What’s the difference between the HMNZS Wellington and a toothfish? The fish has teeth

More biting power than the NZ Navy.

When the Member for Eketahuna North thunders his demand that we sink the toothfish pirates in Antarctic waters, the hacks at Radio NZ ignore him.

When the former Mayor of a sister town in the Wairarapa, Carterton, calls for the navy to use its fire power, the hacks jump to attention and give him top billing on their news bulletins.

But he’s a New Zealand First MP, not a National one.

Go figure.

We’ve sent our gunboat and caught fishing felons red-handed – now let’s sink them

Oops. Did Hitler give his approval?

Dunno why Royal New Zealand Navy officials have got to be so damned prissy.

According to the NZ Herald, last night they were seeking permission to board two fishing vessels in the Southern Ocean which have been found with illegal catches.

The offshore patrol vessel HMNZS Wellington has been monitoring the ships, Songhua and Kunlun, for close to a week and has captured video evidence of fishermen hauling in Antarctic toothfish – one of the most lucrative catches in the world.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the vessels were using gill nets, which were banned in the strictly regulated fishery around Antarctica because they were considered damaging to the marine ecosystem.

So – a fair cop, by the sounds of it.