The Guardians of Fiordland's Fisheries
and Marine Environment
C/o Private Bag 90116
Invercargill
New Zealand

Email: info@fiordland-guardians.org.nz
Cc: Minister of Fisheries
Minister of Conservation
Minister of Environment
Ministry of Fisheries
Reference Group
NZRFC
NZBGFC

Friday August 22, 2003

Update on the Integrated Management Strategy for Fiordland's Fisheries and Marine Environment.

Dear Guardians

Thank you for the copy of the Summary of Submissions and Responses to Submissions document.

Please advise the status of the project and when we are likely to have an opportunity to have more input. It has been several months since we have received this document and can only assume progress has been made towards achieving your goals.

A summary of our concerns expressed in the option4 submission dated December 2002 is as follows -

" The option4 position is very clear - GOFF must abandon the notion of placing further restrictions on the fishing public of New Zealand until the rights of recreational and sustenance fishers is clearly defined.

" To agree to any reductions in bag limits or restrictions to the food gathering ability of those who choose to fish in the Fiordland area is not wise at this time.

" option4 considers any sustainability decisions based on reducing fish stock numbers should be attributed to the party causing the decline. As the commercial take in this fishery is 97% of the total catch then any reductions should come out of this fishery, not the non-commercial allocation.

" Further consultation with the public is required and more involvement of the local fishing clubs would be more productive in gaining widespread for any proposed changes.

option4 have not been contacted by your group but would like to reiterate our concerns and advise we are still keen to participate in future discussions regarding any changes that affect the public who fish within the Fiordland area.

Can you also provide an explanation on what work has been done to investigate the economic impact of effectively closing the inner sounds to fishing and the compliance costs involved in policing three separate bag limits.

Please acknowledge receipt of this letter and advise your timeline of future consultation regarding this project.

Yours faithfully

Trish Rea
trish@option4.co.nz
PO Box 37951
Parnell
Auckland