The Japanese take over our fishing

I well remember many years ago reading an article where a
person involved in commercial fishing made the statement that individual
transferable quotas (ITQ) were designed by people who either were ignorantly
selling out the fishing stocks or it was a bizarre attempt to save the fish that
remained in the sea. He went on to say that ultimately anybody who had bought
out the quotas and no longer wished to fish could sell the quotas to somebody
overseas and thus our fishing rights would go into the hands of overseas
persons. At that particular point he was laughed at, but the laughter has turned
to dismay as we read the following headline in our newspaper.

From the New Zealand Herald, 18 January 2001, Government
clears Sealord sale.

"A carefully hedged $207m deal gives the Japanese half
of Sealord.

A carefully constructed deal to sell half of Sealord to
Japanese fishing interests cleared the final hurdle of Government approval
yesterday...

Under the $207 million deal, Japanese fishing giant Nissui
will take a half share in Sealord, partnering the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries
Commission...

After controversially rejecting a Nissui attempt to buy into
Sealord's quota last year, Fisheries Minister Pete Hodgson and Finance
Minister Michael Cullen yesterday agreed to the deal....

Throughout negotiations, the Fisheries Commission always
appeared keen to get an overseas partner so it could expand Sealord
internationally...

Sealord chief executive Phil Lough said ... Sealord had
increased its turnover from $300 million to $540 million in the past five years.

Nissui has interests in food processing and pharmaceuticals
as well as fishing, and has a yearly turnover of about $10 billion.

It held an interest in Sealord from 1973 to 1990." End
quote.

Therefore it was not a mistake when Henry Kissinger, the
public relations man for the New World Order folk made the following statement.

"By controlling energy we can control nations and by
controlling food we can control individuals."

We now turn to the Dominion Newspaper, 26 January 2001, and
read an article which will affect British fishermen.

"...an emergency closure of parts of the North Sea to
restore "dangerously depleted" stocks of cod would be catastrophic and
fishermen were likely to ignore the ban, industry sources said yesterday.

Cod fishing is to be banned for 12 weeks during the crucial
spawning period in a desperate bid to revive stocks.

The move follows weeks of behind-the-scenes talks that have
closely involved representatives of the British fishing fleet. The ban would be
the most drastic conservation effort ever undertaken in Europe.

The announcement came after a last round of talks with
Norway, which is joint manager of North Sea cod stocks.

But yesterday, fishing mangers said their industry would
suffer severe job losses because of the ban, and some warned they would ignore
it.

"It is catastrophic for us," Andrew Bagshaw, operations
manager with trawling fleet company Colne's said.

"We simply cannot afford to take it lying down and we
are not going to. We will ignore this and carry on and accept what ever the
consequences are."

Scottish White Fish Producers had given as many concessions
as they could and urged the government to inject cash to ease the pressure.

The 104,000 square kilometres affected are north and east of
Scotland and around Norway and Denmark." End Quote.

Any Christian believers concerned with the takeover of
the world's fish stocks should learn by heart the promise of the Lord from
Philippians 4:19,

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his
riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Matthew 6:31-33, "Therefore take no though, saying, what
shall we eat? or, what shall we drink? or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? For
after all these things do the Gentiles seek, for your heavenly Father knoweth
that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God,
and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."

Therefore it is clear that anybody who has had a born-again
experience and belongs to the Lord will be looked after during these difficult
days with regard to food, drink and clothing and we will rejoice as we
fellowship much more and announce the provision of God to all those others who
meet with us from time to time.

Is there an advantage in being a Christian believer?

There certainly is in every way as our faith in the Lord and
His precious blood gives us victory not only in this life but in the life which
is to come.