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Response
to Chris Carter
by
Alan Key
The
Southland Times
11
June 2004
In response to your article
on the Paterson Inlet reserve (June 5) I wish to comment on the
rather obnoxious comments made by the Conservation Minister (Chris
Carter).
He claims to be mystified
by the stance taken by recreational fishers with regard to the process
of setting up this reserve.
Either he is misinformed
or has a conveniently short memory.
The Recreational Fishers
group has done more for conservation in Paterson Inlet than he and
all his other cronies put together.
As far back as 1989 we approached
MAF about a problem with scallops and other fishing pressures in
the inlet.
The idea of a marine reserve
was mooted by Recreational Fishers then but for various reasons
it was not thought by MAF to be a good idea.
In 1992, our group was instrumental
in setting up the Paterson Inlet Fisheries Working Group and in
conjunction with MAF this group produced a management plan (1996).
I could go on at great length
about why a reserve is not actually needed.
There are indeed some rare
brachiopod species in the inlet but with no dredging allowed and
with the area surrounded by national park they are in no danger.
Furthermore, the other species
quoted in the article are by no means unique to this area.
It is no secret that DoC
has an agenda to create as many marine reserves as it possibly can.
While we may give it the
benefit of the doubt as to its motives, we do not believe that bribing
local Maori and totally ignoring the consultation process (about
80 percent of submissions to the proposal were against it) are either
ethical or helpful in the long term.
Surely, a commonsense approach,
with an eye to sustainability for future generations, and keeping
in mind the fact that fishing has long been one of New Zealand's
most popular sports, is a far better option than the sledgehammer
tactics of this arrogant Government.
With co-operative management,
and education coupled with careful fish-stock monitoring, we can
all continue the tradition of visiting the coast for a feed of fish
for the family.
Alan Key
Gore
Note: Alan Key is chairman of the
Southland Recreational Fishers Association
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