Recreational
fishing groups support combating overfishing
Media
Release
19
June 2007
Recreational
fishing groups support the Fisheries Minister's call for stronger
measures to combat chronic commercial overfishing but are concerned
increasing the financial penalty alone will not be sufficient.
Mr Anderton
has proposed higher ‘deemed value' penalty payments for each kilogram
of fish commercial fishers land in excess of their legal entitlement
The recreational
fishers believe the simplest and most effective solution is to deduct
each year's over catch from the following year's fishing quota.
That way commercial fishers can manage their own catch and not risk
sustainability of the fishery.
“This will
encourage all commercial fishers to work together to ensure their
long-term interests. Best of all it would allow fisheries such as
the west coast snapper stock, depleted by chronic deeming, to rebuild
to healthy levels”, said Richard Baker, a representative of the
recreational fishing groups and Vice President of the New Zealand
Big Game Fishing Council.
Sustainable
catch limits are set in each fishery to ensure long term viability
of the stock and to allow all New Zealanders to have reasonable
access to those fisheries.
“The
Ministry of Fisheries accepts their enforcement capacity is limited
considering the length of the coastline and lack of suitable vessels
to patrol areas suffering from high deeming and compliance concerns,”
continued Richard Baker.
“The North
Island's west coast snapper stock is a prime example of ongoing
abuse of the deeming system where it is more profitable to land
fish without holding quota rather than leave them in the water to
help rebuild the fishery. This is a very short-term view by commercial
fishers.
Mr Baker
confirmed, “We are concerned that higher deemed values alone will
lead to commercial boats illegally dumping fish, as they avoid the
penalty costs of deeming. And that low deemed values allow
excessive catch above sustainable limits set by the Minister.”
ENDS
Contacts
Richard Baker
New Zealand
Big Game Fishing Council
021 869889
Back to Deemed Values index page here >> >>
TOP
|
