SUPPORT COMMENTS

This page contains comments from members of the public who felt strongly enough to put fingers to keyboard

Last updated 5 March 2003 - - - - - - - - - -- - - more comments here, here and here

I have read with interest a great many of the comments made by others and feel that most of the important stuff has been well and truly expressed! I would, however, just like to say that in various other countries this debate has already taken place with the result being that aditional governmental controls were imposed. Do we really want to allow our lifestyle to be changed by our government in the same way? Having said that, a "changed lifestyle" can, and will occur from the denuding of fish stocks. I feel therfore that some controls are necessary to safeguard the interests of all. Any controls imposed should not only be fair to all, but should be seen to be fairly implemented too (no good slapping a moritorium on recreational fishers if commercial concerns undermine all the good work done).

As a keen trout fisher I have no problem with a closed season, nor a bag or size limit, but does all my annual license help solve problems of fish stocks or water access/quality, or just go into a big melting pot to finance MAF and the administration necessary to impose these controls?

I dont feel that a seafishing license is the answer to falling fish stocks, how could it be? But it would be another backdoor tax control on an important national recreational way of life. How care free will you feel having to carry registration/licenses for your boat/trailer/car/rods....? ........Roger Riley (15 December 2002)

I don't think New Zealanders know how lucky they have it and yet as a country we are jeopardising this by allowing the commercial fisherman to plunder our resource. As a keen fisherman who is currently living in England, I have witnessed first hand the results of overfishing and am afraid that NZ is heading down the same track, unless something is done!!.

I have endeavered to catch fish both in England and around the coastline of Europe and am shocked at the absolute lack of any fighting fish, in fact any fish at all!!! The extent of 'game fishing' in this part of the world extends to catch and release carp fishing in a pond!.

This makes NZ an absolute haven for European recreational fisherman and the potential earning capacity for tourism is enormous. I think Pete should try catching a fish in Europe before he gives the commercial sector an even greater quota to get an idea of where we're heading. If we don't stop the pillage of our resource it is going to be to late. If anybody thinks this is not the case, come and try to catch a fish in Europe!!!!
......Jay Hollerich (13 December 2002)

Having had difficulty with bureaucrats in other speciality areas, I have found that what they say is not what they mean. Organisations like Option4 are vital to the future of our way of life, With the many restrictions placed on the individual now, & our natural heritage being
pillaged by big business with a politicians ear, we need to continue to lobby to retain our rights. It appears that the phrase "walk softly & carry a big stick" is the way forward. That is, develop a huge membership and don't rant.

Cultivate the Bureaucrats and Politicians and feed them quietly with hard facts supported by as much evidence as possible. This would include overseas experience and especially unbiased research. ...Russell Smith (3 December 2002)

It is every persons right to be able to fish free of charge for recreational purchases. I have no objection to rules regarding the size of fish caught and the catch limit as long as they are fair, but the freedom to fish our coastal waters without predudice must be protected forever. Fishing coastal waters is the last bastion of traditional "freedom" in this country of ours. Surely there can exist one area where the government doesn't regulate or tax us to oblivion? As for the commercial enterprises - stop the corruption and the back-handers and get them to adhere to the rules. Keep the commercial operators honest and kept the overseas enterprises out. New Zealand fish for New Zealanders - no exceptions!!!
...John Murray (8 November 2002)

I would be happy to pay a saltwater lisence ,if the funds went into a trust for legal fees to ensure that the right to fish for all New Zealanders will never be lost.I would be bitterly opposed to any other Government revenue gathering for no gain other than their own.I was diappointed to see that in the last election the Outdoors party failed to secure a seat in parliment as I thought that these people were the only ones to enter parliment with the right intentions since Guy Fawkes.People can no longer rely on the government to do the right thing because unless there is revenue involved they are not interested.
...Mark Bond (5 November 2002)

With the green drive for major marine reserves, legal and illegal commercial fishing, the only understanding for a need to share the resource sits with the recreational angler. The benefits the Auckland anglers within the Waitemata harbour is extreme with the banning of gill nets and the movement of commercial interests out into the gulf. The financial benefit to NZ in regards to tourism from nature watchers to visiting anglers, is all conditional on a healthy resource that is feed by recreational anglers. The quota system is in place to ensure the future of the resource for ALL, not just commercial interests. With most anglers imposing their own quota on size and numbers (e.g. 32cm plus with a max of 5 fish each), we appear to be the only part of the equation that is prepared to take less. Thankyou for your representative effort and tight lines. ...Richard Johnstone

The concept of right of access by the public to the public domain and its resources is being eroded. NZ is being seen as an economic unit and a UN puppet by short sighted corrupt politicians of all parties, bar outdoor recreation. Support from the bottom up is the only hope, the days of ignoring this current crop of policitians and their absymal record are long over, unfortunately. I love the outdoors and would not want to see it restricted to a select few and those who pay for what is ours anyway. This is our birthright, the free and unrestricted access to the public domain, and that right comes ahead of the private profiteers who continue to plunder our resources.

Outdoorrecreation is where I came from to get here. United we stand, vested interest is interested in keeping us out of the equation. Keep up the good work.

...Jimmy Simm

I am dead against the idea of licences for recreational fishers. It will do nothing to curtail the present problems with excessive and undersize catches and will only serve to waste more of our taxes on yet another bureaucracy which will find new reasons each year to expand. The right to fish within acceptable and agreed standards and conditions should be every New Zealanders - equally.

There are a huge number of issues within the commercial fishing area and I do not have any magnificent ideas to solve those issues. Perhaps like TV we could have commercial-free zones? A 12 nm commercial free zone??

I also believe that there needs to be more research on the life cycles and the impacts on fish that both recreational and commercial fishing makes. I understand that the Aussies have a different size limit for some of their fish, prefering to take the juveniles and ban the taking of the larger, heavy breeders. (In any event I think the snapper minimum should be 300mm - anything smaller is not worth bringing home).

Enough prattle from me..... You guys are doing a great job of raising awareness and motivating a few fence-sitters like myself to finally do something about our rights and freedoms. Good on Ya....Kevin Richards

New Zealanders need to protect their right to fish and hunt from left wing, 'green', lying, control freeks. It did not work in Russia, it won't work here !
...Miles Bland

All New Zealanders must have an equal right to the fisheries despite race or political agenda.We are lucky to live in a country that has some of the best fishing in the world. That is now becomeing a battlefield, for fishing rights with Treaty claims and the Quota system all putting there hands up for a stake in our fisheries. Yes thats right our fisheries, every New Zealander has the birth right to be able to go out and put a line in the water and catch a fish where ever and when ever you want.
...Murray Loye

Dudes,
Underlying this is the fact that snapper catches are dropping off and they are pretty hard to find. In my mind, this is the only problem. If snapper were plentiful .... nobody would give a shit. We are not helping the problem by harvesting the majority of snapper when the price is highest. That just happens to correspond with the school season when the fish are in good nick and full of roe. To my knowledge we don't send cows to the works
with a belly full of calf... we let em calve first... keep up the stock levels...where would we be if the ewes went to the works full of lambs.... now you tell me... whats the freakin difference.
If the MAF had any balls they would empose a "closed season" while the poor buggers did their thing. Maybe every year for a few years. Imagine how many fish there would be after just one closed season!! 1 month? in November? I could tolerate that..knowing what was comming. Add this to an increase of minimun size and there wouldn't be a problem.
Ka Kete Ano...Rusty Russell

Our country seems fixated on joining the frantic rush to screw and sell our resources when the very thing that keeps us special is that difference from other countries. We must keep our resources free from external or business exploitation for the benefit of the citizenry who, after all, fund the government of the day...Peter Elliott

Surely letters to the editor in the various mainstream News Papers would arouse more interest and cause a wider field of debate within and outside of the debating chambers. I am at a loss how so many people can tally 64000+ submissions and still be ignored by 1 so called educated person who is a public servant, not a public master. Thanks for all the hard work to Option4 teams, yours in free fishing ....Robert G Eyre

One of the problems I have is that under the present system certain individuals are flouting all the law regarding conservation. Reports from Fisheries Officers in the North relate gross abuse for commercial gain under the customary rights banner. I think that we need to have this addressed by government before any further action is taken. In the Kaipara, a Management group has been set up to manage the fishery with input from all stakeholders. We have yet to see how that will work. In the past the fishery has been plundered by commercial interests. We need more reserves. We need more exlusion zones - otherwise there won't be any fish for anyone. Without being zonophobic, the recent arrivals in New Zealand from the Pacific Islands and Asia blatantly disregard catch limits and sizes. Some Maori are as bad, as are NZ Europeans. Are we addressing the problem the right way? Is Option4 going to sort this? I don't think so. I attended a seminar on the NZ Biosphere where the Professor in charge of Leigh gave an address. I agree entirely with what he said on this matter. We need more reserves. We need more research.
We need to push the commercial fishers out further to protect the inshore resources breeding grounds. I certainly uphold the right of every NZ'der to go fishing but too many are too greedy! In addition, we need to cleanup our acts arounf NZ particularly in ports, harbours and anchorages. The current practice of dumping all manner of rubbish over the side has got to stop. For what its worth! Otherwise, you are doing a
great job, keep it up....Jim W. Goodland

Absolutely without hesitation the answer has to be the right to go fishing.
This is New Zealand for heaven's sake.
Currently in Whangarei there is a group who want to close off Bream Bay and the Hen & Chicken Islands to fishing. Panic time. The human issue requires to be established to stop this random fly by night petition gatherers drumming up unsolicited support against the New Zealand way of life.
The Poor Knights are already closed. If the Bream Bay issue happens the basic urge recreational fishers end up being herded into the remaining reef areas and cleaning out whats left. Whats more, the islands are used for sheltered fishing when the seas a bit lumpy. Currently I cannot be caught within 800mtrs of the Poor Knights with fish on board (caught legally), even if it is because I have sea sick people on board and have sheltered for recovery. Do we feel that regulation is taking over?!
It would make a lot more sense to me to limit snapper to 5/person instead of 9. If one person is fishing for his family, 5 fish (snapper) would seem ample considering the other species that are caught as well.
The size limit for snapper should be increased to 290mm. As a rule most keen fishers don't take snapper under 300mm any way as there is a pressing desire for preservation. Seeing a 270mm snapper in the bin hurts like hell and is limited to the injured ones. The Tongan Minister? Not a Kiwi like the majority of immigrants their and the Kiwi's education must continue, the best being the pain when wrong!
Carry on with all of our blessings....Jim Rentoul

The words I would like to use to describe how I feel about commercial fishing in our harbours & the firth of Thames, should not be published. As I am extremely angry to say the least. You guys have all my support, " Go Get'im " ......Chris Strange

The gathering of food is a fundamental right of people regardless of race or creed. It is the governments role to protect that right in the first instance, then to allow commercial interests the balance to achieve a controlled take of our fisheries asset and to preserve the resource for the next generation.....Mr Murray Philpott

We as Kiwis should have the right to fish the waters of this beautiful country, and the right to share this with our children in the years to come.
To have this taken away from us is not only an abuse of power but an abuse of the people of NZ. It is time for the Minister of Fisheries to think outside of his own interests, adjust his unbelievably shortsided views and quit pandering to his commerical buddies. Go option4....Mrs Debbie Murphy

All current research shows that people need to take a break away from the workplace, this is in the best interest for their own health. The Government try to sell this country as a clean green place and somewhere that one is able to get outside and explore and partake in the great outdoors of this country. So now the Minister of Fisheries is going to say YOU CAN'T FISH IN THIS COUNTRY unless you are a commercial interest. Is he prepared to have his government face the possible legal action that could arise from the court cases that are brought by the residents of this country for the stress that will be placed upon them? Is he prepared to face his Government and explain why the unemployment has gone through the roof as everybody employed in the recreational fishing and growing boating industry is forced out of work? Is he prepared to face his government and explain why the Health budget has a blow out due to the pressures brought upon the work force of this country through his act!
Is he prepared to explain why he is discriminating against the phyiscally handicapped of this country who are unable to walk the great outdoors but are able to relax through fishing?......Dan Barnett

Fishing should be able to be enjoyed by all New Zealanders.I am just about to have my second child and the thought of not being able to enjoy Gods creation with them in the years to come is disappointing to say the least.Giving recreational fisherman their rights can only benefit all New Zealanders.I believe tourism is the way forward for our beautiful country and by protecting our fisheries we are providing an opportunity to encourage the recreational sector to show off our country in style......Andrew Randall

I have opted for the human rights angle as there allresdy exists a segment of the community who enjoys this protection. This in itself presents a valid case.
......Robert Clements

Fishing for myself and other friends is an outdoor experience. I guess for most who pay a rising fee each year and maybe don't appreciate the reasons for that rise and the possible future implications restricting access, available bag and enviromental purity - we all need a wake up call. Any organisation pushing for increased public awareness and securing equal or greater rights for recreational fisherman deserves support ....Andy McNicholl

As New Zealander's we all have a right to fish our waters. The joy on the
face of a child when they feel the line tug....is the beginning of deep
rooted everlasting personal experience that MUST be shared by following
generation! ....Victor Middleditch

I have finally realised a dream and bought our first boat and it deeply
disturbs me that if commercial fisheries and the Government have there way I
might as well turn my dream into a water taxi. Go Option4. My support is
yours....Mark Cross

I tried hard for years to avoid the issues which recreational anglers face by saying that it's really someone else's problem. I don't have to get involved. I just want to fish

I was the silent majority. I relied on the efforts of many dedicated and passionate anglers never once giving any consideration to the time and costs involved. I was and still am a strong critic of the Recreational Fishing Council mainly because I never understood how they could claim to represent me, "the great unwashed", Joe Public angler. I didn't know why they conceded cuts to our bag limits which I thought to be draconian and far too great. Jeez, I'd only ever once caught 30 snapper in one session and I fed half a neighbourhood with it. I didn't waste it.....it was a special day. I recognised though that 30 was far too large a daily bag and 15 was equitable for me. However when it was soon reduced to nine I was extremely angry.

I now know why these actions occurred but I still disagree with a nine bag snapper limit when the commercial sector has given away nothing, never had a size restriction change and has continued to abuse the QMS with practices such as High-grading, dumping and even deeming. I won't even mention their targeting of kingfish and claiming it as bycatch. I realise that commercial fishermen have to make a living but to do so at the expense of the public isn't fair. When it is literally condoned and sanctioned by Government(s) then it really gets my back up. I also believe that the Ministry have failed to protect the rights of recreational and sustenance gatherers over the years and that they (Ministry) have known that their role in the implementation of Government Policy would result in members of the public becoming third class citizen in fisheries allocations, management and planning not to mention destroying their basic human rights to sustenance.

I ask myself the question constantly, why is there such a strong emphasis on the public's fishing methods and catches by HFO's and the like yet I hardly ever read or see anything about the abuses inflicted by the commercial sector. Are they all sticking to the rules too? How much is actually spent on monitoring them? Not enough. How many prosecutions did they get against them last year. What percentage of vessels are actually monitored or checked in port and at sea? All the basic questions.

A lot changed for the day I emailed option4 and was phoned by a passionate and absolutely driven member who asked me what could I do? What the hell I thought, it's pay-back time and I gave a year of my life (literally) to the cause. I enjoyed it most of the time. The learning curve was steep and I never got to the heady heights of knowledge of the old hands. However they didn't judge me and in fact they fed me so much information that it just fuelled my resolve to see this whole thing through to the end. I stood down a couple of months ago because I was mentally drained and my head was spinning too much. Three months of research had done me in.

So what's the point you ask? Well it's this;

If you want to ensure that you can fish and that your kids and their kids can fish without further punitive restrictions and controls do something about it. The louder the voice of the people the better the chance that governments will listen. Don't foresake your birthright and see another piece of your heritage slide away in the avalanche of government agendas. Don't let them tell you what's right for you.....only you know that. get out there and keep banging the drum and get your mates and colleagues to do it too. If you don't, you'll get rolled and all the effort that option4 and others have made will be just like piss down the urinal. I can't think of a better way of explaining it unfortunately.

I'm talking from my heart here, not my head, however passion and belief in the cause is the first step, fighting the fight comes after. Step up and be counted, every little counts. I've often said that I don't want to be there when my kid asks "Dad, why didn't you do something?"

I bet you don't want to be in that position either.....am I right or am I right?

Done my dash for now....Kiwiangler

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