Thanks
to All Supporters
Kahawai
Challenge team
August
2005
Kahawai Legal Challenge
Update New Zealand Fishing News
September 2005
edition
Thanks
to all who have done their best to support the Kahawai Legal Challenge.
We appreciate the effort and are heartened by your commitment.
Kahawai
Campaign
The fundraising campaign
to back up the Kahawai Legal Challenge has been well supported
during July. The team placing campaign booklets have made over
1330 phone calls and successfully placed almost 500 booklets in
the hands of people who have said yes, we will Stand and
Fight .
The feedback we are getting
from those being called is that many are already aware of the
campaign and are either booklet holders or keen to get stuck in
and share the information with their family, work colleagues and
friends. The money being raised from the booklets is being deposited
into the Kahawai Challenge Fund administered by trustees associated
with NZ Fishing News and the NZ Big Game Fishing Council.
Returned
Campaign Booklets
With 2005 past the half
way mark many people have already taken their booklets around
their local clubs, pubs, workplaces and returned them with as
many contributions and t–shirt orders as they could muster.
This effort is encouraging and helping the team to pay the bills
as they arise.
Campaign
Publicity
We are seeking to improve
the profile of the campaign as we move into the phase of filing
the High Court action. This profile has been improved by the recent
filming of several television documentaries covering the kahawai
issue. This involved some of the team taking the television crews,
complete with cameras and sound gear, onto the beach for a days
kite fishing. Thankfully we managed to catch a kahawai during
filming. We eagerly await feedback from the television crews and
will let you know when the programmes are due to screen on television.
Representatives from the
NZ Recreational Fishing Council (NZRFC), the NZ Big Game Fishing
Council (NZBGFC) and option4 attended a hui in Northland with
Ngapuhi and other iwi to explain issues surrounding the Kahawai
Legal Challenge and what impact it would have on our collective
non-commercial fishing interests. The response was encouraging
and a solid commitment has been made by the Chairman of Te Runanga
A Iwi O Ngapuhi, Sonny Tau, in the form of an affidavit to support
the Legal Challenge.
Minister
of Fisheries Response
Many of the kahawai team
were present at the NZRFC's conference in Wellington to hear the
Minister, David Benson-Pope make the following announcement about
“ a new policy idea – that species important to recreational
fishers should be managed above, or even significantly above,
what fisheries documents refer to as Bmsy – the size of
a fish stock that delivers the maximum sustainable yield.”
If applied, the outcome
of this new policy would see “more fish in the water”
which very encouraging and what we have been seeking
for some time.
Ministry
Announcement
During the same conference
we were advised the Ministry of Fisheries had issued another Initial
Position Paper (IPP) seeking views on new proposals for kahawai
management. The submission deadline was originally set
for 5 th August. Thankfully the Ministry have extended the cut
off date to 10 th August. This is still a very short timeframe
for us to work within, as our process requires more time to consult
with those who submitted to last year's proposal and those who
remain unaware of the proposals existence.
Reading the new IPP it
is obvious the Ministry still wants to pursue proportional cuts
to our allowances and commercial quotas. The proposal suggests
the status quo or a 10% proportional cut.
Draft submissions are being
prepared and will be reviewed by the Hesketh Henry legal team
before they are lodged with the Ministry of Fisheries. They will
then be posted online for your feedback. Please go to www.kahawai.co.nz
to find out more.
Online
Updates and News
If you are online and
want to receive Updates from the Kahawai Legal Challenge team
and option4, please go to https://option4.co.nz/register.php
and register your details. You will receive timely advice of events
and news relating to changes in fisheries that are important to
you and your children's fishing future.
Legal
Challenge
A meeting of representatives
from all the organisations involved in the Legal Challenge was
held near the end of the month. The NZBGFC, NZRFC and option4
teams were given a very comprehensive briefing from the legal
team. Commitments were made by those present to consult with their
respective teams and respond to the lawyers by the second week
of August. It is expected that legal proceedings will be filed
shortly after that.
Summary
Overall, July was a successful
month for the fundraising campaign and the Legal Challenge team.
Progress is being made in many areas with valuable contributions
from so many people. Some of those are mentioned below:
- Sonny Tau of Ngapuhi
- Larry Baldock of the United Future party
- Lionel Sands of Haines Hunter
- Stuart Ryan and James Bullock of Hesketh Henry Lawyers
- NZBGFC management group
- NZRFC Board and members
- option4 team
- Paul Barnes
- John Holdsworth
- Scott Macindoe
How
You Can Help
If you have not received
a campaign booklet please give the kahawai team a call on
0800 KAHAWAI (52 42 92).
Order your Support Pack including
campaign booklet online at https://www.kahawai.co.nz/book_form.php
To make an automatic $20
donation please dial 0900 KAHAWAI (52 42 92). This will be billed
to your telephone account.
Email the team at contact@kahawai.co.nz
