Fighting for the region's fish stocks

A Hokianga man is getting angry about over-fishing in the area.

Hokianga man Dion Akuhata is becoming increasingly incensed by what he regards as the unsustainable pillaging of New Zealand's fish stocks.

And now he is trying to spur his community into doing something about it.
Mr Akuhata was especially enraged by fish dumping by the commercial fishing industry, because they were the wrong species or not the optimum size .

"It has to stop," he said.

He wanted to see the Hokianga coast closed to commercial fishing until the industry could prove that its methods were sustainable. He did not believe it could do that and the damage already done would take years to repair, making time of the essence.

He was outraged that New Zealanders were going hungry while vast quantities of fish were being wasted "right on our doorstep".

Many of those who were doing the damage were foreigners, as New Zealand was one of the last places on Earth where foreigners were allowed to fish.

He was now getting into Maori organisations that were supposed to be providing leadership, but emphasised that the issue was one for all New Zealanders.

"This is a national issue, not just for Maori, but I'm starting in my own back yard," he said.
"One person can't do much, but if we all stand together we can."

His campaign had been mandated by 14 marae "and growing," he added.

"People have had enough, but they've been butting their heads against a wall.

"People think the fishing industry is too big to take on, but it's not.

"It's about fairness - someone who (breaks the amateur fishing regulations) gets the book thrown at him, but the commercial fishermen dump fish and no one prosecutes them.

"We're being forced into the position of imposing our own laws for the benefit of the people. It's got to the stage where we have to do what we have to do, even if that means blocking roads or meeting trawlers at the wharf."

He was sick of hearing about the need for economic development in the North, when the environment had to be the first priority.

Nothing was being done by anyone in terms of fisheries research, preservation or re-stocking.

Mr Akuhata called a hui at Te Runanga-a-Iwi o Ngapuhi's offices in Kaikohe yesterday, with a second at Taheke Marae on Monday (May 15), 6pm, for all the marae from Kaikohe to Waimamaku.