Proceeds from Spearfishing New Zealand national competition fish auctions going to Mary Potter Hospice and a volunteer fire brigade

Mal Bird highlights the area where two Spearfishing New Zealand national championship fish auctions will be held to raise money for Mary Potter Hospice and Paraparaumu Fire Brigade volunteer unit. Photo / David Haxton

Proceeds from the upcoming Spearfishing New Zealand national championship fish auctions will go to two worthy organisations.

The funds will help with the important palliative care work at Mary Potter Hospice, and enable Paraparaumu Fire Brigade’s volunteer unit to buy some new gear.

Two 60-seater grandstands at Kāpiti Coast Airport, in Paraparaumu, will be erected for people to bid from or simply enjoy the auction atmosphere.

Strawberries and icecream will be on sale at the same time with proceeds also going to the hospice.

“I’ve got enormous support from the community to help run the auctions,” event director Mal Bird said.

Various fish ranging from snapper, kingfish and John Dory, to tarakihi, butterfish, moki and cod will go under the hammer via auctioneer Doug Palmer.

The auctions will be held on Saturday and Sunday, February 24-25, at 4pm each day.

Divers in various categories will be spearfishing from beach points around the Wellington region including Kāpiti Island, Mana, Makara, Boomrock, and the South Coast.

Many competitors have registered, including teams from Tahiti and Australia.

Joseph Gundesen with a 32kg kingfish caught off the north end of Kāpiti Island recently.

Fish caught will be transported in refrigerated trucks to the auction venue.

People can have their fish filleted at a processing station by an expert team from The Kai Ika Project.

There will be no wastage with any excess, including fish frames, going to the community.

Mal, 65, of Paraparaumu, has taken months off work to dedicate to the event, especially the fundraiser.

“Everything we’re doing is about maximising and trying to help others.”

About 100 businesses and people have come on board with donations and offers of help.

Mal Bird on the area at Kāpiti Landing, in Paraparaumu, where two fish auctions will be held. Photo / David Haxton

A large 7.5m x 3m banner, mounted on an on-site trailer, will highlight them as well as the fundraising’s main message — We Care.

“If a cancer patient or someone stands in front of that sign, they will look and it and think ‘wow a lot of people do care’.

“It’s a powerful message.”

Two years ago, Mal was diagnosed with bowel cancer, which fortunately was detected early, leading to an all-clear.

“I was at the gym and was involved in a month-long plank challenge, but during it my stomach became quite sore. I thought I might have cooked it. But I went to the doctor and had a blood test, which came back with cancer. Things moved on quite quickly and on January 19, 2022, I was in hospital having an operation. A growth was cut out. I was very lucky.”

Mal has been involved in spearfishing for 50 years and thought it was time he ran a national competition, but wanted to do something bigger and different.

“A lot of the times when we go to auction fish, we don’t get the crowds and we don’t make a lot of money. I didn’t want to do that.”