Russians crew NZ boats despite Ukraine war
Special investigation Ukrainians living here gobsmacked ‘pro-war, pro-Putin’ fishermen get visas, jobs, Kurt Bayer reports
Ukrainians living in New Zealand question why “pro-war, pro-Putin” Russian fishing crews are still allowed to come and work on Kiwi-flagged trawlers despite international condemnation of the raging war.
Several Ukrainian community groups across New Zealand raised concerns with Government officials over the ongoing recruitment of Russian crews, a Herald investigation has found.
The response, according to one Ukrainian at the high-level meeting, was reportedly “we’ll take a look”.
Now, Immigration Minister Michael Wood has revealed that while he is confident in Immigration New Zealand’s (INZ) background checks, he is “actively monitoring” visas issued to Russian nationals to “ensure the integrity of the system”.
And in a strongly worded statement to the Herald yesterday, Wood confirmed he had put New Zealand seafood firms on notice.
“In general, I have encouraged fishing companies to consider their reliance on Russian workers given the unstable situation created by Russia’s abhorrent invasion of Ukraine,” he said.
New Zealand’s multimillion-dollar deep-sea fishing industry has depended on foreign crews, particularly Russians, for decades, eternally struggling to attract local workers. It is generally the same crews who come and go on six-month swing rosters.
But Ukrainians Downunder, who have seen the crews at South Island port towns, along with fishingindustry sources who spoke with the Herald on condition of anonymity, are bemused by apparent double standards, after Jacinda Ardern and her Government condemned Russia’s war, issued sanctions against it, and gave Ukraine millions in aid and military training.
A crew of 80, including 74 Russians and six Ukrainians, boarded seafood company Sealord’s 104-metre New Zealand-flagged trawler FV Meridian1 at the port of Lyttelton, near Christchurch, on Monday morning.
They flew into Christchurch, via Auckland, on September 28 before spending several days acclimatising in Mid Canterbury ski town Methven, and then replacing the previous largely Russian crew.
The huge 31-year-old Black Seabuilt 4407 gross-tonne Meridian-1 has this week been docked at Lyttelton preparing for what is understood to be a fortnight-plus deep-sea fishing trip.
The group, which includes seamen, engineers, cooks and other specialists, arrived on “Fishing Crew Work Visas” issued by INZ, which allows holders to work in a fishing vessel in New Zealand waters. It allows stays of up to 12 months.
Many of the Russian crews on New Zealand boats come from the contentious region of Crimea that was annexed by Russia from Ukraine in March 2014 after a referendum viewed as illegitimate by the international community.
In response, then-Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully imposed sanctions and banned certain individuals from entering New Zealand.
In the past eight years, the use of largely Crimean fishing crews has continued but has again come under the spotlight this year with the invasion of Ukraine.
The Herald understands that questions over the morality of hiring Crimeans after the 2014 annexation, and again this year with all-out war in Ukraine, have previously been raised with Sealord management, as well as at family-run Independent Fisheries.
“[In my view], basically, it’s the same as Syria or Iran or North Korea. Nobody will think about hiring a Somalian fishing crew,” said one Ukrainian familiar with the crews who come to New Zealand.
Another felt that the use of Crimean crews amounted to “indirect sponsorship of Russia’s war crimes”.
One source believes the crews are controlled by “a small group of Russians”, in concert with vessel captains and some crewing staff, to “monopolise” the work gangs.
Sources claim the crews are “aggressively pro-war and proPutin”, broadcasting Russian “propaganda” on the fishing boats and allegedly “mandated” to hang Putin’s portrait in the galley and wardroom.
The Herald has found that many of the Russians coming to work on NZflagged vessels, for Kiwi companies including Sealord and United Fisheries, have passports originating from the same issuing authority regional office.
Fishing-industry insiders allege that while the sailors’ personal details, including names and birth dates, are legitimate, there are doubts over the towns and addresses on their official documentation, which places them as being from the Russian Federation and not other contested regions currently, or historically, fought over.
The Ukrainian Association of New Zealand (Southern Regions) questioned why the Government was still letting in Crimean crews despite “widespread condemnation of the Russian aggression, which is currently threatening to destroy the world in a nuclear apocalypse”.
They believe that issuing them with special visas is “contrary” to New Zealand legislation and feel the legitimacy of some crew members’ documentation may be “questionable”.
Nelson-based Sealord, which is coowned by iwi and Japanese global seafood company Nippon Suisan Kaisha Ltd, more commonly known as Nissui, said foreign-crewed NZflagged vessels had been operating in New Zealand for about 30 years, with many crew returning year after year.
“We work closely with Immigration NZ to enable visas for crew, who conduct extensive checks to ensure applicants meet their requirements for working in New Zealand,” said Rui Ventura, Sealord general manager operations.
Mark Allison, chief executive of Independent Fisheries, also said the “vast majority” of its crews had been coming to New Zealand to be employed by them for years.
In response to questions about the ongoing use of Crimean crews, Allison said: “It is for the Government to determine what stance should be taken in terms of who can enter and work in New Zealand.
“That said, it is Independent Fisheries company policy to provide any of our employees from any areas of conflict additional pastoral care and support and we will continue to do so in the future,” he added.
The Russia Sanctions Act 2022 passed in March this year added to existing bans adopted after the 2014 annexation of Crimea and enables New Zealand to impose unilateral sanctions on individuals or entities responsible for, associated with, or involved in actions that undermine Ukraine sovereignty or territorial integrity or that are of economic or strategic relevance to Russia.
I have encouraged fishing companies to consider their reliance on Russian workers. Immigration Minister Michael Wood
But while it allows for travel bans on individuals, Laura Green, senior solicitor at law firm Buddle Findlay, said it was unlikely they would have been imposed against fishermen.
The Government this week said it had no plans to suspend visa applications for Russian nationals.
A spokeswoman for Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta’s office said travel bans were directed only at individuals and entities connected to the war, “not at everyday Russian citizens”.
The Ministry for Primary Industries directed Herald inquiries to INZ.
Immigration NZ says all requests to recruit foreign fishing crew and any resulting visa applications are considered against the relevant immigration instructions.
“We also engage with an external agency to conduct audits on the foreign fishing vessels to ensure compliance with employment practices and that they are operating in accordance with the conditions the request to recruit these crew was originally granted under,” said Nicola Hogg, general manager, border and visa operations.
“Russian citizens who are subject to sanctions may not be granted a visa but other Russian citizens . . . are able to apply for visas.
“The fact that a Russian citizen currently resides in Crimea or any other part of Ukraine would not prevent them from applying for a visa and being granted one if they meet the requirements of instructions.”