Snapper 2

Is the System Fair?

Snapper 2 Cape Runaway to Wellington

Wayne Bicknell, Napier

30 January 2006

Over the past few years we have all heard of the over-fishing of the TACC (Total Allowable Commercial Catch). I in no way claim to be an expert on the mechanics of the fishing industry or the quota system.

I have obtained the Allocation and Catch Histories of some of the fish species important to all amateur fishermen for our area – Area 2. Below is the average over or under catch by Commercial of some species covering the first 10 years of the quota system:

As you can see, the Gurnard TACC has never been achieved, and in fact the average over the last 10 years is 184.3 tonnes under the TACC per year; yet the most over-caught species on this list is Snapper which has an average of 53.7 tonnes over per year. 

If the average Snapper over-caught was a 2.5 kg fish (just a guess – it could well be smaller), that equates to 21,480 fish or 2,148 amateur daily bag-limits over-caught by Commercial each year for the last 10 years.

Tarakihi and Trevally are also over-fished.

Would it be fair to assume that Snapper, Tarakihi and Trevally (and maybe other species) are being caught as “by-catch” whilst Commercial are trying to catch the over-allocated Gurnard TACC which has never able to have been caught.

Solution

Maybe if the TACC for Gurnard was decreased by the average annual under-catch (184.3 tonnes per year), they wouldn’t have to tow around catching by-catch while trying to meet the Gurnard quota.

Or

Maybe still deem the over-caught fish and take them off the next year’s quota.

It seems peculiar that Commercial can over-catch and be paid for it, yet everyone else that over-catches their limit gets prosecuted or loses their boat, car etc.