Now
and for the Future
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Minutes
of meeting - 8 September, 2000.
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option4.CO.NZ Meeting Held: September 8, 2000 10:00 am - 1:00 pm N.Z. Fishing News Level 7, 45 O'Rorke Road Penrose Attendees: Bob Burstall Bill Cooke Keith Ingram Grant Dixon Geoff Green Sam Mossman Paul Barnes Peggy Barnes Apologies: Scott Macindoe Ray Everson Agenda: MINUTES General A lengthy discussion concerning the Soundings public consultation meetings was held. Bob Burstall made the observation that he thought it was a political process and that attacking the Soundings document could kill the process. Paul Barnes responded that using the Soundings document as a basis on which to build option4 is far too dangerous. The required components needed to truly represent option4 are so deeply buried and unrecognizable in the Soundings document, and are attached to so many undesirable structures, that using the Soundings document invites failure. Paul stated that option4 needed to be clear, precise, understandable and not able to be distorted, and the only way of achieving this was to stay outside of the Soundings document. Paul added that if we do not criticize the Soundings document and the public are not informed of all of the risks associated with the three options promoted in it, we do the public a disservice. The point was also raised that the Soundings document does not define what the publics rights are. The key principles are very weak and it is full of weasel words. It was again stressed that It is critical the non-commercial rights are defined first, and management can be defined later. Bob Burstall raised the issue that compensation for the public sector (raised at a public meeting) is a very good point that should be pursued. Bob added that the issue of fuel tax should not even be considered. Bob stated that he believed there was no structural base to option4 and asked how option4 would establish the public rights. Paul Barnes stated that sustainability of the fisheries is the over-riding objective. Under the current system of the Quota Management System (QMS) we are looking at 34 years to rebuild the snapper fishery and this simply was not good enough. We need to shift the onus from the recreational sector, which is currently required to provide proof of commercial overfishing, to the commercial sector. option4 needs to determine recreational priority to a reasonable share, access and ability to plan for the future of our fisheries. Paul added that the commercial sector has no requirement to ensure reasonable access to recreational fishers and any co-operation based management between the commercial sector, Maori Traditional and the recreational sector simply would not work. The recreational sector must be able to grow the fisheries and retain the benefits for future recreational fishers. Under the current system any surplus conserved by recreational fishers goes to the commercial sector. Concerns were raised regarding the processes of the Recreational Fishing Council and the Rights Working Group, particularly with regard to the public submissions. Transparency of this process was critical and should not be completely in the hands of those who have been involved with it over the last two years. An independant judge is required to prevent the process from being captivated by the Ministry. Bob Burstall stated that the Recreational Fishing Council shelved its policy (No License, No Quota and MAF to management the fishery) and entered into the public discussions with the Soundings document. The Recreational Fishing Councils policy will be developed by the public through the public discussion meetings of the Soundings document. Bob advised the option4 group that all submissions would be going to the Rights Working Group, not the Government. Business Geoff Green raised the issue that option4 needs to detail its policy in a submission form for those who require more information in order to make an educated decision. It was agreed by the option4 group that this would be worked on at the next meeting. Funding Grant Dixon corrected the point that the Snapper Fighting Fund had raised $17,500, not the previously mentioned $25,000. The current status of the account is $487.00 residual from the Snapper Fighting Fund, a deposit of $2,500.00 was made recently to this account and a further $500.00 (approximately) raised at the Hamilton Boat Show which is yet to be deposited. Promotion option4 pads printed free of charge are going to press. The 500 pads being printed contain the option4 cover sheet and 50 sheets of submission forms with 5 individual submission forms per sheet. Fishing News has paid to have all of the scanning done for these pads and has organised the distribution of the pads through Kilwell and Thompson Walker representatives to all tackle stores in N.Z. The next meeting will be held: September 22, 2000 10:00 am - 1:00 pm N.Z. Fishing News Level 7, 45 O'Rorke Road Penrose Agenda:
option4.CO.NZ Meeting Held: September 8, 2000 10:00 am - 1:00 pm N.Z. Fishing News Level 7, 45 O'Rorke Road Penrose Attendees: Bob Burstall Bill Cooke Keith Ingram Grant Dixon Geoff Green Sam Mossman Paul Barnes Peggy Barnes Apologies: Scott Macindoe Ray Everson Agenda: MINUTES General A lengthy discussion concerning the Soundings public consultation meetings was held. Bob Burstall made the observation that he thought it was a political process and that attacking the Soundings document could kill the process. Paul Barnes responded that using the Soundings document as a basis on which to build option4 is far too dangerous. The required components needed to truly represent option4 are so deeply buried and unrecognizable in the Soundings document, and are attached to so many undesirable structures, that using the Soundings document invites failure. Paul stated that option4 needed to be clear, precise, understandable and not able to be distorted, and the only way of achieving this was to stay outside of the Soundings document. Paul added that if we do not criticize the Soundings document and the public are not informed of all of the risks associated with the three options promoted in it, we do the public a disservice. The point was also raised that the Soundings document does not define what the publics rights are. The key principles are very weak and it is full of weasel words. It was again stressed that It is critical the non-commercial rights are defined first, and management can be defined later. Bob Burstall raised the issue that compensation for the public sector (raised at a public meeting) is a very good point that should be pursued. Bob added that the issue of fuel tax should not even be considered. Bob stated that he believed there was no structural base to option4 and asked how option4 would establish the public rights. Paul Barnes stated that sustainability of the fisheries is the over-riding objective. Under the current system of the Quota Management System (QMS) we are looking at 34 years to rebuild the snapper fishery and this simply was not good enough. We need to shift the onus from the recreational sector, which is currently required to provide proof of commercial overfishing, to the commercial sector. option4 needs to determine recreational priority to a reasonable share, access and ability to plan for the future of our fisheries. Paul added that the commercial sector has no requirement to ensure reasonable access to recreational fishers and any co-operation based management between the commercial sector, Maori Traditional and the recreational sector simply would not work. The recreational sector must be able to grow the fisheries and retain the benefits for future recreational fishers. Under the current system any surplus conserved by recreational fishers goes to the commercial sector. Concerns were raised regarding the processes of the Recreational Fishing Council and the Rights Working Group, particularly with regard to the public submissions. Transparency of this process was critical and should not be completely in the hands of those who have been involved with it over the last two years. An independant judge is required to prevent the process from being captivated by the Ministry. Bob Burstall stated that the Recreational Fishing Council shelved its policy (No License, No Quota and MAF to management the fishery) and entered into the public discussions with the Soundings document. The Recreational Fishing Councils policy will be developed by the public through the public discussion meetings of the Soundings document. Bob advised the option4 group that all submissions would be going to the Rights Working Group, not the Government. Business Geoff Green raised the issue that option4 needs to detail its policy in a submission form for those who require more information in order to make an educated decision. It was agreed by the option4 group that this would be worked on at the next meeting. Funding Grant Dixon corrected the point that the Snapper Fighting Fund had raised $17,500, not the previously mentioned $25,000. The current status of the account is $487.00 residual from the Snapper Fighting Fund, a deposit of $2,500.00 was made recently to this account and a further $500.00 (approximately) raised at the Hamilton Boat Show which is yet to be deposited. Promotion option4 pads printed free of charge are going to press. The 500 pads being printed contain the option4 cover sheet and 50 sheets of submission forms with 5 individual submission forms per sheet. Fishing News has paid to have all of the scanning done for these pads and has organised the distribution of the pads through Kilwell and Thompson Walker representatives to all tackle stores in N.Z. The next meeting will be held: September 22, 2000 10:00 am - 1:00 pm N.Z. Fishing News Level 7, 45 O'Rorke Road Penrose Agenda:
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