Now
and for the Future
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Letter
to Minister regards Fiordland recreational management proposals.
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20/11/01
Hon Pete Hodgson Parliament Buildings Dear Minister, We wish to express our grave concern about the direction and intention of the Guardians of Fiordland Fisheries (GOFF) as stated at their meeting on 09/10/2001 at the Invercargill Workingman's Club, and other meetings. The management proposals outlined at the October 9 meeting and the other meetings, which were recorded by one of the undersigned, are both grossly unfair and incapable of delivering the desired outcomes. We also believe these proposals amount to a violation of rights of the New Zealand public to gather seafood for themselves and their families in this isolated region. Central to our concern is that many of the proposed fishing restrictions are targeted at one fishing group - recreational/sustenance fishers. Examples of the proposed controls are attached. We note published Ministry reports state New Zealand recreational fishing public takes less than 3 percent of the crayfish from this region. Figures are not available for finfish take, we can though comfortably extrapolate know figures and find similar results. It is our position that should any curtailment of fishing activity is found necessary (this would require proper scientific analysis to demonstrate this need before any one sector is interfered with) then it must be targeted to constrain the cause of the depletion. In this case it is more than obvious what is required if the stocks cannot sustain current catch levels. Ninety seven percent of the catch taken by the commercial fishing industry, the focus simply has to lie on the fishing industry. Any other approach would be both illogical and contrary to natural justice option4.co.nz believe the membership of GOFF does not represent a cross section of the users and other interested parties and is not qualified to speak or act on behalf of recreational/sustenance fishers using the Fiordland resource. We believe the membership is unduly biased with commercial fishery interests, Ministry of Fisheries staff, DoC, and other Govt agencies, both local and central. The undersigned, having spent many years in the Fiordland area on both land and sea carrying out voluntary service, such as Wapiti herd reduction, track formation, mountaineering, along with recreational, commercial fishing and research, feel well placed to comment on the validity of any group whom presently claim to have the interests of Fiordland or the New Zealand public as their bench-mark. Option4.co.nz is surprised to be informed that, you, your office along with your department are 'hungry for any impute and/or recommendations, from GOFF, which will be acted upon', by Laurel Teirney GOFF facilitator. Laurel went even further claiming that 'GOFF has a mandate from both former, and you the present minister to implement change in Fiordland'. The above comments were made in a public forum with Government and members of the public in attendance. These comments have also been quoted in two dive club as well as the Southern Sportfishing Club Newsletters Given the current
debate about the nature and extent of the recreational right, Option4.co.nz option4.co.nz recognises that the amateur fishing controls are a critical component of the recreational/sustenance right. We would suggest as part of the recreational/sustenance right deliberations that a joint Ministry and recreational/sustenance fishers group should review all the current controls and develop a framework and guidelines for future recreational fisheries management proposals such as those proposed by GOFF. We would suggest that this review is a matter of urgency and that all recreational fishery control proposals should be shelved until the review is completed and an agreed framework developed. Option4.co.nz
request a meeting with you to discuss the issues raised in this
letter to more fully outline our proposals for the long overdue
recreational/sustenance fishing controls review. This will go a
long way to build the trust you so often refer to that is an essential
component for us all to move forward.
GOFF Proposed Reductions to Recreational Bag Limits. Blue Cod
Crayfish
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