| Kahawai
Information Request
January
2004
option4 have major concerns with the inadequacy of information in
the Initial Position Paper (IPP) provided by MFish for the future
management of kahawai. Of particular concern is the failure of the
Ministry to supply the Minister of Fisheries with sufficient information
on which to base his decisions on. We took the initiative to gather
our own evidence to support long held views that the kahawai fishery
was in decline and impacting on the ability of New Zealanders to
catch a kahawai.
The following is an email
sent out on 23 January asking for information specific to kahawai.
23
January 2004
To all fishing interests
Kahawai are to be introduced to the QMS on 1/10/04.
The Initial Position Paper (IPP) from the Ministry of Fisheries
was released 11 days ago (12/1/04). The deadline the Ministry have
set for submissions to be made is 27 February 2004.
The Ministry of Fisheries IPP is characterised by the statement
“the stock assessment is uncertain and outdated” in
relation to the kahawai stocks. (pp 71,77 & 79). They have had
18 years to prepare information for the Minister to base his decision
on. Now we have a mere 22 working days to make submission on, what
we believe is, a Position Paper based on inadequate information.
Obviously this is a daunting task that requires urgency and focus.
option4 has committed to working alongside other representative
organisations (eg NZBGFC, NZRFC, NZACA) to make a submission in
response to the management proposals in the IPP.
Input Required
To make this submission making process as powerful and effective
as possible we need your input and effort. Your input will contribute
to a base document that will guide people to the outstanding issues
raised in the IPP. You are more than welcome to use this base document
in whole or in part, in your own submissions.
Paul Barnes and Trish Rea have had a brief meeting to discuss the
IPP and other documents collected to date. Please find attached
(and copied below) a document written for the NZ Big Game Fishing
Council (NZBGFC) by John Holdsworth.
This is far too important an issue to leave the Ministry of Fisheries
any way of hiding from the wrath of the public over their mismanagement
of the kahawai fishery.
History
The purse seine fishery was developed in an existing and stable
fishery; there was enough fish for all sectors. Purse seine fishing
in conjunction with the use of spotter planes was used as an extremely
efficient method of exploiting the kahawai fishery. They have stolen
the fish from the public. They have halved our catch rate and we
do not and will not accept that outcome.
Management Proposal
As we have come to expect the IPP is hugely biased in favour of
the commercial sector. It has omitted substantial portions of the
recreational catch. The Ministry denies there is any issue in the
kahawai fishery, going as far as to state that there is no shortage
of fish. It appears to be a blatant attempt to use the catch history
of fish stolen from the public over the years of intensive exploitation
and gives them to the fishing industry in perpetuity, while leaving
the public seriously under allocated.
Outstanding Issues
- Disenfranchisement of the public through the purse seine fishery
development.
- Any evidence to support the impact of overfishing on the non
– commercial sector has been ignored for many years.
- Ministry of Fisheries has omitted (again, refer kingfish IPP)
the catch history of under 15’s and non-English speaking
people – most likely to be major users of kahawai fishery.
- The failure of MFish to recognise and include catch history
of kahawai caught and released or used for bait by non - commercial
fishers.
- The Ministry of Fisheries are still trying to use an average
of the 1996 & 2000 recreational harvest surveys to estimate
what we catch. Fundamental errors in the 1996 survey have recently
lead MFish to conclude that the 2000 and 2001 surveys provide
the best estimates.
- MFish contend there is no need to improve recreational access
above current levels. Under the proposed management regime we
could actually see the stock size fall further and kahawai become
scarcer and smaller.
- MFish appears to disregard claims by recreational fishers concerning
the depletion of the kahawai fishery around NZ as anecdotal. However
they acknowledge that the stock size has dropped around 50%. This
has caused a dramatic reduction in the number of large kahawai
in some areas.
- MFish also refuse to reallocate catch from commercial to the
non – commercial sector despite acknowledging kahawai is
valued between $28 000 to $56 000 per tonne recreationally and
only $1 700 to $5 100 per tonne (2001-02 port price) commercially.
- There is no incentive for MFish officials to suggest anything
other then the path of least resistance, which they see as the
status quo.
What we want from MFish
Its imperative we end up being the major stakeholder in the fishery
so we can rebuild the fishery.
- We need to convince the Minister that the kahawai stock has
been depleted at current catch levels.
- We want MFish to manage kahawai more effectively than they
have, so that the quality of the recreational, subsistence and
customary catch improves.
- This will require MFish to present an option to the Minister
that is not the status quo but one that maximises the economic,
social and cultural value of kahawai to the nation.
- We want allocations based on an Optimum Yield for kahawai not
a guess at Maximum Sustainable Yield.
It is important to get the best allocation as we can. Then we can
talk conservation measures.
What you can do
- Mark Feldman – an introduction for the IPP submission
including historical data that you have amassed over the years.
- Geoff Rowling - history of the depletion of the kahawai fishery
in the top of the South Island area.
- Charter operators - game and bottom fishing
- An estimate on how many kahawai are caught and used for bait.
- How many are caught and released/ consumed and not landed. (Only
landed fish are counted in harvest estimates).
- Historic catch estimates
- What the caught kahawai were used for.
- What fish are you targeting when using the kahawai for bait.
- What bait you use for kingfish
- Clubs -
- Club records demonstrating historical catch of kahawai.
- Kite and kontiki fishers – estimate on how many kahawai
are caught and used for bait. A large proportion of freshly caught
kahawai are used to target gurnard and snapper.
- Organisations -
- NZRFC – survey results demonstrating depletion of kahawai
fishery in catch rates.
- NZBGFC – historical data to support the submission
- NZACA – historical data from club records of kahawai catches.
- Individuals -
- Any information that demonstrates the proportion of kahawai
caught by under 15 year olds. This group has not been taken into
account in the IPP.
- Your stories. Tell us how you remember seeing and catching kahawai.
When did it start to change and what do you want it to be like
in the future? Email your stories to trish@option4.co.nz
Deadlines
We would like to have a solid draft together within 10 days. This
draft will include the input you provide over the next 4 –5
days. You are welcome to distribute the draft wider for more input.
We are going on the front foot for this fishery. This is the most
important submission we will make and we value your input.
If you would like a full copy of the Ministry’s proposals
please contact Trish Rea at trish@option4.co.nz
or MFish directly, Emma Knight emma.knight@fish.govt.nz
To keep up with the developments subscribe to the FREE option4 Updates
at https://www.option4.co.nz/register.htm.
If you have a contribution you can email or post us your hard copy.
To see pictures of what kahawai fishing used to be like go here
https://www.option4.co.nz/letter7.htm
Please advise if you would prefer to be removed from this email
loop by using the ‘reply’ button and type in the subject
field ‘remove from kahawai list’.
Thank you in anticipation of your support
Trish Rea
option4 spokesperson
09 8186205
0274 175121
trish@option4.co.nz
PO Box 37951
Parnell, Auckland
Paul Barnes
option4 project leader
09 8182146
kites@ihug.co.nz
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