Kahawai Submission MTA

Kahawai Submission

NZ Marine Transport Association

23 April 2004

NZ Marine Transport Association

PO Box 9336

Wellington

23 April 2004

Mr D Tangney

Fishserve

PO Box 297

Wellington

Dear Doug

Thank you for your time this morning to find out who should receive this letter regarding including kahawai in the quota management system, and I would be grateful if you would pass this letter to the correct people.

The Marine Transport Association was formed in 1970 to represent the interests of restricted limits shipping. We currently have about censored financial members, which include most of the major operators and many of the smaller ones. The membership list includes operators such as Fullers Auckland, Subritzky Shipping, Fullers Bay of Islands, Kawau Kats, Real Journeys, Tourism Holdings, Milford Red Boats, Black Cat Cruises, Foveaux Express as well as many others spread throughout New Zealand.

There are four key sectors in the MTA – ferries, charter boats, barges, and aquaculture vessels. Our members also include water taxis and bareboat charters. The charter boat sector, which is by far the most numerous of our membership, relies on fishing charters from members of the public so the management of fish stocks is crucial for our members' business.

Our members operate about 290 vessels, with a passenger capacity of 14,249 and employ about 560 full-time seagoing staff. The book value of the fleet is about censored with a replacement value of censored. Turnover for the year ended 31 March 2002 was about censored .

We are aware that the NZ Recreational Fishing Council has written a comprehensive submission arguing that kahawai should be brought within the quota management system with clear caps for commercial fisheries. That submission also argues that the kahawai fishery is severely depleted and needs action to rebuild it urgently, and that an effective research programme to measure accurately the fish stock is required.

This letter is to support the NZRFC's submission. The submission was written in consultation with the Association and our members, and the arguments expressed in it are in line with our members' views.

I apologise for the delay in getting this letter to you, but the deadline for submissions passed while I was on leave.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss this letter.

Yours sincerely

John Collyns

Executive Director