Compiled by CORANZ researchers
Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is copping severe criticism for a proposal that will allow commercial fishers to take juvenile undersized fish.
Critics say it shows the ministers heavy favouritism towards the commercial fishing industry.
Television Fishing personality Matt Watson is angry at a government proposal via the Fisheries Amendment Bill to allow commercial fishing boats to take under the minimum legal sized fish while recreational fishers must obey strict size limits while commercial fishermen can take undersized fish and sell them.
He described the proposals as “outrageous and crazy.”
It creates an unfair double standard where recreational fishers must still follow strict size limits while commercial vessels can keep and sell small fish.
the proposals are “skewed towards the big corporate fishers” and accuses Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones of favouring industry “friends”.
According to the “NZ Herald”, Minister Shane Jones has dismissed Watson’s criticisms, describing them as an “unhinged crusade against commercial fisheries”.
Legasea programmer manager Sam Woolford says it shows short-term thinking and will have massive ecological impacts, and eventually economic impacts.
“The seafood sector cannot take baby fish out of the environment that have not had a chance to spawn and expect there to be a fish population in the future. That’s just naïve.”
The commercial fishing industry in New Zealand is highly dominated by corporates, well over 80%, with a small number of corporate entities owning the vast majority of fishing rights managed under the Quota Management System (QMS).
A few large corporations hold the majority of the quota, often leasing it to smaller operators. The corporates are politically powerful making donations to any parties likely to be in government for which they expect favour.
Thew Fisheries Amendment Bill is just another example say critics.
Kill the Bill
Legasea on Facebook said the Bill proposes “a plethora of changes designed to help the fishing industry bulk-harvest more of our fish from our oceans for overseas markets. Not on our watch. Let’s Kill the Bill.”
“This is a step backwards. Legalising the landing and sale of juvenile fish puts additional pressure on fish stocks that many New Zealanders already feel are declining. On the other hand, recreational fishers will still have their usual minimum legal size limits, and we accept the regulations, so why haven’t a handful of commercial interests? It’s hard to see where that even begins to make sense.”
Legasea said minimum size limits have a purpose by giving fish an additional opportunity to reproduce before they’re taken.
“Take that away, and you’re reducing the number of fish entering the ecosystem in future years. It doesn’t take much to see where that leads.”
The intent of the Bill is to grow the value of the seafood sector exports. But catching juvenile fish doesn’t build a stronger fishery; it weakens it. Fewer mature fish means less spawning, and less spawning means fewer fish coming through.
Recreational Value
There’s also a broader economic picture that’s being overlooked said Legasea.
Recreational Value
There’s also a broader economic picture that’s being overlooked said Legasea.
Recreational fishing contributes around $1.7 billion to the New Zealand economy each year.
“If those fisheries decline, that impact is felt well beyond the water, right through coastal communities and local businesses.”
Legasea out forward steps individual anglers could take
– Write to your MP now and express your outrage.
– Share this with all your friends, family and fishing buddies.
– Make sure you’re signed up to LegaSea to stay up to date.
Footnote: CORANZ urges all anglers to also make submissions to the bill. But before that let your MP know your opposition.
MPs e mails can be found on The New Zealand Centre for Political Research (NZCPR) website. Google MP’s emails, NZCPR
It’s not possible to call Shane Jones a corrupt politician favouring his mates in the industry – not quite – but it is very close!
why not?
To any one with half an eye it is obvious. Look what he has done for fisheries in the past.
Well if not corrupt, a glaring conflict of interest in view of past political donations from big corporate cats and he also chaired the Māori-owned fishing corporation Sealord during which period the company was merged with Nippon Suisan Kaisha.
There is another angle that is being overlooked.
When commercial fishermen catch fish trawling, most are dead when landed.
So, to have to dump the undersized ones is a waste. It might be better to allow those to be kept … and counted as part of their quota. So they don’t have to keep fishing for as long.
Whereas, most undersized fish that recreational anglers catch are alive. So releasing them is more sensible.
The point being, it is a tragic waste to force commercial fishers to dump any undersized fish – when they are dead anyway.
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Perhaps fishing methods should be changed, larger mesh size or long lines.
The proposed bill is ecological and biological stupidity. Any good marine scientist will say this is bad. It will just hasten the demise of the coastal fisheries. I cannot even imagine what sort of advice the minister is getting. As a minister it is totally irresponsible.
This is insanity from Jones, and blatant corruption