facilities, and has more than 500 employees.[1] At its peak, the company employed over 1,000 people.[2] It focusses on catching barracouta, jack mackerel, southern blue whiting and arrow squid.[3] It mainly exports to Australia.[4]

Shadbolt House in 2008

History

Independent Fisheries started in Christchurch in 1956 by Howard Shadbolt. It was originally a fish and chip shop in the suburb of Linwood.[1] Independent Fisheries was started in 1960.[5] In 1980 Shadbolt retired from the company, and his son, Charles Shadbolt took over. Charles Shadbolt received the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2017 New Year Honours, and died in February 2017.[2]

In 1992, Independent Fisheries opened a cool store in Lyttelton. The company started operating a 43-metre-long fishing vessel in 1997, Independent 1, which allowed for processing fish that had recently been frozen on board its deep sea trawler.[2][6] It requires two crews of 36, and was sold to Sealord in 2011, after it had already been chartered for three years.[6] They later renamed it to Aukaha.[7] In mid 2016 the company started operating a vessel known as FV Irvinga.[2] In 2020, the three of the company's vessels sat in a port of Lyttelton for months starting in August 2020 due to a worker shortage. Foreign workers came in October with the intention to begin working after 14 days managed COVID-19 isolation.[8]

In 1974 the company built a factory in Woolston.[4] It later closed on 18 December 2013 due to severe damage in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, and competition from Asia.[2][9][10] This closure caused the loss of over 200 jobs.[10] Shadbolt House, once owned by the Lyttelton Port Company, which came into ownership by Independent Fisheries in the 1990s, was also damaged in the earthquake. It became vacant in 2011 due to damage. Independent Fisheries tried to repair the building, but it was too expensive due to its age. The building was built in 1959 and started demolition in October 2012, with the expectation that it would take a month.[11]

In May 2019, after it had dumped 30,000 kg of southern blue whiting to save a ship in September 2017, Independent Fisheries was charged with making a false or misleading statement in records under the Fisheries Act, and failing to declare their 30,000 kg loss of fish. The judge said that "The captain was faced with a real and potentially life-threatening event when the broken trawl warp (towing line) became entangled around the propeller of the ship," and that that the company had no intention of being deceitful. The counsel for Independent Fisheries called it an "unintentional offending". [12]

Between December 2007 and June 2011, Independent Fisheries donated a total of $17,500 to Labour MP Clayton Cosgrove, who had drafted a bill that if passed, would financially benefit Independent Fisheries.[13] When asked on the Newshub Nation television show about whether he had a conflict of interest, he responded by saying that he did not as he had no preconditions. He said that the questions about the donations were a "smear campaign" by the National Party.[14]

In September 2023 Sealord Group agreed to acquire Independent Fisheries.[1]

References
  1. "Sealord moves to acquire Christchurch-based Independent Fisheries". Otago Daily Times Online News. 17 September 2023. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  2. Fletcher, Jack (17 March 2017). "Life Story: A lifetime of generosity in New Zealand's fisheries". Stuff. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  3. "Obituary: Independent Fisheries' Charles Shadbolt thrived in 'costly and risky' business'". NBR | The Authority since 1970. 22 February 2017. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  4. Beynen, Martin van (11 October 2013). "200 Woolston jobs at risk in restructure". Stuff. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  5. Beynen, Martin van (11 October 2013). "200 Woolston jobs at risk in restructure". Stuff. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  6. "Trawler purchase sends confident signal". Stuff. 8 December 2011. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  7. Moore, Bill (2 April 2014). "Sealord buys $20m hoki trawler". Stuff. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  8. Ensor, Dominic Harris and Blair (14 October 2020). "Russians jet in to save New Zealand's beleaguered deep-sea fishing industry". Stuff. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  9. "Obituary: Independent Fisheries' Charles Shadbolt thrived in 'costly and risky' business'". NBR | The Authority since 1970. 22 February 2017. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  10. MEIER, CECILE (8 November 2013). "Tears shed over 200 lost jobs". Stuff. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  11. Dally, Joelle (9 October 2012). "Demolition starts on Shadbolt House". Stuff. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  12. Clarkson, David (9 May 2019). "Trawler captain dumped fish to save ship". Stuff. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  13. Watkins, Tracy (10 July 2012). "Cosgrove 'upfront' over mate's donation". Stuff. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  14. STYLIANOU, GEORGINA (7 July 2012). "Cosgrove hits back at Fisheries 'smear'". Stuff. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
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