Fisheries NZ: Review for laws on the cards for commercial fishermen

Fishing rules are under review.

When the 5-year-olds from Whangamata Area School head down to the wharf to catch a fish next week, it's no exaggeration that it could be a memory they'll look back on wistfully.

A nationwide consultation that could stop the biggest players in the commercial fishing industry from throwing back tonnes of dead fish is open for feedback — with submissions closing on March 17.

"If we don't speak up now, it will be too late, there will be no fish left — and I'm not exaggerating," says Phil Keogh, manager of the Whangamata Ocean Sports Club which is the biggest recreational fishing club in the country. "It's extremely important that people have their say. Now is the time. Change has to happen now."

While recreational fishers are often able to throw fish back unharmed, the Government has acknowledged that rules for commercial fishers offer few incentives to avoid small or low value fish, because many can be legally returned to the sea.

Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash says the aim of a review of fishing laws is to encourage a culture change: "so that every fish is valued by the commercial industry".

"I have been told by tangata whenua, the commercial fishing industry, recreational fishing groups and environmental organisations that they all want a better fisheries management system," says Mr Nash.

"Some of the current rules for commercial fishing are complex, open to interpretation, offer few incentives to adopt innovative practices, and may lead to lost economic value and wasted resources."

Much of the catch that is thrown back also goes unreported.

Sanford are one of several commercial fishing operators in the area. A spokeswoman said the company agrees it is in their utmost interests to safeguard the health and sustainability of the species the business depends on and would meet with the club if asked.

Similarly, it was important to the company to increase the value of every kilogram of fish caught.

The spokeswoman says the company is always looking for opportunities to speak with recreational fishing groups and they welcomed this with Whangamata Ocean Sports.

The company took seriously any accusations of fishing inshore and had an unofficial policy to never be closer than 4 nautical miles from shore. They had data for all their vessels and would review this following concerns raised by Whangamata locals.

They had not had contact from the Whangamata club about concerns over trawling.

"We haven't heard from them and would be very happy for them to get in touch anytime. Sometimes people will see our boats closer than this, but they might be sheltering or moving through an area rather than fishing."

Fisheries New Zealand is seeking "effective and fair" penalties aimed at the commercial sector and has asked the public to support one of three options.

Option one — tighten the rules for returning fish to the sea and removing all existing minimum legal sizes for finfish. This means fishers would have to land all fish, caught, including small fish, and fish with low market value.

Option two — allow a greater range of species and size of fish to be returned to the sea provided they are reported.

Option three — make no change to the current rules for landing and returning fish to the sea.

With the continued introduction of electronic catch and position reporting this year, commercial fishers will be required to report all quota management system (QMS) fish stocks caught, regardless of their fate. As a result, we need commercial fishing rules that are clear, simple to follow and to report against.

Locally, the impact of huge commercial trawlers fishing off the Coromandel east coast is being witnessed in the size and number of fish being landed by recreational fishers, says Phil.

"We've taken crayfish out of the tournaments now and even the marlin being caught are skinny and we are encouraging tag and release."

The club has been trying to negotiate with commercial fishers to leave the local area for a certain period of time, especially around tournament times: "But they almost almost refuse to come to the table," he says.

"Commercial fishers do have a place in our society but there's a big difference between the local commercial guy and the 100m long perseiners out there and what they're doing to that sector."

The club is aligned with LegaSea, which released figures on our fish being sold offshore for a pittance. Sam Woolford from LegaSea says the first option was his preferred one.

"There are tonnes and tonnes of fish being harvested in New Zealand waters which are not available for us to buy.

Tarakihi populations on the East Coast of New Zealand have been estimated by NIWA to be at 17 per cent of original biomass. Fish populations should be maintained at the agreed biomass of 40 per cent. Anything below 20 per cent requires a mandatory rebuild programme.

He says last year this fishery was identified as stressed. "Yet we continue selling these fish at a really low price internationally. In December 2018 alone New Zealand sold 33 tonne of whole Tarakihi to Australia at $8.80 per kilo.

"That's why people live in Whangamata — the sea, the beach," says Fred Christensen, who offers the 54 junior kids of Whangamata Area School the gear they need to go fishing on Wednesday.

Says teacher Paul Hughes: "We're exploring trips outside the classroom and how many kids of the world have this opportunity on their doorstep?"

Have your say. Email: fisheries.review@mpi.govt.nz