I am 77 and have spent at least 70 years fishing the Northland east coast, part of that time as a commercial fisherman but mostly recreationally.
From my observations the snapper stocks are the best they have been in the last 15 years and I cannot find substantivescientific evidence to refute that.
From my observations , the greatest danger to fish stocks is from trawling, which indiscriminately catches fish, targeted and by-catch, which often includes huge numbers of undersized snapper, which are dumped. Recreational fishermen are more selective and target specific species. Generally, they are able to return undersized fish safely to the sea.
Recreational fishing is a major activity with thousands enjoying the marine environment, and also contributing huge amounts to the internal economy and also to tourism. To diminish this source of trade will be highly detrimental to the economy, as well as alienating a large pool of electors.
I strongly object to the proposals to reduce the snapper quota to three per person per day. I also submit that should such a change be implemented, it will result in high levels of civil disobedience, which is never good for a democracy. Policing the change would be almost impossible and I submit that if a law cannot be enforced then it is BAD law.
