Tuesday, 5 June 2001

Dear Sir,

Scott Macindoe of the saltwater recreational fishing campaign group option4 is crying wolf with his claim that there is an "official agenda to 'privatise' the New Zealand fishery" [Herald, 31 May].

option4 recently alarmed marine recreational fishers with the equally untrue claim that the Soundings discussion document on marine recreational fishery management was a Trojan horse for licensing.

Licensing was never a preferred option for this Government, as I made clear when I released the Soundings document. New Zealand fishers ? surprise, surprise ? said they don't like it either, so that's one phantom slain.

I have asked Scott and the other leaders of option4 to participate in a ministerial advisory group on recreational fishing.

I'm disappointed to see him setting up 'privatisation' as another false target, instead of taking aim at the real one, which is the question of how we can protect and improve the quality of recreational fishing.

Pete Hodgson MP Minister of Fisheries