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I have
read with interest a great many of the comments made by others
and feel that most of the important stuff has been well and
truly expressed! I would, however, just like to say that in
various other countries this debate has already taken place
with the result being that aditional governmental controls
were imposed. Do we really want to allow our lifestyle to
be changed by our government in the same way? Having said
that, a "changed lifestyle" can, and will occur
from the denuding of fish stocks. I feel therfore that some
controls are necessary to safeguard the interests of all.
Any controls imposed should not only be fair to all, but should
be seen to be fairly implemented too (no good slapping a moritorium
on recreational fishers if commercial concerns undermine all
the good work done).
As a keen
trout fisher I have no problem with a closed season, nor a
bag or size limit, but does all my annual license help solve
problems of fish stocks or water access/quality, or just go
into a big melting pot to finance MAF and the administration
necessary to impose these controls?
I dont
feel that a seafishing license is the answer to falling fish
stocks, how could it be? But it would be another backdoor
tax control on an important national recreational way of life.
How care free will you feel having to carry registration/licenses
for your boat/trailer/car/rods....? ........Roger Riley
(15 December 2002)
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I don't
think New Zealanders know how lucky they have it and yet as
a country we are jeopardising this by allowing the commercial
fisherman to plunder our resource. As a keen fisherman who
is currently living in England, I have witnessed first hand
the results of overfishing and am afraid that NZ is heading
down the same track, unless something is done!!.
I have
endeavered to catch fish both in England and around the coastline
of Europe and am shocked at the absolute lack of any fighting
fish, in fact any fish at all!!! The extent of 'game fishing'
in this part of the world extends to catch and release carp
fishing in a pond!.
This makes
NZ an absolute haven for European recreational fisherman and
the potential earning capacity for tourism is enormous. I
think Pete should try catching a fish in Europe before he
gives the commercial sector an even greater quota to get an
idea of where we're heading. If we don't stop the pillage
of our resource it is going to be to late. If anybody thinks
this is not the case, come and try to catch a fish in Europe!!!!
......Jay Hollerich (13 December 2002)
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Having
had difficulty with bureaucrats in other speciality areas,
I have found that what they say is not what they mean. Organisations
like Option4 are vital to the future of our way of life, With
the many restrictions placed on the individual now, &
our natural heritage being
pillaged by big business with a politicians ear, we need to
continue to lobby to retain our rights. It appears that the
phrase "walk softly & carry a big stick" is
the way forward. That is, develop a huge membership and don't
rant.
Cultivate
the Bureaucrats and Politicians and feed them quietly with
hard facts supported by as much evidence as possible. This
would include overseas experience and especially unbiased
research.
...Russell Smith (3 December 2002)
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It is
every persons right to be able to fish free of charge for
recreational purchases. I have no objection to rules regarding
the size of fish caught and the catch limit as long as they
are fair, but the freedom to fish our coastal waters without
predudice must be protected forever. Fishing coastal waters
is the last bastion of traditional "freedom" in
this country of ours. Surely there can exist one area where
the government doesn't regulate or tax us to oblivion? As
for the commercial enterprises - stop the corruption and the
back-handers and get them to adhere to the rules. Keep the
commercial operators honest and kept the overseas enterprises
out. New Zealand fish for New Zealanders - no exceptions!!!
...John
Murray (8 November 2002)
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I would
be happy to pay a saltwater lisence ,if the funds went into
a trust for legal fees to ensure that the right to fish for
all New Zealanders will never be lost.I would be bitterly
opposed to any other Government revenue gathering for no gain
other than their own.I was diappointed to see that in the
last election the Outdoors party failed to secure a seat in
parliment as I thought that these people were the only ones
to enter parliment with the right intentions since Guy Fawkes.People
can no longer rely on the government to do the right thing
because unless there is revenue involved they are not interested.
...Mark Bond (5 November 2002)
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With the
green drive for major marine reserves, legal and illegal commercial
fishing, the only understanding for a need to share the resource
sits with the recreational angler. The benefits the Auckland
anglers within the Waitemata harbour is extreme with the banning
of gill nets and the movement of commercial interests out
into the gulf. The financial benefit to NZ in regards to tourism
from nature watchers to visiting anglers, is all conditional
on a healthy resource that is feed by recreational anglers.
The quota system is in place to ensure the future of the resource
for ALL, not just commercial interests. With most anglers
imposing their own quota on size and numbers (e.g. 32cm plus
with a max of 5 fish each), we appear to be the only part
of the equation that is prepared to take less. Thankyou for
your representative effort and tight lines.
...Richard Johnstone
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The concept
of right of access by the public to the public domain and
its resources is being eroded. NZ is being seen as an economic
unit and a UN puppet by short sighted corrupt politicians
of all parties, bar outdoor recreation. Support from the bottom
up is the only hope, the days of ignoring this current crop
of policitians and their absymal record are long over, unfortunately.
I love the outdoors and would not want to see it restricted
to a select few and those who pay for what is ours anyway.
This is our birthright, the free and unrestricted access to
the public domain, and that right comes ahead of the private
profiteers who continue to plunder our resources.
Outdoorrecreation
is where I came from to get here. United we stand, vested
interest is interested in keeping us out of the equation.
Keep up the good work.
...Jimmy Simm
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I am dead
against the idea of licences for recreational fishers. It
will do nothing to curtail the present problems with excessive
and undersize catches and will only serve to waste more of
our taxes on yet another bureaucracy which will find new reasons
each year to expand. The right to fish within acceptable and
agreed standards and conditions should be every New Zealanders
- equally.
There
are a huge number of issues within the commercial fishing
area and I do not have any magnificent ideas to solve those
issues. Perhaps like TV we could have commercial-free zones?
A 12 nm commercial free zone??
I also
believe that there needs to be more research on the life cycles
and the impacts on fish that both recreational and commercial
fishing makes. I understand that the Aussies have a different
size limit for some of their fish, prefering to take the juveniles
and ban the taking of the larger, heavy breeders. (In any
event I think the snapper minimum should be 300mm - anything
smaller is not worth bringing home).
Enough
prattle from me..... You guys are doing a great job of raising
awareness and motivating a few fence-sitters like myself to
finally do something about our rights and freedoms. Good on
Ya....Kevin Richards
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New Zealanders
need to protect their right to fish and hunt from left wing,
'green', lying, control freeks. It did not work in Russia, it
won't work here !
...Miles Bland |
All New
Zealanders must have an equal right to the fisheries despite
race or political agenda.We are lucky to live in a country that
has some of the best fishing in the world. That is now becomeing
a battlefield, for fishing rights with Treaty claims and the
Quota system all putting there hands up for a stake in our fisheries.
Yes thats right our fisheries, every New Zealander has the birth
right to be able to go out and put a line in the water and catch
a fish where ever and when ever you want.
...Murray Loye |
Dudes,
Underlying this is the fact that snapper catches are dropping
off and they are pretty hard to find. In my mind, this is the
only problem. If snapper were plentiful .... nobody would give
a shit. We are not helping the problem by harvesting the majority
of snapper when the price is highest. That just happens to correspond
with the school season when the fish are in good nick and full
of roe. To my knowledge we don't send cows to the works
with a belly full of calf... we let em calve first... keep up
the stock levels...where would we be if the ewes went to the
works full of lambs.... now you tell me... whats the freakin
difference.
If the MAF had any balls they would empose a "closed season"
while the poor buggers did their thing. Maybe every year for
a few years. Imagine how many fish there would be after just
one closed season!! 1 month? in November? I could tolerate that..knowing
what was comming. Add this to an increase of minimun size and
there wouldn't be a problem.
Ka Kete Ano...Rusty Russell |
| Our country
seems fixated on joining the frantic rush to screw and sell
our resources when the very thing that keeps us special is that
difference from other countries. We must keep our resources
free from external or business exploitation for the benefit
of the citizenry who, after all, fund the government of the
day...Peter Elliott |
| Surely
letters to the editor in the various mainstream News Papers
would arouse more interest and cause a wider field of debate
within and outside of the debating chambers. I am at a loss
how so many people can tally 64000+ submissions and still be
ignored by 1 so called educated person who is a public servant,
not a public master. Thanks for all the hard work to Option4
teams, yours in free fishing ....Robert G Eyre |
One of
the problems I have is that under the present system certain
individuals are flouting all the law regarding conservation.
Reports from Fisheries Officers in the North relate gross abuse
for commercial gain under the customary rights banner. I think
that we need to have this addressed by government before any
further action is taken. In the Kaipara, a Management group
has been set up to manage the fishery with input from all stakeholders.
We have yet to see how that will work. In the past the fishery
has been plundered by commercial interests. We need more reserves.
We need more exlusion zones - otherwise there won't be any fish
for anyone. Without being zonophobic, the recent arrivals in
New Zealand from the Pacific Islands and Asia blatantly disregard
catch limits and sizes. Some Maori are as bad, as are NZ Europeans.
Are we addressing the problem the right way? Is Option4 going
to sort this? I don't think so. I attended a seminar on the
NZ Biosphere where the Professor in charge of Leigh gave an
address. I agree entirely with what he said on this matter.
We need more reserves. We need more research.
We need to push the commercial fishers out further to protect
the inshore resources breeding grounds. I certainly uphold the
right of every NZ'der to go fishing but too many are too greedy!
In addition, we need to cleanup our acts arounf NZ particularly
in ports, harbours and anchorages. The current practice of dumping
all manner of rubbish over the side has got to stop. For what
its worth! Otherwise, you are doing a
great job, keep it up....Jim W. Goodland
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Absolutely
without hesitation the answer has to be the right to go fishing.
This is New Zealand for heaven's sake.
Currently in Whangarei there is a group who want to close off
Bream Bay and the Hen & Chicken Islands to fishing. Panic
time. The human issue requires to be established to stop this
random fly by night petition gatherers drumming up unsolicited
support against the New Zealand way of life.
The Poor Knights are already closed. If the Bream Bay issue
happens the basic urge recreational fishers end up being herded
into the remaining reef areas and cleaning out whats left. Whats
more, the islands are used for sheltered fishing when the seas
a bit lumpy. Currently I cannot be caught within 800mtrs of
the Poor Knights with fish on board (caught legally), even if
it is because I have sea sick people on board and have sheltered
for recovery. Do we feel that regulation is taking over?!
It would make a lot more sense to me to limit snapper to 5/person
instead of 9. If one person is fishing for his family, 5 fish
(snapper) would seem ample considering the other species that
are caught as well.
The size limit for snapper should be increased to 290mm. As
a rule most keen fishers don't take snapper under 300mm any
way as there is a pressing desire for preservation. Seeing a
270mm snapper in the bin hurts like hell and is limited to the
injured ones. The Tongan Minister? Not a Kiwi like the majority
of immigrants their and the Kiwi's education must continue,
the best being the pain when wrong!
Carry on with all of our blessings....Jim Rentoul |
| The words
I would like to use to describe how I feel about commercial
fishing in our harbours & the firth of Thames, should not
be published. As I am extremely angry to say the least. You
guys have all my support, " Go Get'im " ......Chris
Strange |
| The gathering
of food is a fundamental right of people regardless of race
or creed. It is the governments role to protect that right in
the first instance, then to allow commercial interests the balance
to achieve a controlled take of our fisheries asset and to preserve
the resource for the next generation.....Mr Murray Philpott
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We as Kiwis
should have the right to fish the waters of this beautiful country,
and the right to share this with our children in the years to
come.
To have this taken away from us is not only an abuse of power
but an abuse of the people of NZ. It is time for the Minister
of Fisheries to think outside of his own interests, adjust his
unbelievably shortsided views and quit pandering to his commerical
buddies. Go option4....Mrs Debbie Murphy |
All current
research shows that people need to take a break away from the
workplace, this is in the best interest for their own health.
The Government try to sell this country as a clean green place
and somewhere that one is able to get outside and explore and
partake in the great outdoors of this country. So now the Minister
of Fisheries is going to say YOU CAN'T FISH IN THIS COUNTRY
unless you are a commercial interest. Is he prepared to have
his government face the possible legal action that could arise
from the court cases that are brought by the residents of this
country for the stress that will be placed upon them? Is he
prepared to face his Government and explain why the unemployment
has gone through the roof as everybody employed in the recreational
fishing and growing boating industry is forced out of work?
Is he prepared to face his government and explain why the Health
budget has a blow out due to the pressures brought upon the
work force of this country through his act!
Is he prepared to explain why he is discriminating against the
phyiscally handicapped of this country who are unable to walk
the great outdoors but are able to relax through fishing?......Dan
Barnett |
| Fishing
should be able to be enjoyed by all New Zealanders.I am just
about to have my second child and the thought of not being able
to enjoy Gods creation with them in the years to come is disappointing
to say the least.Giving recreational fisherman their rights
can only benefit all New Zealanders.I believe tourism is the
way forward for our beautiful country and by protecting our
fisheries we are providing an opportunity to encourage the recreational
sector to show off our country in style......Andrew Randall |
I have
opted for the human rights angle as there allresdy exists a
segment of the community who enjoys this protection. This in
itself presents a valid case.
......Robert Clements |
| Fishing
for myself and other friends is an outdoor experience. I guess
for most who pay a rising fee each year and maybe don't appreciate
the reasons for that rise and the possible future implications
restricting access, available bag and enviromental purity -
we all need a wake up call. Any organisation pushing for increased
public awareness and securing equal or greater rights for recreational
fisherman deserves support ....Andy McNicholl
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As New
Zealander's we all have a right to fish our waters. The joy
on the
face of a child when they feel the line tug....is the beginning
of deep
rooted everlasting personal experience that MUST be shared by
following
generation! ....Victor Middleditch |
I have
finally realised a dream and bought our first boat and it deeply
disturbs me that if commercial fisheries and the Government
have there way I
might as well turn my dream into a water taxi. Go option4.
My support is
yours....Mark Cross |
I tried
hard for years to avoid the issues which recreational anglers
face by saying that it's really someone else's problem. I don't
have to get involved. I just want to fish
I was the silent majority. I relied on the efforts of many dedicated
and passionate anglers never once giving any consideration to
the time and costs involved. I was and still am a strong critic
of the Recreational Fishing Council mainly because I never understood
how they could claim to represent me, "the great unwashed",
Joe Public angler. I didn't know why they conceded cuts to our
bag limits which I thought to be draconian and far too great.
Jeez, I'd only ever once caught 30 snapper in one session and
I fed half a neighbourhood with it. I didn't waste it.....it
was a special day. I recognised though that 30 was far too large
a daily bag and 15 was equitable for me. However when it was
soon reduced to nine I was extremely angry.
I now know why these actions occurred but I still disagree with
a nine bag snapper limit when the commercial sector has given
away nothing, never had a size restriction change and has continued
to abuse the QMS with practices such as High-grading, dumping
and even deeming. I won't even mention their targeting of kingfish
and claiming it as bycatch. I realise that commercial fishermen
have to make a living but to do so at the expense of the public
isn't fair. When it is literally condoned and sanctioned by
Government(s) then it really gets my back up. I also believe
that the Ministry have failed to protect the rights of recreational
and sustenance gatherers over the years and that they (Ministry)
have known that their role in the implementation of Government
Policy would result in members of the public becoming third
class citizen in fisheries allocations, management and planning
not to mention destroying their basic human rights to sustenance.
I ask myself the question constantly, why is there such a strong
emphasis on the public's fishing methods and catches by HFO's
and the like yet I hardly ever read or see anything about the
abuses inflicted by the commercial sector. Are they all sticking
to the rules too? How much is actually spent on monitoring them?
Not enough. How many prosecutions did they get against them
last year. What percentage of vessels are actually monitored
or checked in port and at sea? All the basic questions.
A lot changed for the day I emailed option4 and was phoned by
a passionate and absolutely driven member who asked me what
could I do? What the hell I thought, it's pay-back time and
I gave a year of my life (literally) to the cause. I enjoyed
it most of the time. The learning curve was steep and I never
got to the heady heights of knowledge of the old hands. However
they didn't judge me and in fact they fed me so much information
that it just fuelled my resolve to see this whole thing through
to the end. I stood down a couple of months ago because I was
mentally drained and my head was spinning too much. Three months
of research had done me in.
So what's the point you ask? Well it's this;
If you want to ensure that you can fish and that your kids and
their kids can fish without further punitive restrictions and
controls do something about it. The louder the voice of the
people the better the chance that governments will listen. Don't
foresake your birthright and see another piece of your heritage
slide away in the avalanche of government agendas. Don't let
them tell you what's right for you.....only you know that. get
out there and keep banging the drum and get your mates and colleagues
to do it too. If you don't, you'll get rolled and all the effort
that option4 and others have made will be just like piss down
the urinal. I can't think of a better way of explaining it unfortunately.
I'm talking from my heart here, not my head, however passion
and belief in the cause is the first step, fighting the fight
comes after. Step up and be counted, every little counts. I've
often said that I don't want to be there when my kid asks "Dad,
why didn't you do something?"
I bet you don't want to be in that position either.....am I
right or am I right?
Done my dash for now....Kiwiangler |
