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.

Whee – the fleet is coming

Navy Lancer - could it navigate The Mighty Makakahi?

The Navy almost seemed to be bragging when it announced

This weekend Wellington will host two Royal New Zealand Navy ships at the same time.

The Navy’s purpose built Fleet Replenishment Tanker, HMNZS Endeavour will berth at the Overseas Passenger Terminal at 8.00pm on Thursday 19 March and the ANZAC class Frigate HMNZS Te Kaha will berth at 0800 on Friday 20 March at Queens Wharf.

The ships are conducting an operational visit to Wellington and the Commanding Officers will be conducting official calls while they are here.