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Head
of Wilderness
by
Brian Dean
The
Southland Times
14
June 2004
The Minister of Conservation's
inane criticisms of recreational fishers
are based on ignorance and misinformation.
No organisation has done
more for marine conservation in Paterson Inlet than recreational
fishers, particularly Mr Alan Key.
Recreational fishers raised
the idea of a marine reserve in 1989 and then in 1996 worked with
MAF to establish the Paterson Inlet Protection Plan.
Recreational fishers attend
regular meetings in Dunedin and Invercargill to provide the flow
of information to the MOF, have a representative on the Guardians
of Fiordland and the Bluff Shellfish Working Group, to name a few.
Recreational fishers have
always promoted a corroborative approach to fisheries management,
to provide win-win solutions. However, Mr Carter has chosen to ignore
the 75 percent of submissions opposing a marine reserve in favour
of imposing his own beliefs, and those of a small minority, upon
us all.
I would suggest to Mr Carter
that the only thing that requires protection is democracy –
from the arrogant and dictatorial approach taken by himself and
DOC.
It defies belief that the
minister can't understand why he has few allies.
It would seem appropriate
that Mr Carter, as Minister of Conservation, appears to possess
New Zealand's only true wilderness. It lies between his ears.
Brian Dean
Invercargill
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