| Kahawai
Submission
by
Council of Outdoor Recreation
Associations
of New Zealand
April
2004
Regional Manager
Ministry of Fisheries
Box 3437
AUCKLAND
Dear Sir
Submission
re Management of Kahawai
We respond to your request
for comment on the proposed inclusion of kahawai in the QMS.
Kahawai is arguably the most
important recreational specie sustaining the right of New Zealanders
to go fishing for sustenance and sport. It has outstanding fighting
qualities and is the specie which introduces many young and old
anglers to the sport of fishing.
1. IMPORTANCE OF
KAHAWAI AS A RECREATIONAL FISH
Kahawai is a very important
recreation fish for the following reasons:
- It is often (almost always) the first fish of significant size
that is caught by any prospective angler.
- It has excellent fighting qualities and is a spectacular fish
to catch on light lines, often broaching the surface.
- It is also an important food fish for significant numbers of
less competitive fishers, most of whom do not belong to fishing
clubs.
- Kahawai is a species that is widespread throughout New Zealand
and is accordingly truly of national importance, not just regionally
important.
The numbers of kahawai taken
recreationally have decreased every year over the last decade or
two. This highlights that the fishery is being overfished and mismanaged.
Commercial catches of kahawai over the past decade have been excessive,
and should be stopped immediately.
We urge the Minister
to designate kahawai as a recreational fish species with no commercial
exploitation or quota . Studies have shown that recreational
fishing by the public is an important and large economic generator.
(refer to study by South Australian economic research team). Eliminating
the commercial catch would also assist the fishery recover to a
sustainable level, though the future of the fishery should be solely
as a recreational and Maori fishery.
We strongly oppose putting the specie into quota as the tradeable
nature results in a few big players, aggregating quota and monopolising
the resource. We believe management should be based on scientific
evidence that recognise recreational rights-and priority- and ensure
the resource will not be depleted by excessive commercial catches.
2. IMPORTANCE
OF KAHAWAI TO OTHER INDUSTRIES
We also believe kahawai has
significant importance to other industries and in particular
- To the boating and fishing tackle industries. Casual
enquires indicate that significant sales are made to members if
the public specifically targeting kahawai for recreational purposes.
- To the tourist industries and in particular as bait fish for
big game fishing but also as a recreational species in their own
right.
3 COMMERCIAL
FISHING FOR KAHAWAI
- Kahawai is vulnerable to devastation through commercial exploitation
because it is highly visible schooling species. We believe
that purse seining in conjunction with spotter planes is particularly
dangerous.
- Commercial catches in the last nine years or so have had a cumulative
effect that is leading to reduced recreational catches.
Our anglers have to go to considerably more effort to catch kahawai.
- We have serious concerns that significant damage may have already
been done to kahawai populations that may take them years to recover
from.
4. RATIONALE FOR
QUOTA SIZE
- We do not believe previous commercial catches are a valid basis
to set quota for recreational species.
- Quota must be set on a basis that will provide reassurance to
recreational fishers that there is minimum risk to recreational
catch numbers and quality.
- MAF Fisheries acknowledge in its discussion paper that it does
not have the information to estimate the biomass or turnover rate
of kahawai.
- We draw attention to the national objective a set out by Hon
Colin Moyle in June 1989, ie
"To ensure recreational
users have access to a reasonable share of the fisheries resources."
The lack of information as
noted above leads one to the conclusion that it is not possible
to provide this assurance unless commercial exploitation is ceased.
5. Council of Outdoor
Recreation Associations
The Council has as its members
national and regional outdoor recreational associations, including
the New Zealand Salmon Anglers Assn, Federation of Freshwater Anglers,
Marlborough Recreational Fishers Assn, New Zealand Deerstalkers
Assn. We advocate for the interests of the more than a million New
Zealanders who recreate outdoors. The total membership of our member
bodies is more than 20,000.
We would like to be heard
in support of this submission.
Yours faithfully
Hugh Barr
Secretary
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