School's out on fish stocks
It is not often the fishing industry gets coverage, and the little guys too, in your Business Section story (NZ Herald, January 12) on quota management.
The PM's Chief Science Advisor recently released a report on commercial fishing, and it had some significant findings.
Despite the quota
system now being in operation for 35 years, a third of commercial catch volumes are made up of stocks that have never been assessed.
Nine fish stocks are classified as collapsed and another dozen or so are either over-fished or at risk of over-fishing, suggesting that the quotas are not being set in line with the ecosystem's capacity.
The quota system was world-leading in 1986, but it is now well behind other jurisdictions. So, while the little guys in the fishing world should be listened to, the problems in the industry are far more fundamental.
Peter Davis, Kingsland.
Moriori settlement
Paul Hames (NZ Herald, January 12) reminds us that the Moriori Claims Settlement Bill has been passed in Parliament and that the settlement package includes a Crown apology for breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and cultural redress of $18 million.
But the genocide of the Moriori was due to the 1835 invasion of the Chatham Islands by two Māori tribes, five years before the Treaty was signed. So neither Māori nor the Moriori were subject to the Crown.
After the Treaty was signed, Māori were subject to British law and so responsible for what they subsequently did to the Moriori. The Treaty was also the signal for the start of the Māori wars, so the British were then busy protecting the settlers and not in a position to intervene between Moriori and Māori anyway.
I suppose there is an argument for it in lawyer-speak, but it makes no sense to me. If the Māori tribes are legal entities that can receive treaty payments, then they are also entities that can pay the $18 million to the Moriori.
Barrie Davis, Wellington.
Moving costs
Correspondent Richard Morgan (NZ Herald, January 12) advocates for Auckland's port traffic to be served by container ships calling into Marsden Point, and the rail to Auckland being double-tracked to handle the railing of the freight to Auckland, and wonders why Northland Councils are not lobbying the Government for this to be done.
Unfortunately, such a move would prove to be very costly for the one-third of New Zealand's population that lives in Auckland, because the extra freight costs involved in moving all of the goods to Auckland from Marsden Point would result in a dramatic increase in the cost of living for the Auckland area.
Consequently, for economic reasons, Auckland's container port has to be located in the Auckland region.
David Mairs, Glendowie.
Difference a day makes
We made a late start with our Covid injections because we dutifully waited to be called up. Finally, realising that our adult children were already receiving theirs, we took action.
As a result we have not yet been eligible for our booster, despite pleas from officials to "please get boosted". We tried twice this week but were told it is strictly four months to the calendar day, not lunar.
We have another 30km round trip to the pharmacy tomorrow where we hope to beat queues which pose the real transmission risk for the vulnerable.
What difference does a day make? Pedantic officialdom is so off-putting.
Mary Tallon, Little Huia.
Finer point
There is clear evidence Novak Djokovic made a false statement that he did not visit Spain within 14 days of his entry to Australia. If this statement was made by his agent it makes no difference, he is personally responsible.
He has placed the Australian Immigration authorities in an invidious position. If they let him remain in Australia without penalty then every person breaking the rules can plead the same defence. If they kick him out as I believe - unlike Chris Rattue (NZ Herald, January 13) - most Australians would prefer, the political repercussions will be significant.
The only viable approach is to fine him a meaningful amount. Mostly quarantine violations range in the several hundreds of dollars. This needs to be imposed whether he decides to remain in Australia for the Open or not.
As an afterthought, I wonder what penalty the Serbian authorities would inflict on me if I were to make a false declaration in an application for a working visa to enter Serbia?
Rod Lyons, Kumeu.
