Complaints are racist, says set-net fisherman

The set-net fishermen involved in a tense stand-off with residents of Arkles Bay in Whangaparaoa say racism is fuelling the opposition to their presence on the beach.

Residents say that for four years, a group, led by a woman they dub Big Mama, has run a continuous fishing operation, preventing other locals from enjoying the beach.

A family member of one of the two Tongan families in Whangaparaoa set netting on Arkles Bay, who wished to be known as John, said they had broken no law.

"They swear at us - they tell us 'you get back to the island and do your fishing there'. Everything they've said to the media, that's bullcrap. They're bloody racist because we're from the islands, that's the thing."

Residents who confront them say they have been pushed, verbally abused, threatened and even run off the footpath by their vehicles, but John said those stories have been made up. "We've been setting nets with a European guy. They never say anything to the white guy there. I know we have a right to fish."

He said fisheries officers had never prosecuted them.

"They've been around, because there's a lot of people at the beach who complain to them - and how many times they told the people to leave us alone."

John and his family, who have been in New Zealand for a decade, said the fish was caught for personal consumption.

"We're not commercial." He said netting was done only "maybe once a week, depending on the tide".

"The beach is open to everyone, I will continue to do my netting until there is a law to stop the netting at Arkles Bay."

Ministry of Fisheries' Auckland compliance officer Matt Cowan said staff had investigated the complaints, which came in daily, but had found no serious offending.

The use of up to six nets shared between up to a dozen people did not break recreational fishing restrictions, which limited a single fisherman to one net.

A minor breach had occurred where net floats were not marked with the owner's details, he said.

Mr Cowan said the fishermen had always co-operated with fishery officers. "At the end of the day, they're trying to catch a feed."