HMNZS Wellington - Lieutenant Commander Graham MacLean

The New Zealand Navy has had a busy time of it during its surveillance patrol in the Southern Ocean. The Offshore Patrol Vessel HMNZS Wellington confronted three vessels said to be fishing illegally for toothfish, or Chilean Sea Bass. First the Wellington found two boats - the Kunlun and the Songhua. Then in a separate incident it discovered a third boat, Yongding. The Wellington did not send crew on board the fishing boats, and has been criticised by New Zealand First for not being more forceful in its actions. The Navy says though it did gain valuable evidence. Now the Wellington is refueling in Dunedin and Lieutenant Commander Graham MacLean speaks with Simon.