Axmag july 2016

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JULY 2016

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FISH TODAY FOR TOMORROW Distributed New Zealand wide - PO Box 10580, Te Rapa, Hamilton 3240 - Phone 07 855 1833 - Email mail@fishingoutdoors.co.nz

Seafood industry in serious financial crisis

By Rhys Smith and Graham Carter

You can see clearly that the MPI fishery guy has got dark glasses on to avoid seeing the floating fish, yet he is close enough to hear the trawlers with his stick out ears, but simply chooses not to, while focusing on checking the rec fisher

You can see clearly that the MPI fishery guy has got dark glasses on to avoid seeing the floating fish, yet he is close enough to hear the trawlers with his stick out ears, but simply chooses not to, while focusing on checking the rec fisher.

A recent Westpac Bank study states that ‘the Fishing sector is experiencing falling employment, lack lustre longterm export revenue growth, and increasing challenges over the politically- charged issue of recreational versus commercial fishing rights,” it only accounts for a small share of workers and value added to New Zealand GDP. In this article we have copied excerpts from the Westpac study, which is fairly extensive and can be read in its entirety at the following link: - Industry–Insights-AquacultureFishing-and-Seafood-March-2016.

The study highlights some serious failings in the industry which depict the industry as a bad investment and the question has to be asked – do we need this failing industry?

Let’s take a close look at the industries statistics. The industry states that they are only fishing 10% of our seas

which means that they are putting a lot of pressure on that 10 per cent.

Can you imagine what would happen if we only caught the amount of fish to feed ourselves?

The export industry is without question the biggest problem, along with the ‘export double’ mandate.

In fact the industry catches 130000 ton of hoki, just for starts which is part of the 659,552 tonnes of seafood harvested from New Zealand’s waters each year. This includes mussels and other shellfish (total 17%) but the more you add onto this, the less value the finfish has!

A breakdown of the sea food is: 10% are inshore species; 12% are pelagic; 15% are from aquaculture and almost 63% of this harvest is mid and deep-water fish.

Leading the sales value are Rock lobster (crayfish), Greenshell Mussels, Hoki and Squid, followed by: Salmon, Paua, Tuna, Ling, Jack Mackerel and Orange Roughy. No mention of the inshore species like Snapper, John Dory, Terakihi, Kahawai and King Fish.

We can say that the damage to the inshore fishery on a whole is not worth it.

The value for hoki is pathetic and the only way that they can make it profitable is to catch hundreds of tons.

How does this affect the species that feed on hoki? What would happen if we left the hoki in the ocean for the tuna and other predatory species?

We suspect that the commercial fishers are dumping as much as 50% just because the boats are so big.

More than 90% of New Zealand’s seabed is untouched by trawlers, while 30% is protected by law from trawling.

Aquaculture is one of the world’s fastest growing food-producing sectors already producing nearly of the world’s seafood harvest. What this means that if you break down the value of the NZ Seafood Industry in 2015 then according to their own statistics the fin fish industry is only valued at half the 1.7 billion value, with Hoki and Orange Roughy accounting for most of the other half, so this means that the rest around the coastline is unnecessary.

And the Hoki quota has been reduced through overfishing and they probably throw away 50% - tons as discard.

The study says that the industry employ 7,200 full-time equivalent work-

ers across New Zealand in 2014, and generated $786 million in value added, contrary to the Fishing Industry which states it employs over 23000 workers. Ed: Someone is telling porkies!

The Fishing, Aquaculture and Seafood sector accounts for just 0.3% of all direct value added in the New Zealand economy, but it plays a far more important role in merchandise export receipts.

Weaker exports and increasing automation since that time have seen significant job losses especially in processing. Fishing employment has fallen from 2,000 to 1,800. This trend is expected to continue for several years even if exports hold up.

Seafood export growth has been relatively weak over the last 13 years compared to growth in other New Zealand exports and world seafood exports.

The vast bulk of New Zealand finfish is commoditized – it is sold frozen or filleted as “whitefish”. Individual processors in New Zealand typically conduct their own promotion and marketing programme in international markets. This fragmented approach has reduced New Zealand’s ability to extract a premium for sea-

food products, and to introduce new species to the international market.

Almost universally, industry sources expressed concern over the growing impact of recreational fishing and its associated political strength, and over proposals for recreational fishing reserves that could erode the property rights of quota owners.

Just to put things in perspective, New Zealand has approximately 900,000 recreational fishers; 420,000 power & sail boats; and the commercial industry employs 7,200 seafood sector workers; with $1.52 bn exports in 2015 against the recreational value to the economy of $1.7bn.

As the demands for fish grow from recreational fishing, the share of the TAC set aside for commercial fishing is likely to shrink. This reduces the value of the quota for that fish stock all else held equal.

But the biggest concern was the proposed Marine Protected Areas Act, which would allow for the creation of recreational fishing reserves in areas where commercial fishers hold quotas.

Current proposals for recreational fishing reserves include both the Hauraki Gulf and the Marlborough

Sounds. Although the government has discussed compensation, the details are yet to be finalized.

Commercial fishers are worried about the potential erosion of property rights and the financial viability of commercial fishing in areas in which recreational fishing reserves are established (including “inconvenience costs” of skirting reserves and so on).

The impact on deep-sea fishing would be more limited than the impact on inshore fishing, meaning some seafood businesses would be affected more than others.

In addition to concerns about the erosion of property rights, industry sources suggested a number of other potential impacts.

For instance, the large number of recreational fishers cannot be monitored to the same extent, and they shouldn’t be. There are strict quotas and monitoring of commercial fishing through the failed observer programme, and increased backing for cameras on vessels and the like to ensure commercial fishers comply with the rules, because they catch and discard the bulk of the fish.

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But far less monitoring occurs among the 900,000 recreational fishers or the 420,000 power and sail boats that may be used for recreational fishing in any given year, and this is the way it should remain.

At a broader level, some have questioned what will happen to the price of seafood retail in New Zealand if commercial fishing loses out to recreational fishing. New Zealand is largely a pricetaker in an open world seafood market. It is unlikely the impacts of higher operating costs or reduced quota value for commercial fishers will be passed on to New Zealand consumers to any great extent.

However some commercial have threatened to boycott local trade.

But the argument for more recreational fishing can also be made strongly. The key argument in favour of recreational fishing is that the economic benefit that recreational fishing generates (per fish or kilogram of fish) is many times higher than that of commercial fishing.

Recreational fishers spend far more per kilogram of fish caught than commercial fishers, whether through purchasing their own vessel, or chartering someone else’s.

But recreational fishers continue to grow in number, and are willing to spend a whole day catching

a handful of fish, imposing the additional opportunity cost of whatever else they could do with that time.

These facts imply that the value to recreational fishers of the fish they catch, which are perhaps just a symbol of a day spent relaxing, are far higher than the protein value of fish caught by commercial fishers and sold in the supermarket.

The argument concludes that therefore, faced with the choice of one more fish caught recreationally versus one caught commercially, recreational fishing would win out.

Where the balance lies between an appropriate level of commercial and recreational fishing is hard to tell.

The argument on the value recreational fishers manifestly place on the right to fish is hard to rebutt although there are clear concerns over the erosion of commercial fisher property rights and a number of other sustainability, cost-sharing and equity questions to tackle as well.

Because of the deemed value penalty applied to some by-catch species, fishers were strongly incentivized to dispose of by-catch at sea.

While this would be illegal, and some businesses were installing cameras on vessels to show that they did not do this, some industry sources felt the QMS did not incentivize fishers correctly in some instances.

The large number of fisheries across species and geography make it all but impossible for scientists involved in TAC and TACC setting to be fully aware of the state of a particular fishery between major reviews. This may lead to less accurate TACC setting.

Three major challenges on the labour front have emerged and are likely to continue to worsen over the years ahead. First, the average age of fishing boat staff is rising. Fewer young people are interested in a career that in some cases has been the family business for generations. This means as fishers get older in what is a physically demanding job, it will be more difficult to replace them.

Second, processors in some parts of the country find it hard to find factoryfloor workers. At the same time that many businesses are consolidating and automating processing operations (evidenced by the 30% decline in employment since 2002), many still find it difficult to source labour for processing. Larger urban centres, in particular, struggled to find factory-floor workers who faced the prospect of a nine-month work season in a physically difficult working environment.

Source: Westpac - David Norman - Industry Economist - Reference: Industry–Insights-AquacultureFishing-and-Seafood-March-2016

and I think the pictures say at all I will never look at mullet in the same scornful way again it was amazing, and made beautiful eating.

The secret is they must be super fresh happy smoking

We rowed out on the perfect morning to set the net.

My daughter’s rowed, with my friend Ian sitting in the back of the dinghy, out to his favourite spot which was located only 10m from the shore.

We left the net for the turn of the

tide and about three hours into it we heard splashing coming from the area where we’d set the net.

Standing on the river bank we could easily see some mullet starting to go into the net.

We rowed back out and retrieved the net. On coming ashore we set about prepared the fish, cleaning them, then sprinkling with sea salt and brown sugar evenly across the fish.

We then placed a sprinkle of manuka chips across the bottom of the smoker.

We put the filleting fish into Ian’s home-made smoker which he had made from a gas station pie warmer

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Smoked mullet on the Waikato

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Pulling out all the PR stops Seafood NZ has swung into full denial and is attacking statements made by recreational advocacy groups as they continue to deny what former commercial fishers have said and reiterated for years, that the commercial fishing industry is corrupt and that everything they refuse to admit to is true.

The time has come for the industry to have a complete cleanout from the top down.

They know full well what the truth is but having told themselves for many years that overfishing and discard is acceptable they actually believe it.

Something definitely smells pretty fishy in the MPI and seafood industry.

All the top management that have been lying and covering up the occurrences in the Commercial seafood industry nationwide wide theft should be forced to resign.

The fact that their despicable practices were caught on camera and hidden by the MPI in the TV3 News release adds salt to their wounds as they are now scraping to an all-time low and involving their kids (to cover for them) as the dismally attempt to cry foul.

The footage is available in full to the Ministry for Primary Industries’ fisheries section for monitoring of compliance with the Fisheries Act and Quota Management System, but they refuse to put the video in the public arena.

Angry fishers are promoting on Social Media that the New Zealand STEAL FOOD Industry Conference is at Te Papa on 31st August and it is a perfect opportunity to hand out pages of the IOF report to guests and members of the public.

Some commercial fishers have declared that they will shoot and kill every last dolphin so they can get the current restricted areas back, while DoC and the MPI sit back laughing their heads off.

This gives an indication of the level of anger and frustration fishers share as the MPI appear to be solely focused on allowing commercial vessels to do as they please while prosecuting recreational offenders.

Meanwhile the call to release the ‘hidden tapes’ goes unanswered, so they can be vindicated and public confidence restored, as this was not just another dumping incident, its blatant stealing of fish and selling it.

There has been blatant theft, observed while knowingly being watched.

Commercial fishermen claim it is still going on and speak of night unloading of whole catches unobserved.

There are many unanswered questions: - People want to know where the money went. That is the money from landed undeclared catch in excess of quota observed in report.

- Was tax paid on profits?

- How much of this goes on?

- If it was undeclared was tax paid on it?

- If it was declared then why didn’t Company accountants notice catch in excess of quota?

Who audits them?

- Why isn’t the IRD investigating?

Is it because of who directors are and their links to National Party?

- Why would any big business stop the practice that can earn do much money?

The exports are only part of it and GST is not payable on exports but tax is payable on profits.

Meanwhile the dumping continues. None of the commercial vessels are tied up at the wharf while the enquiry goes on.

The value of the high quality catch on the export market now means most of the commercial catch goes overseas.

Because exports are not taxed for GST, the NZ public gets very little benefit from the commercial fishery.

The Seafood Industry has itself to blame. In the report they talk of cases where vessels have two different catch effort and landing return books. If they are inspected at the dock they produce book B, otherwise the book they normally use to count catch against quota is book A and the catch is not recorded. These types of infringements are hard to detect especially when the fishing boat and the licensed fish receiver are one and the same.

Stealing and selling for cash these days are mostly small groups of commercial fishers, fishing for crays, diving for paua and rod and reel fisherman selling surplus.

Hypocrisy at its best The Australasian Reporting Awards (ARA), have given an award to Sanford’s that were clearly mentioned in the MPI Reports for endorsing the project, and shows again the corruption within the NZ Seafood Industry and makes an absolute mockery of this company and the Australasian Reporting Awards.

The full MPI Reports specifically mention this fishing company and commercial fishing boats as culprits in the high grading and discard of perfectly good eating fish which were caught on camera. Then bringing in raw fish and under declaring fish landed. in the discard and overfishing etc.

The MPI knew about this and deliberately chose not to prosecute these acts of fraud, theft and wastage.

An internal enquiry has been ordered but this level of crime requires a ROYAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY. The fishing company won three special awards for sustainability and integrated reporting at the 2016 Australasian Reporting Awards (ARA)!

CEO Volker Kuntzsch said he was very proud of the Sanford team.

“We have been rewarded for our efforts in creating more transparency in the seafood industry.”

“The awards recognize that the fishing company is committed to sustainability across all areas of our business, sustainability is the foundation of our industry.”

The lessons of Brexit – was not just a massive wake-up call for the British establishment and the high-placed bureaucracy, but to democracies everywhere.

The people who pay the taxes and face some of the greatest competition for jobs, working conditions and a decent economic and social future simply are not going to go on being ignored or treated as invisible.

They are sick and tired of soStory continued page 4...

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called experts fobbing them off with promises and pixie dust.

The Remain campaign experts employed fear and predictions, most of which related to the wellbeing of the few against the interests of the many. They had all the money, and the advantage of political and occupational incumbency.

Our government is recklessly refusing to prepare the country for difficult and dangerous times, the NZ government is in serious denial.

The UK seafood sector will be particularly affected by the vote, although it’s far too soon to speculate whether or not it will benefit in the long-term.

In the run-up to the referendum, U.K. Fisheries Minister George Eu-

Coromandel Fish & Dive Report Well the shortest day has been and gone yet again, roll on summer.

First of all a big congratulations from us to the local Volunteer Fire Service for their great effort in the Sky Tower Stair Climb (over $1M raised for the Leukaemia & Blood Centre NZ ), there as a bit of a battle going on between two of them that ended in a draw, well done guys.

Fishing around the Gulf seems to be going well with Snapper still around but they could be moving to the deeper water so try at the 20 meter mark, using small baits and small

soft baits may work if you are finding them hard to find. Plenty of Kahawai and Kingies around, and the mussel farms are still fishing well, just remember to be considerate and don’t hinder the barges if they are working.

The Crays are still there but watch for the females coming into berry it is illegal to take them and they are vital to the future stock of the area.

With the Scallop season only 10 weeks away it is time to check your dive tanks to make sure they are all up to date, any with red tags will expire by the end of the year and will need a

Coromandel Winter Fishing For those anglers wanting to get amongst some serious fishing through the winter month Coromandel Fishing Charters are offering trips out into the Hauraki Gulf.

All though there is a noticeable decrease in the numbers of kingfish in the winter months it is mainly the small to medium schools of pest rat kingfish.

On the positive side it leaves kingfish in much smaller schools of perhaps 2-3 fish but the fish that remain are generally over 15kg and there are more large trophy kingfish than at any other stage of the year with good populations of baitfish and snapper right throughout winter.

There’s no reason for the majority of kingfish to migrate to warmer water

especially the larger fish with more body mass that are better suited to deal with colder water temperatures, with trophy kingfish available 20-30kg models are not uncommon.

It’s a great time to target a trophy fish of a lifetime.

Salty Towers Bait and Tackle Shop on Tiki Road sell fresh Coromandel mussels.

You can guarantee that when you call into see Hank he will ask you where you’re going and offer some free advice on where to go to catch a feed and how to use the bait. Some places fish well in the morning or afternoon than others but he wants the fishos to get their share of the abundance of Hauraki Gulf snapper. It’s good for Coromandel and good for the fishos.

stice made no secret of his desire to see the country break from the bloc, the country would still target maximum sustainable yield (MSY), it would continue trying to end the practice of discarding fish.

The Operation Achilles and Hippocamp reports are available on the Fishing and Outdoors website.

Hydro Test $50 or a Visual $35, if you bring them in before the 31 August we will do a Hydro Test for $45 and a Visual for $30. If you are unsure just bring them and we will check them for you, or you can give us a call 07 8668797 with the latest date stamp on the tank and we can advise you.

I have a couple of new photos for our Photo board so please keep them coming in.

And remember when you come in to get your supplies we are always up for a fishing chat.

And as they say in the fishing world ‘Tight Lines” Gail & Des London Salty Towers offer a fish filleting service and for those who enjoy smoked fish this can be done and the bounty couriered when done or you can pick it up the next day, along with any bait and tackle supplies.

Coromandel Fishing Charters are taking bookings for small and medium sized groups to fill up each charter so if you have a couple of mates but are a few short of a boat load don’t worry just give Tom and call and he’ll help you out.

Coromandel Fishing Charters offer more than a fishing experience as there is a lot more to the Hauraki Gulf than people imagine.

To Book your Charter or Christmas function call Tom or Lorraine on 027 8668001, or email: corofishing@gmail.com

Arrogance sinks fishing industry The previous Minister of Fisheries gave an excellent reply to a commercial fisher trying to get out of having an observer on board his vessel, stating it was unnecessary and unsafe. The date was 2009 and the former minster was Jim Anderton.

“I made the decision that more observers were needed on board fishing vessels because research showed a very interesting detail. 100% of the of the bicatch of dolphin and birds came from the 4% of vessels that had observers, even though it is a statutory obligation to report all deaths, no boats without observers made any reports at all.”

He then went on to give good reasons why the commercial fishers should look after the resource.

“Even on a purely economic basis there is enormous potential damage to NZ interests, if we are not seen by other countries to be respecting our marine environment and living up to international obligations to protect our endangered species. Failure to take rea-

sonable steps to protect species would immediately result in drastic trade blocks to the vital industry sector.”

What we could say to the arrogance of the commercial fishers is, told you so!!

This is a time when the dolphin activists are hitting our world markets with serious derogatory comments about the last 55 Maui Dolphins. The thing is the commercial fishers and the politicians were warned. There have been so many warnings by scientists, activists, politicians, submissions, petitions, both national and internationally.

The total bloody minded search for more profit has effectively destroyed our clean green image forever.

This is going to cost the country far more than any fishery could ever have produced in 50 years. Basically the commercial fishers have had a green light from this national government and now they have hit a big red light.

Oh you know the type of moron that charges off when the traffic light turns green, only to stop and wait at the

next set of lights. But this is way more serious, I would say this will affect the price of both the wholesale fish price and the company share price.

The lack in confidence in the seafood industry will not see investors be it private or fund managers come running to the stock broker to invest.

The only question is - are those in the industry that are on the rich list with extraordinary wealth going to take a personal risk and put their hand in their own pocket. Maybe, but what I see is the fishing industry on a downward slide of desperate measures that will cost tens of millions of dollars that shareholders won’t take for long.

A real shame when all they had to do put a couple of Dolphin stickers on their boats and fish a little deeper. If the Maui do go extinct we Kiwis are going to have a lot of Hoki to eat, because the well-funded and well educated Dolphin SOS activists will never forget.

Making the inshore fishery viable

By Rhys Smith, Fisheries Consultant

The use of indiscriminate commercial fishing methods will always result in some amount of non-target or undersized catch.

This catch is known as bi catch and could include undersized quota species, non-quota species, or protected marine fish or mammal. These must be returned to the sea unharmed if possible.

The system known as the redeemable value in the QMS is designed to allow landing of all other quota species.

This system has not worked effectively since its conception in 1987.

MPI set the redeemable price for the fish and if that price is to low then the fish stock will be over fished.

If the price is set at or just below the small fish price ,that will encourage high grading as the fisher will land bigger fish at a higher price and pay the redeemable price at the wharf.

If the price is to high the fisher will target other species and discard the entire amount of fish

with the higher redeemable value.

This is at the heart of the offending by commercial fishers you will see in the video footage in the reports.

MPI are well aware of this but with a double the value of the export mandate by 2025 have purposely hidden the waste from the public.

There are only two possible solutions of note with amendments to this system: 1. Bulk harvesters should have a bulk at the wharf price set by govt. This would elevate the need for a redeemable system at all and there would be no possibility or need for the commercial fishers to high grade there catch for better financial returns.

2 The bulk harvesters should not be allowed to fish in a mixed fishery.

The bulk harvest method should be no closer in than the 12 nm inshore line and have a bulk harvest set price.

Looking forward as current trends go and the bleak future of the international fishery we must ensure that we do not follow the current

trend of over fishing and bi catch extinction of our marine species.

Therefore it is recommended that for NZ to have its best economic and social fishery the inshore fishery must be preserved for the local user industry of Local Trade fresh fish, Aquaculture, Recreational fishers, Customary fishers, Charter boats and Tourist industry.

Furthermore given the escalation of technology, cell phone cameras, social media and fishing newspapers and magazines the bulk harvest method is no longer socially acceptable by a large number of the fishing public.

This situation is only going to escalate to the point where overseas markets are affected and the economy as well as possibly the well-being and safety of the fisherman themselves.

If the Maui dolphins do go extinct it is likely that the well-funded well supported dolphin defenders of the world will see a dead dolphin sticker on every NZ Seafood product.

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In the beginning ...

By Steven Waerea

Dad made me put these back, something about size limits he said.

I took his word for it as he was my fishing hero. The wharf was not the only place we chased mullet, you could find them right up the local river’s.

One day my long time fishing buddy and I, found a creek not too far from home where we could pushbike to and slay the mullet population. Away out of harm’s way by ourselves, unattended by adults, we thought we were real men doing man things.

This creek today still has good sized mullet holding, people white bait there in the season.

Sometimes you’ll catch me today in my 30’s still fishing for mullet in a secret spot that I will not share here, remember I am a cunning fisherman with secret spots.

Dad liked his cars; we always would go for drives in the weekend’s or school holidays, tak-

edge. He didn’t even have a depth sounder; all he had for his favourite snapper spot out the back of Whale Island were land marks from a previous successful fishing trip.

My Dad taught me everything he knew as I grew older, my time on the water was to come. The very first fish I caught was a yellow eye mullet from the estuary over the hill from Whakatane in Opotiki.

This one fish cemented a love for all types of fishing, a love that still burns deep to this Steven with his first fish that planted the seed day, there is something in the water that draws me in, is it Born in Whakatane during 1984, the anticipation of the first they were the days when Dad bite or the scouting around and my brothers would catch yel- finding new ground, or the low fin tuna on the way out to thoughts of landing a big fish Whale Island in the old pugwash that legends are made off?

The youngest of four, I never got to This feeling of needexperience those magical moments ing to be near the ocean in our families fishing history, I only is still a mystery to me. saw photos that captured the oc- Line fishing has to be a casions, which my older brother’s personal favourite, nothhad the pleasure of experiencing. ing like a good old fight on the end of a stick.

Unfortunately in 1989 father accepted a work transfer, back home to his ancestors water’s, Hawke’s Bay. This was the beginning of a 28 year relationship for my own fish- Our launch…. sometimes used for overnight charter fishing ing adventures, today it is still home and where I still fish to this day. ing along our mullet fishing gear.

As soon as my father landed back in Dad always had a surfcaster on the bay he went down to the south board. At times we would drive as of Hawkes Bay to a little coastal far as Tauranga, my Uncle and Dad’s town called Waimarama, jumped friends from the early days still on a charter boat working from stayed in the Bay of Plenty region. there with his tuna lures in hand. Man o’ man, the fishing off the shoreWhen the time came to pull them out line around the Tauranga harbour has and put them out the back of the boat, to be world class compared to the the skipper said ‘hold up what you Hawkes Bay, with so many currents, trying to catch on those big things’. channels, wharves, rock’s, heaps of “Bloody fish,” he said. boat ramps, charter boats, and imBrother Jamie with his first kingfish The skipper replied: “they’re pressively large bait tackle suppliers. too big for here mate.”

My father to this day laughs at the Dad replied: “It’s what we state of fishing we have today in the use back in Whakatane.”

Hawkes Bay, when compared to the At this moment Dad realized that late 1980’s when kingfish over 20kg the fishing in the Bay hadn’t got the were the norm, or 30kg on a regular calibre of the Whakatane’s fishery. basis, snapper 20 plus pounds were By the end of the day the skipper asked as easy as catching herrings from a if he could have one of his many lures.

In the first year of being back in Hawkes Bay, Dad stopped working for what was known as the Post Office, known as Spark Telecommunications (Telecoms) today.

White Island He then bought a Four Square dairy which is a 7 day a week business; so he had no choice but to sell his pugwash The mullet we caught from the Napier to concentrate on business and family. wharves or rivers and creeks were reThrough these young tender years placed with kahawai, piper, trevally, the wharfs in Napier is where I can re- kingfish and a lot of small snapper. member taking to the local yellow eye This place was like a fishing paradise as mullet population most weekend’s. a kid. As Dad got busier with business Man did we catch some big buggers. we could only manage one or two trips to this magical place every year.

The trick was to cast out into the I often visit this magic location at channels where the big mullet times, but like my father I find myself Dad’s fishing buddy with a nice tuna lurked, instead of just dropping getting busier every year. When I do it over wharf edge. Sometimes if get a chance to get out for a fish, I still wharf, and no was berley needed, you were lucky enough you would remember to his words of wisdom. just some good old fashioned know land the odd good size trevally, Fish your feet first boy, Dad would alhow with a little bit of local knowl- with the occasional baby snapper. ways say when scouting new terrain.

Help Clean up our beaches Sometime a go a group of volunteers from Coromandel did a beach cleanup for their local Pre-School.

The amount of rubbish was really quite alarming.

Since that time these people have been slowly cleaning up the rubbish

that find its way to our foreshore.

This includes plastic/nylon/ mussel farm ropes and ties/ domestic rubbish or all types.

The volunteers have been great, but now the cost of these cleanups is getting out of control.

Help protect the Hauraki Gulf beaches

The Hauraki Gulf User Group is dedicated to cleaning up the beaches and looking after the environment.

YOUR DONATION WILL HELP

https://givealittle.co.nz/ cause/helpcleanupourbeaches PO Box 10580, Te Rapa, Hamilton 3240

The big items are expensive to pick up and dispose of. The reality of fuel costs for boats and vehicles as well as cost of disposal has now made an effective clean up impossible. So a lawyer has given his time and set up a charitable trust for us called The Hauraki Gulf Users Group.

It has taken almost two years to get to this point. The first order of business for the new trust is some funds for rubbish bags and fuel costs for volunteers.

This will keep the kids busy and off the play stations. Also it is hoped to get a prospectus printed and time on the road to gather corporate donations as the charity is fully tax deductible.

You can give to us through the Give a Little site, under the Environment section and they will send you a tax receipt.

The goal is to clean the beaches and water ways of the Hauraki Gulf and then educate the kids that it is kind of fun to spend a day at the beach and rather than leave rubbish behind you can go beach combing and take some home.

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5

NZ Seafood industry in denial The NZ Seafood industry is busy accusing the dolphin environmental activists of ‘economic sabotage’ yet they full well know that what the activists are saying is completely true.

On one hand you have all the CEO’s related to the fishing industry categorically denying there is anything wrong with the methods they use, and that the fish stocks are healthy.

You have industry leaders supporting the lies and deceit at national conference level which is quite alarming as their attempts to hide the truth are revealed in the recent MPI Achilles, Hippocamp and Overdue reports.

They state that they don’t catch dolphins and seals as bycatch while fishing for hoki etc., yet former commercial fisherman state the complete opposite and say that the boats can’t avoid catching the dolphin, turtles and seals as they pretty much catch themselves while chasing the captured fish and are a real nuisance.

Most have left the industry because they are disgusted with the wastage and by catch of dolphins and seals.

The industry hates them and while trying to avoid catching them know that it’s impossible: “Everytime you put a net down there’s a very real chance of catching a dolphin.”

“Looking at it from another perspective – who else is catching the dolphins – there numbers are dropping drastically – and the only way they can get caught is in a net. Gill nets are now banned and very few rec fishers use them in the dolphin areas so who else is likely to be catching the dolphin.

“Let’s face it there’s nothing the industry can do about catching the damn things, it’s their sea, they live there, so they’re going to getting caught – it’s as simple as that.”

“The only answer is to stop fishing where they live, but the industry won’t do that because the Cook Strait hoki area is easy and very

handy to fish which keeps costs down. The other hoki areas are further out and cost more to fish.”

The activist group NABU is bang on the money in their opposition to ban eating fish caught in dolphin inhabited areas, but the industry will never admit they catch them.

To save these endangered species from extinction is our moral responsibility for future generations.

It is nobler to save them before they disappear as extinction is forever, rather than the economic benefits which are just for profit and short sighted, which appears to be the focus of the fishing companies as they appear to have little or no conscience.

If you listen carefully to the PR put out by these companies and have a little knowledge of the industry it is very clear that they carefully avoid being specific and play with words that indicate they are fishing sustainably and looking after the inshore fishery, however we have 13 fishing areas under supervised management which clearly indicates that the areas have been overfished and are near collapse.

The Auckland University report is outdated however the point that many are missing is that the practice of discard and overfishing continues unabated.

And yes we agree that there are some good fisherman that are trying to change fishing methods but the industry won’t work with them as the changes are too radical and effective.

What will it take to have a government with the gonads to stop this before it is too late?

The government elect gave MPI a directive mandate to ‘double the export value’ of our fishery by 2030. The following is the cost of that policy.

When a seiner uses a method of harvest that allows for the death and waste of fish every time that method is used, they have the support and are sanctioned by David Turner Di-

rector of Fisheries Management, MPI. When a dolphin, turtle or penguin is caught and drowns in a net and dies, then the commercial fisher has the full backing of the MPI minister and the Conservation minister.

Recreational fishing is pretty much the only sport in NZ where the rules are set by the government.

The fishing methods must be changed and the current net system used by seiners and trawlers, where the 125 mm mesh size, purportedly designed to allow under size fish to escape at depth, closes when being towed making the mesh less than the legal size and thereby making it illegal.

The fishery must be protected for the NZ people from commercial exploitation, for its customary and recreational needs, all trawl/ seine and export fishers should be forced outside the twelve mile inshore chart limit as a minimum.

We all have a very important role to play in saving and protecting our world class fishery before it is too late.

Recreational fishers must be forced to change fishing practices ensuring that fish are handled properly, using correct hook size and that rubbish in minimalized.

The main political parties rely on large donations from the major companies so that they can run their political campaigns using main stream media to push their policies while the smaller parties struggle to get funding as they are kept from being a likely threat.

These larger companies expect favours in return and this is one if the issues with our fishing companies.

The government has allowed them to manipulate the law and the regulations have been written to benefit them. This has to change and the Quota Management System needs to be cancelled an a need tried and true method like the Canadian or Icelandic systems adopted.

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MPI Compliance – the chain of command George Clement dismissed as fabrication the latest catch reconstruction report by Dr Glenn Simmons. He says that Simmons ignored the audited data coming from the Ministry for Primary Industries and the National Institute for Water and Atmosphere, and has instead constructed a story from anecdotal evidence from anonymous sources. But the MPI internal reports show a different story and prove that Simmons is correct.

Dave Turner An internal enquiry has been orThe theft and corruption of our dered by the Director General, so it public resource involving the New will be interesting to see who within Zealand Commercial Fishing In- the MPI Compliance has to fall on dustry and the Ministry of Primary their sword or if it will be a whitewash!

Industries, is coming to a head. This level of crime requires a ROYOperations Achilles, Hippocamp AL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY. The and Overdue in conjunction with public have a very clear distrust for the Auckland University Catch the Ministry of Primary Industries Reconstruction Report reveal Fisheries Management staff as they how commercial fishing boats have blatantly lied, and covered have overfished the NZ fishery up commercial misdemeanors for and have been caught on cam- many years. Accepting the excuses era discarding, high grading and put forward when the commerthrowing away perfectly good cial discard has been discovered fish. Then bringing in raw fish and it is believed in some cases and under declaring fish landed. advising them what to do and say.

The MPI knew about this and If public faith is to be restored deliberately chose not to pros- in the MPI, the Governor Genecute these acts of fraud, theft, eral must enforce a FULL inquiry. overfishing and wastage. The MPI is led by a very popular, Then we have the CEO of Seafood high calibre, distinguished forNZ stating that the reports are mer senior military officer who untrue. “Seafood NZ’s position on gave service in the SAS and forthe report is that it is not credible mer ambassador to Australia. to claim the actual catch over 60 Most servicemen and former seryears is two to three times that re- vicemen know his name well ported to the United Nations Food and would struggle to believe and Agriculture Organization.” that he would know about the isCommercial fishers and the Fish- sues and do nothing or condone ing companies state categorically the actions of his staff. Would be that it’s all untrue and that they want his name and service refish sustainably and honestly. cord tarnished with these crimes?

So who is telling lies? Who has their heads buried in the sand?

The Auckland University Catch Reconstruction Report clearly identifies a long list of former commercial fishers that have stated and identified what boats and how they fish.

They have shared their experiences under various skippers and clearly stated what they are Scott Gallacher is the Depforced to do. Dolphins and seals uty Director-General Regare regularly caught and killed. ulation and Assurance.

Some of these fishers have been He is responsible for all of the beaten and their families threat- Ministry’s regulatory activities ened if they speak up, boats are and functions, including fisherlikely to get drilled, they have ies management. He previously been refused ACE, while the in- oversaw the Ministry’s strategy, dustry hides like cowards be- planning, and organizational perhind their claims that all is well. formance, so he must have been Seafood New Zealand Chairman aware of the Operational reports.

ing operations and the result. The operational reports are most likely to have been presented to them for either forwarding to senior management and possible prosecution.

Andrew Coleman, the Chief Operations Officer and is responsible for the delivery of surveillance, response management, compliance, intelligence, operational planning and national coordination. He has been in senior management since the merger with the Ministry of Fisheries, where he had been the acting Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive for Operations. Coleman must have been completely aware of the Operation Achilles, Hippocamp and Overdue reports and could well have been the man responsible for the cover-ups.

Who within the senior management is responsible for referring these matters to the Crown Law for prosecution? As head of compliance and operations Coleman must have been involved or at least known about the operations, and possibly the scale of theft and discard! Was he responsible for burying the reports?

Steve Halley Both Dave Turner, Director Fisheries Management and Steve Halley, Inshore Fisheries Manager must have been fully aware of the pend-

The big question that we have asked is who commissioned the operations, how much did the operations cost; and what budget did the funds come from?

This will be the person that will likely be used as the scapegoat.

So are the methods Commercial Fishers use the reason our fish stocks are down or should we be pointing the finger at MPI Senior management for allowing the practices to go on unabated.

Trawling and seining has been banned from the Hauraki Gulf for many years and the fishing has never been better, despite recreational pressure increasing and being heavier than anywhere else in NZ. Compare this to inshore areas like the Bay of Plenty and the Hawkes Bay where fish stocks are severely depleted. Trawlers and seiners operate in these areas unabated, so it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the common denominator.

The quota system clearly doesn’t work because if the Commercial Industry catch fish they don’t want they just throw them away, under the noses of the MPI senior management, messing up the food chain balance.

Cameras must be made compulsory on every fishing vessel above and below decks, to make them accountable for their actions.

But let’s not just blame the commercial fishers, the quota holders and fishing companies must be also taken to task. They are the ones screwing the system and forcing the commercial fishers who do the work to cheat the system.

These are the worst of the worst as they sit in their ivory towers dictating what species they want.

Then we have MPI Compliance turning a blind eye. Heads have to roll for public confidence to be restored in the rotten from the inside government agency.

You can read the full Achilles, Hippocamp and Overdue reports online at: http://www.fishingoutdoors.org/mpi-and-commercial-fishing-info.html

1080 Poison Film Screens at Culture Festival A New Zealand documentary has been selected to play at the international film festival Culture Unplugged. The festival shares and plays films from USA,

Indonesia, India, and New Zealand.

The documentary - New Zealand Streams - The Fight to keep them 1080 Poison-free (revised 2015) - was

filmed on the West Coast of the South Island, and presents dairy and beef farmers voicing their concerns over the poison baits dropped directly into the streams that feed their farms, and the potential impact the poison drops have on their industries. Mayor Maureen Pugh (now an MP for the National Government) tells how the communities can taste the green dusts “and they claim it has an effect on them immediately”.

Locals were arrested while protesting the aerial poison drop, which covered over 90,000 hectares, and which are now a regular occurrence

across New Zealand’s forests and streams. The film and will play for 24 hours from Wednesday, June 22, 12:00 pm – Thursday, June 23, 11:59 am (NZST), at its first screening.

The documentary can be viewed by clicking on this link http://www. cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/play/53644/ New-Zealand-Streams---TheFight-to-keep-them-1080-Poisonfree--revised-2015- or by visiting http://www.cultureunplugged. com/ and searching New Zealand Streams - The Fight to keep them 1080 Poison-free (revised 2015)

MPI Spinning lies

By Rhys Smith

The Minister for Primary Industry Nathan Guy released a very carefully choreographed media statement, which on the face of it, is fantastic news for recreational fishers.

So let’s take a closer look.

First we have the NZ crest and the minister in big bold letters that tell us this is official.

The headline in bold tells us that there will be 100% camera coverage in the snapper 1 fleet.

That is basically a lie because the next line tells you in fact it is only the Trawl fleet.

When Mr Guy tells us that snapper 1 is valuable fishery, he must mean its dollar or export value because there is no mention of recreational or customary fishers.

He then tells us that more than 55 other vessels will be tracked. So he does not know exactly how many commercial fishing boats there really are in the Snapper one area.

How many more than 55 boats, 10 more or 100, that’s up to us to guess.

Mr Guy wants us to have confidence in his management; well he’s not off to a very good start with this statement.

Then we find out that the new big brother camera watch is voluntary.

That makes me laugh it is so ridiculous, all the trawlers have to do is not participate when it suits them.

That’s called editing; you know the thing that Holly-

wood does when they make a fictional movie believable.

Then the new wonder net with a new name gets a mention.

The PSH Tiaki net is only just a trawl net that drags the bottom with diamond mesh on each side that closes up just like all the other trawlers.

The only difference is the cod end will bring up the fish alive. This net will catch more fish in the inshore fishery for the sashimi market.

The launch last some months ago saw the commercial fishing big wigs celebrate the new wonder net with a slap up feed of, John Dory, King Fish, Snapper all shallow water recreational fish.

To sum up really what does this media release mean for the recreational and customary fisher?

Nothing at all this is just a bid for good PR spin from Nathan Guy trying to make up for his catastrophic blunder when he put the recreational day limit down in Snapper 1, in his effort to give his commercial fishing mates who financially support the national party more fish.

Well here is something for the minister to put in his social license pipe and smoke.

You blew it.

You upset so many people that it will never be socially acceptable for any trawl type vessel of whatever new name you call it to fish in the inshore area.

Video technology on SNA1 Fishery Once again the MPI spin doctors are hard at work in a vain attempt to dissuade fishers from believing the spin they put out.

If the cameras used on the boats recently caught dumping and discarding huge amounts of unwanted catch were ignored how the dickens do the MPI expect us to believe their claptrap that the MPI is honestly committed to providing the most effective and value for public money solution for fisheries management and compliance.

Trident (MPI part-owned) was successful in the open tender for the installation of cameras on the Snapper 1 trawl fleet. If this is not a conflict of interest then surely the MPI must believe most fishers are stupid.

The Snapper 1 installation is providing us with the ability to trial new video technology and improve the system on a small number of fishing vessels ahead of the full roll out of the IEMRS programme across the entire commercial fleet. MPI has full access to the footage obtained in the trial and will review footage to ensure compliance.

In the Snapper 1 trial, cameras are placed on vessels on a voluntary basis. Under the IEMRS programme, cameras and other technology will be compulsory.

In relation to the trial, there are

rigorous standards in place to test the electronic monitoring including MPI independent observers on some vessels operating alongside the cameras, says Halley.

Sadly the truth is that the observer programme hasn’t worked as observers fear for their lives and are bought off and forced to turn a blind eye to occurrences on the boats.

The results of the trial will be subject to expert scientific review as part of a programme of a technology development programme.

A decision on who will deliver the technology for the wider IEMRS programme has yet to be decided, says Steve Halley, Manager Inshore Fisheries.

This will be based on an open tender process. Combined with new legislation and increased observer coverage it will provide a state of the art fisheries management system.

Regardless of what organisation wins this open tender it will still be administered exclusively

by MPI staff. That includes reviewing footage and undertaking resulting compliance work.

Again as the MPI have ignored footage this programme is likely to be a complete waste of time, as MPI cannot be trusted to prosecute commercial offenders.

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MPI turned their back on rec fishers Sounds snapper increase a con job

This is how New Zealand Commercial Fisherman Catch Orange Roughy, a slow growing fish that lives up to 130 years, that doesn’t start to breed until 20 to 30 years old.

May and June were really sad months.

We found out that the people who are responsible for; and that are supposed to have our future fishery at heart, the MPI are in cahoots with the commercial fishing industry, and have no interest in the recreational fishers or the wild fishery.

To the extent that the Commercial fishers are responsible for installing the camera systems on their own vessels being shareholders in the company, Trident.

The sole focus for MPI is their ‘export double’ mandate to be attained by 2025; and it appears that in order to fulfil this they are deliberately conspiring to let any and all commercial offending off the hook.

This stupid and ridiculous ‘export double’ policy should never have been applied to the wild fishery of New Zealand.

If the MPI Managers had any form practical fishing experience they would know that the only way of achieving the ‘double value of the fishery’ would be to double the level of discard and only bring in the high value fish.

How do you do that? They simply dump all of the ‘low value’ species? For example if they are targeting 25-30 cm snapper all the smaller and larger fish caught are discarded as they have no value to the fishing companies.

We have had commercial fishers with years of experience that tell us they were told by the fish processors that smaller or larger less value fish would not be accepted.

One company we know, tells us that their fishing contractors to do this, but if they get caught they will not fish for them again.

What is required is a complete revamp of the failed Quota Management System. The complete disregard that the commercial fishing industry treat the wild fishery is evidence that the system doesn’t work with the evidence depicted in the ‘Achilles, Overdue and Hippocamp’ reports to back this up, this should be sufficient for a ministerial enquiry to force the MPI to change to a better system like that used by the Canadians or Icelanders.

Their fisheries were treated with similar disdain as the NZ commercial fishers do to ours, their fisheries collapsed and they had to take drastic action.

MPI really have shown the recreational fishers nothing but contempt.

They tried to put the SNA1 snapper day catch down to 3, so they could raise the commercial fisher’s quota.

They still want to do this but it would be political suicide to do so. It is obvious that the MPI and Commercial Fishing Companies view the fish recreational fishers catch as wasted export profit.

Discussions with a gentleman crayfisher from down south a bit, who was really angry that the recreational fishers had too many pots out, in an area where he fishes. Yet at that time the commercial take for that area was 350 ton as opposed to the recreational allowance of 40 ton.

He was reminded about all the crayfishers who used there com-

mercial craypots to catch more crayfish on cash only recreational targeted fishing charters to give to their clients. This is after they had caught there 350 ton. He was called a ‘greedy prick’ and he threated legal action.

This brings up the crayfish poachers that were prosecuted for taking about 750 crays over a 12 month time frame. Not sure of all the details, but these guys were supplying local trade restaurants and tourist outlets, bars and things like that.

How many did the commercial crayfish guys sell on local trade? A member of a crayfishing group, said that it was 8 ton and that’s for the whole NZ local market, from a NZ TACC of 2700 ton exported. The reason was they get more money selling overseas. So put in simple terms, the NZ Joe average public are held to ransom. Few have the ability to purchase the higher priced crayfish because of a shortage of local supply, and we wonder why we have a lucrative black market? Go figure.

Equally if the supply of crayfish goes down this will create demand for the lucky few in the right place at the right time, and more black market.

So along comes our black marketer who sees an opportunity to catch fish for local trade, is that so bad?

This goes for scallops, paua and other shell fish. So who do we point the finger at – yes the Quota holders who are following the MPI’s ‘double export’ mandate that allows this practice to carry on. It’s all starting to sound like a big cozy arrangement the MPI and commercial fishers to the detriment of local supply.

The commercial fishers and the MPI have clearly turned their back on their own people in favour of the export dollar.

But the thing is they can if they want to. They have legal ownership of the fish and so a total monopoly over both supply and price.

In fact there appears to be nothing in the legislation that says they have to supply local trade at all.

They could go on strike and essentially run us out of supermarket fish. There is nothing we as recreational fishers could do about it. This is because our right to sell or trade our day catch has been taken away. The reason this has occurred was to protect the commercial fisher’s local trade income.

The day limit is our recreational control measure to stop over fishing.

Then let’s look at our supermarket chains. The wastage of perfectly edible fish is shocking as

we see tons of fish dumped just so they can keep the prices up.

A recent Native Affairs documentary on Maori TV, showed wasteful dumping practices involving a supermarket chain that happens on a daily basis, whilst some quality eating fish is sent for processing into fertilizer and fish food.

Why can’t we do what we want with our legally caught day catch?

Surely once we have caught our day limit we should be able to do what we want with them?

We have already complied with fish size, amount and in some cases the method as required. Are MPI now going to tell us how or what time we are allowed to eat our fish as well?

So with this in mind have another look at this fantastic cartoon. All the waste from all those trawlers, yet the MPI guy is happy to catch the recreation guy with a few extra paua.

We don’t condone any recreational person catching over there limit, but like the cartoon MPI seem happy to watch thousands of tonnes of fish, be discarded by commercial exporters, caught on their own cameras, while celebrating through their PR machine, to name and shame a recreational fisher for a few extra kgs of shellfish. This seems extremely hypocritical of both the MPI and commercial fishers.

When the bulk harvesters get caught on camera dumping tonnes of fish and not reporting, or misreporting catch, the MPI go to great lengths to cover the fishers identity or the skipper and boat.

Don’t put the commercial quota down just kick the bulk trawlers outside the 12 nautical mile inshore chart line and let us feed ourselves.

The Inquiry into the commercial dumping and mis-reporting, which was caught on the MPI’s cameras as a result of the MPI operations ‘Hippocamp’ and ‘Achilles’ shows the lengths they go to aid and abet commercial wastage and discard. If the TV media had not got hold of the Operational reports the general public would never have known of this conspiracy between the MPI and commercial fishing.

This just goes to show the extraordinary lengths the industry will go to protect their image rather than change the methods used and that includes the marketing campaign currently running in our NZ school system where they are brainwashing our children into believing that commercial practices are sustainable as the kids have no option but to listen.

The reports highlighted some shocking practices which were filmed right under the noses of MPI observers and yet the report’s recommendations were covered up. And this is the government agency tasked to ensure our fishery is kept sustainable.

The parameters of the enquiry have been kept so narrow, that the investigating QC cannot look outside of the report’s findings, and there must be a full Ministerial Enquiry into the allegiance between the MPI and commercial fishing industry and any agreements and prior overlooking of serious offending.

The commercial fishers have the ability to manipulate the Fisheries Act under the terms of accidental loss or safety needs to pretty much do whatever they like, and we believe that whenever they have been caught dumping fish, they simply play this hand, which the MPI condone and lets them get away with it.

A proposed recreational snapper catch increase by the MPI in the Top of the South (which could increase from 90 tonnes to 250 tonnes), is nothing more than a con job.

Unless the daily recreational catch limit changes it’s just a ledger entry for the MPI bookkeepers and this proposal is just about increasing the commercial catch and pull the wool over recreational fishers who don’t see what they’ve doing.

The MPI have instigated a proposal to increase snapper catch in the Top of the South with the proposed the total allowable commercial catch to be increased from 200 to 250 tonnes. The recreational catch in the area would be increased by 160 tonnes from 90 tonnes to 250 tonnes.

This is not actually an increase to recreational fishers at all it’s a total con job. The only way you can increase a catch for rec fishers is by increasing the daily limit. The proposal does not suggest an increase in recreational daily bag limits.

The only group to benefit is the commercial fishers who will catch more fish.

However there are still significant environmental factors, such as run-off from industries on the land and temperature change, which need addressing which are causing snapper not to venture further in.

The forty dollar question is whether the commercial can be trusted not to overfish and discard in the area.

A discussion document said there would be a tailored management plan that could attempt to assess the Marlborough Sounds snapper fishery, which was not experiencing the same catch trends as Golden Bay or Tasman Bay, and the proposed increase would not be putting the rebuild of the fishery at risk.

Only 7 per cent of commercial snapper catch came from the Marlborough Sounds area.

Current regulations said there was a recreational daily bag limit of 10 snapper per person in zone 7, but only three in the Marlborough Sounds area. This primarily came about because of the extremely bad commercial fishing practices, and commercial fishing should be totally banned from fishing in the Sounds area.

Long-time Marlborough recreational fisher Tony Orman said anyone who went fishing could catch blue cod, but snapper required skill to capture.

“The figures government tosses around about tonnages caught by recreational are greatly exaggerated,” he said.

Consequently recreational fishing did not have such an impact on the snapper population, Tony Orman said.

In the 1990s government unjustly

slashed Marlborough Sounds snapper recreational bag limits from 10 to 3 but with no corresponding reduction in commercial. Tasman and Golden Bays bag limits remained at 10.

“Management should be fairly shared. In the 1990s the commercial quota should have been cut by two-thirds to match the recreational reduction. Fat chance they’d do that.”

Now was time for the current review to at least partly address that justice.

Tony Orman said there should be consistency and current thinking seemed to favour a 6 fish recreational bag limit across the Nelson-Marlborough areas.

“In addition from reports there needs to be better controls over long-lining in Tasman Bay by both commercial and recreational.”

A stock assessment showed the biomass in the overall area had increased rapidly since 2012, however if commercial fishing are allowed to continue along the same track without change the Sounds snapper stock is likely to be wiped out by commercial again.

“Recreational harvest is predicted to have tripled between the last estimate and the upcoming fishing year,” the paper said.

Submissions on the document close on July 11.

Fisheries issues more wide-ranging than thought Following on from last week, we have now discovered that the depth of issues needing to be addressed within the fishing industry is far greater and more wideranging than we first imagined.

New Zealand First is calling for a Commission of Inquiry into the whole of Fisheries management – from the Quota Management System (QMS) itself to how quota is

allocated and traded, right through to the degree of foreign involvement in quota-holding companies, and what resourcing is available to both MPI and the Navy to enable them to carry out effective monitoring and enforcement of fisheries laws and regulations.

The QMS was world-leading when it was first introduced thirty years ago, but it has not moved with the

times, and the way it operates now is actually causing some of the wasteful and illegal fishing practices being observed in the EEZ. The fishery is one of New Zealand’s most valuable assets, and it needs to be managed in a way that is both sustainable and fair to all users, as well as returning the maximum possible benefit to this country’s economy.

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Being dumped at a landfill after being caught

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Letters to editor Canterbury Trout Rivers going Dry after Liquid Heist

by Dick Featherstone

Canterbury’s trout and salmon rivers are having millions of litres of water “stolen” by big farming ventures, mainly corporate dairying. The Christchurchbased “The Press” newspaper featured a front page headline on June 20, “Rivers Run Dry After Liquid Heist”. In the article it was revealed that there were few fines, no prosecutions and with the vast majority not punished at all.

The exact volume of “thieved water” was not known as 500 “large-scale users” were not measuring their takes despite national requirements to do so.

Andi Cockcroft, co-chairman Council of Outdoor Recreation Associations (CORANZ) expressed shock and anger.

“Yes millions of litres of water have been taken illegally but significant was the 500 odd offenders were large scale users, presumably the mega-farm dairying corporates?”

In charge of monitoring water was government’s politically appointed Environment Canterbury (ECan). Government led by Environment Minister Nick Smith, sacked the democratically elected ECan and replaced it with a a “puppet council;” as critics termed it.

CORANZ’s Andi Cockcroft said elsewhere in NZ abatement notices were taken very seriously but in Canterbury irrigators “ignore them with impunity” as the newspaper article described.

Tony Orman a past co-chairman of CORANZ said the Key government takeover of ECan in its happening was shameful and a snub to democracy. But its performance had been woeful. He said he knew personally Kiwi family farm dairy farmers who hated corporate dairying.

“Don’t generally blame farmers. Family Kiwi farms and corporate dairying are in the main like chalk and cheese,” he said.

Andi Cockcroft said government’s takeover of ECan seemed to favour the “dollar-demented” corporates and accelerate water takes, legal or illegal.

He described government’s seizure of a democratically elected ECan council as a heist in itself.

“Undemocratic, failed and irresponsible,” he said.

Sadly the victim had been the public interest, its environment and rivers and associated recreation.

“The Selwyn and other dry rivers are stark, silent reminders of greed and government shortsightedness,” he said.

“The Press” article cited one MacKenzie basin dairy farmer who was caught taking excessive water, three successive years. Only a warning was issued.

“It’s the proverbial slap with a wet bus ticket,” said Tony Orman.

Impact Report NZ Fishing Industry Dear Sir The last month of media coverage regarding the cover ups and dishonesty

of the MPI along with the commercial fishers has had an international negative effect too our countries credibility.

Dolphin defenders from many countries are now firmly entrenched on the moral high ground.

The unreported deaths of two Hector’s Dolphin have had high profile media coverage.

Of concern was the ease in which the Dolphin defenders were able to reach audiences of millions.

The Dolphin defenders are now targeting all NZ seafood including our aquaculture industries.

They have many scholars of note sympathetic to their cause, to the point where our credibility in now being discussed in many of the world’s great lecture halls to our detriment.

There is likely to be a significant loss of sales to Australia.

I have seen evidence of the red sticker campaign being placed on road side restaurant menus, as well as cars on patterns themselves.

The sticker reads NZ Seafood Kills Dolphin. These stickers are cheap and can be air freighted anywhere in the world.

There has been a clear focus change to the strategy of the Dolphin defenders, from saving the Dolphin, (that has achieved nothing more than a critically endangered species) to the destruction of the NZ seafood market and reputation itself.

The commercial fishery denied any Dolphin of any kind were present during Hoki catches and told the public and McDonalds so.

The Dolphin defenders have footage of the Dolphin, NZ Fur Seal, and Birds in on and swimming beside the commercial boats while hauling Hoki in the Cook Strait inshore ​Hoki fishery.

John West/Thai Union Group is in financial crisis of its own as a 4% drop in its profit companywide has been squarely blamed on the loss of volume of its canned Tuna.

This has come about because of the Green Peace and NGO have successfully campaigned against it to the point where Tesco and Waitrose have threatened to remove its entire product from its shelves. Tesco accounts for ⅓ of all the UK market. Aside from the loss of trade the company is already having volume of supply problems, as they try to please the environmentalists and pole caught Tuna. Without the aid of a FAD to keep the Tuna in one place, while you are trying to pole catch them they simply have the ability to swim away. Next year will be the crunch time for this company, as where its shares in its subsidiary companies will settle is anybody’s guess.

I would expect that if the commercial fishers continue down the path of a public relations campaign to fix their broken image, rather than focus on the issues of waste

and dishonesty in the industry, many of their large and lucrative markets will go to the more eco-friendly competitors.

Rhys Smith Independent Fishery consultant

Apology to Waikato Regional Council Dear Chair, Paula Southgate.

You have determined that I must apologize to Waikato Regional Council, and that the complainant Cr L Livingston requires the apology to be made public. You have determined that I must acknowledge that I will visit Democracy Services for guidance, which I acknowledge.

You have also stated that I was acting in a personal capacity when requesting information from district councils and councilors - of which I disagree.

Here is my apology.

I am sorry for sending an email to all district mayors and councilors - with regard to the pending 35 year 1080 poison resource consent application jointly submitted by the Department of Conservation, TBFree, and Waikato Regional Council - and identifying that the district councils hadn’t been consulted when the applicants stated in their application that they had.

I am sorry that when consultation is undertaken by the contractors and poisoning agencies with landowners, prior to every aerial 1080 poison drop, that it is inaccurate and misleading.

I am sorry that 1080 poison, one of the most deadly poisons on Earth, and without antidote, is dropped directly into most, if not all waterways when aerial operations are undertaken in the Waikato Region.

I am sorry that there is enough poison dropped across every acre of land and water to kill over 40 small children. Tens of thousands of acres are poisoned every year.

I am sorry that our Council voted against notifying our communities appropriately, when 1080 poison is dropped directly into the water they draw for their personal, and their animals’ needs.

I am sorry that the Council commissioned Draft Mitchell Report, and the eight recommendations - including the one that stated 1080 poison should be kept out of waterways - was passed by ICM staff, back to the agencies the Report was critiquing, so that the eight recommendations could be diluted and reduced, without the councillors on the working group knowing the Draft Report existed.

I am sorry that poisoned animals are left in the forests where they can poison other wildlife, and that poisoned carcasses are also left in waterways to decompose, and in some cases cause large spikes in E Coli residues in the month following the aerial discharges.

I am sorry that our Council permits the distribution from air, of a very cruel and inhumane poison, which kills 1000’s of animals and birds every year, and I am sorry that families every year have their pets poisoned as a result of the 1080 poison drops.

I am sorry that the majority of research that is referenced to justify the aerial drops is of such poor scientific quality that independent, international peer review is avoided.

However, my apology is not to Waikato Regional Council, but to the people of the Waikato Region. It is our Council that issues the resource consents that permit these atrocities to take place on a weekly basis. For that I am sorry.

Clyde Graf – Councillor - Disclaimer – These are my personal comments, not necessarily that of Council.

Government’s “Double Whammy” to Public over Pollution A national trout fishing advocacy organisation has condemned the National Government’s budget announcement of money to remedy polluted rivers as “double dipping” into the public purse. In the recent 2016 budget, $100M was allocated for the Freshwater Improvement Fund.

But NZ Federation of Freshwater Anglers (NZFFA) President David Haynes of Nelson said this was tantamount

Visit us on www.facebook/Fishingandoutdoorsnewspaper to the taxpaying public having to front up on multiple occasions to bail out polluters who were not held responsible. “The $100M is on top of other tax funded clean-up ideas such as the 2011 Fresh Start for Freshwater Fund of $265M and the 2014 commitment of $100M to retire farmland adjacent to rivers.”

The bitter irony of these succession of payments is that such funds were a direct result of the $900M tax payer funded subsidies for irrigation for intensive farming operations” such as corporate dairying in low rainfall regions.

“So the poor old tax payer pays twice - once to help create pollution and then again to try to clean it up. This is a cynical use of public money to subsidise uneconomic land use, and unsustainable agricultural practices.”

Mr Haynes said the NZFFA wanted a clear “polluter-pays” principle and an end to the “externalising the costs” of polluting on to the tax payer.

“Continuing to publicly fund irrigation, such as the recent $7.5M subsidy for Central Plains Water Schemes, and then asking both the taxpaying and ratepaying public to pay again to fix the pollution such intensification schemes produce doesn’t just fail to address the cause, it subsidises and encourages it. “It is like asking the starving to pay for a fat cat’s lunch” said David Haynes.

David Haynes, President. NZFFA

Seafood industry in financial doldrums Dear Sir If you believe all the hype of the export fishers you could think wow lets invest in that industry.

Their industry websites paint a rosy picture for the media, ecologists, potential investors and shareholders, contrary to the Westpac Bank study recently released in which we could not find any good news that they speak of.

The industry is spouting 26000 jobs, yet we see in the study that in 2014 only 7,200 full time employees were employed in the industry.

In 14 years there has been a 26% drop in employment in the industry. We see the contribution to the NZ GDP peaked in 2003 and has fallen 16% since then.

They have promoted to their shareholders no doubt the high export return in 2015 but in reality they still have not recovered to the 2002/2003 level.

Add to this that the study has indicated the industry is in need of some really big ticket items worth many millions or tens of millions to stay afloat.

This will please the shareholders, at a time when the recreational/ commercial fight is in full force with no indication of slowing down.

There is a very real threat of their property rights being eroded, with the proposed creation of the recreational fishing reserves.

At the current rate of exposure on commercial misdemeanors, and their attitude of complete denial when caught, the recreational fishers should take back the inshore fishery from commercial within the next 6 years, even if piece by piece.

The commercial fishers simply do not have either the credibility or the numbers to hold off the recreational fisher’s sustained attack.

Yes the commercial fishing quota holders do own the fishery, but this is no longer acceptable to the recreational fishers, as they believe that their fishery has been taken away and should not have been given outright to the commercial fishers in the first place.

With the exposure of the MPI cover ups the international Dolphin defenders are about to launch a multimillion and multi-country campaign against the NZ seafood brand itself.

This is a standard and an expected practice when something as nasty as these unreported cover ups are uncovered.

Unfortunately this will be against all NZ seafood products including the sustainable aquaculture industry.

It is no wonder the activists take such a rigid stance against the Seafood Industry especially with the recent exposure of the MPI cover-ups to the commercial discard and overfishing practices that were caught on video.

Add to this the fact that the finfish side of the industry is basing its hopes on deep water low value, low quality fish which they sell to outlets like MacDonald’s, who will sell you a fil-

let of fish burger, which makes the fish worth less than the bun itself.

Hopefully when the industry collapses, we will get the inshore fishery back to the way it should be, locals catching local supply and the aquaculture industry growing the seafood we export.

By Rhys Smith Thames

Taxpaying Public -not Polluters - Footing Bill for Pollution

by Dick Featherstone

A national trout fishing advocacy organization says Government’s budget announcement of money to remedy polluted rivers is “double dipping” with taxpaying public paying the cost. In the recent 2016 budget, $100M was allocated for the Freshwater Improvement Fund. However NZ Federation of Freshwater Anglers (NZFFA) President David Haynes of Nelson said the taxpaying public would be bailing out polluters who should be paying. The public was paying more than once too he added.

“The $100M is on top of other tax funded clean-up ideas such as the 2011 Fresh Start for Freshwater Fund of $265M and the 2014 commitment of $100M to retire farmland adjacent to rivers.”

The succession of payments was in effect, repairing damage caused by the $900M tax payer funded subsidies for irrigation for intensive farming operations such as corporate dairying in low rainfall regions.

“So the poor old tax payer pays twice - once with irrigation subsidies to help create pollution and then again to try to clean it up. This is a cynical use of public money to subsidize uneconomic land use, and unsustainable agricultural practices.”

David Haynes said the NZFFA wanted a clear “polluter-pays” principle and an end to the “externalizing the costs” of polluting on to the tax payer.

“Continuing to publicly fund irrigation, such as the recent $7.5M subsidy for Central Plains Water Schemes, and then asking both the taxpaying and ratepaying public to pay again to fix the pollution such intensification schemes produce doesn’t just fail to address the cause, it subsidizes and encourages it.

“It is like asking the starving to pay for a fat cat’s lunch” said David Haynes.

Tongariro River concerns Dear Sir

Thank you for pointing out what in my opinion has been the single greatest detriment to the Tongariro River; the reduced flows.

Historically the river’s claim to fame, apart from the size of the fish, was as a southern hemisphere surrogate for the (medium) large freestone steelhead rivers of the pacific northwest and the salmon rivers of the north Atlantic.

Where one had the landlocked equivalent of an anadromous run into a river with large, and especially, wide pools demanding long casts to cover the lies.

One needs no more than a superficial acquaintance with north American “spey” blogs to divine their enrapture and evangelism over “swinging” flies, and even allowing for their mode of expression, I think that is quite true.

When fishing for running trout (or salmon) nothing beats a hook up wide out on the swing. The wider the better.

To a large extent that’s all gone now on the Tongariro. Particularly the lower river; where once there was a reasonably long cast toward the far bank now just roll casting out the head puts your fly in the opposite vegetation.

Accompanying that is, I believe, a marked reduction in holding water or lies for running fish.

If one takes the time to trawl through the advocates reports etc. there is a lot of interesting material.

Mention is made of NIWA and Cawthron opinions that reduced flows have benefited the river. It seems to me that that is based solely on argument as to the capacity of the main river to produce/sustain juvenile stock (which is also contentious and ignores tributary streams) and fails to consider availability of holding water for running fish and the method of their pursuit.

Your material on the Elwha experience is encouraging. The Olympic Peninsula has some association with NZ. I think Doug Rose (The Colour of Winter) references the NZ term “quinnat” salmon as deriving from chinook stock

obtained from the Quinault River.

And when one reads about Syd Glasso using lead based paint to try and create a more dense/faster shooting head there are similarities to early 70’s Tongariro anglers with nothing much more than wet cell II. As a fellow “true believer” “keeping the faith” your recent post has spurred me to look at buying Genesis Energy shares with its opportunity, to scramble the metaphor somewhat, to be “inside the tent and pissing in it”.

Cheers AB, Hobart Letter to editor from Australia – it is with much concern that we see our tourism industry being affected by disgruntled fishing tourists with such concerns.

What’s going on with the Tongariro River Dear Sir Having recently travelled to fish the Tongariro several times over recent weeks there appears to be something seriously wrong with the fishery.

A DoC ranger when questioned told me that I couldn’t fish when asking for my licence and when I pointed out that I had been fishing the river for 45 years he scoffed and told me that the river changed when it flooded, which affected lies etc.

So I thought maybe he’s right.

However when talking to other anglers they felt the same way, with small skinny fish being the norm and to catch one over 3lbs was irregular.

In fact the fishing was so bad we had a competition amongst ourselves to catch a single fish over 40cms.

Are other anglers feeling the same.

We caught a total of twelve horrible scrawny trout between the three of us, that we let go as none were worth keeping.

The motels seem to be having a hard time of it, as well.

Even some of the guides I spoke to were wary when discussing the quality of fish as this was their livelihood, but you could see that they were concerned.

The tackle shops in Turangi were also complaining of the lack of fisher for this time of the year and sales were tight down.

Then you have the idiots in the Power Scheme – why oh why do they regularly flood the river on weekends. It seems that they are hell bent on destroying the economy of the town.

With little to no rain in the foothills above Turangi you have to question their motives.

It certainly is not worthwhile travelling for three hours to reach a destination to have the weekends fishing destroyed by ignorant bureaucrats.

DoC need to give us some answers as we are unlikely to be back.

Bruce Smith New Plymouth Ed: We contacted Genesis Energy who declined to comment.

Letter to Editor Kaweka 1080 Drop

Recently I came across minutes of the Hawkes Bay Fish and Game which told of a planned aerial 1080 poison drop for June/July in the Kawekas for Tb control.

An EPRO rep admitted possum populations were low and that all Puketitiri farms were TBFree. So why do it?

The same officer (Ian Roberts) said it was to stop possums increasing.

That is inaccurate. Anyone with a knowledge of the bush, knows possums are very slow breeders, mostly one ‘joey’ a year.

So what is the reason? To kill sika deer perhaps? Sika deer are no problem.

So where is the Hawkes Bay deerstalkers association? Where is the much vaunted Game Council which seems a toothless tiger, wedded by statute to the Minister of Conservation and DOC. Anyone who pays taxes and any farmer who pays levies to TBFreeNZ should wake up this is a rorte on the public purse. In addition 1080 is a broad spectrum poison. Originally an insecticide it kills any living creature that ingests it - an ecosystem poison.

I phoned the Game Council about it and was told recreational hunters are represented on it by the national president of NZ Deerstalkers Association. I politely told him the NZDA national president does not represent me. Judging by comments by others to me about the passive nature of NZDA and its inability to speak out

View the newspaper online at www.fishingoutdoors.org – and advertise online with us as an advocate for game management and an end to destructive 1080 drops, I would wager most hunters would not regard the president of NZDA to be representing them.

Meanwhile DOC and TBFree NZ between them are aerially topdressing with an ecosystem poison, vast areas of public lands. This land belongs to you and me and our children and grandchildren.

1080 is known to kill birds, scientifi-

cally proven. So if DOC and TBFreeNZ are knowingly killing native birds, they are breaking the wildlife laws. Oh for some wealthy citizen who might take DOC and TBFreeNZ to court! Gareth Morgan would be well advised to forget cats and misguided ‘flat earth’ causes like “Predator free NZ” and take up the case to end 1080. In that way he would actually save native birds.

As for Hawkes Bay Fish and Game, what did they think of the planned Kaweka

1080 drop? I note sitting on the Fish and Game Council were prominent hunters (one a producer of a very good TV hunting programme and others with Ngamatea station interests).

Isn’t it time the silent majority of hunters stopped sitting on their hands and rose up in serious protest?

Laurie Collins Convenor Sporting Hunters Outdoor Trust

Proposed Kaweka Forest Park 1080 Drops Approximately 60 concerned people travelled to Puketitiri to attend the proposed 1080 consultation meetings held by Ospri and TBFree NZ, optimistically wanting to contribute to the night but were subjected to nothing less than an autocratic presentation covering the proposed drop.

The attendees were a mix of local farmers, park users including DOC concession holders who are concerned about their livelihoods being affected.

Tough was the attitude from OSPRI/ TBFreeNZ staff who stated that all the fuss will all blow away in time and you can go back to normal.

Clearly OSPRI/TBFreeNZ, through Matt Hall appeared to have no feelings for the community interaction, dismissing all concerns of concession holders.

OSPRI/TBFreeNZ made no offer to underwrite purported business loss’s and indicated that no matter what was said or suggested by attendees on the night, the drop will go ahead.

That was the consultation. A disgusting attitude from an organisation funded by the government via MPI and government enforced levies placed upon stock owners (farmers).

This meeting was a very poor PR exercise and it will not be forgotten.

OSPRI/TBFreeNZ threatened to leave the meeting when a concession holder arrived with a film unit, to film the proceedings, which clearly indicates they have they got something to hide?

Attendees attempted to discuss the issues that they had with the proposed 1080 drop over the East Kaweka Forest. They expected to hear some sound evidence that TP existed in the local Possum population and that there is a clear need to protect local cattle herds. They heard nothing to support the proposed drop, other than that OSPRI/TBFreeNZ had found a window of opportunity and there is a budget to be used to make a drop. Such scandalous waste of PUBLIC money must be questioned?

Hall said that OSPRI is committed to eliminate TB 100% from NZ within 10 years, (TB in humans came with the first settlers and will always be with us. Whilst they have committed themselves to the Government but why should the Forest and forest users suffer.

Dr Geoff Kerr and Garry Ottman, represented the Game Animal Council (GAC) and Stephen Shaw represented the National Executive of the NZDA. Clearly OSPRI has a different view on life and clearly the GAC have issues over how the process is being thrust through with little or no respect to protocol. The NZDA through Stephen Shaw pointed out that the process is in contravention of the 1080 Guidelines for aerial 1080 operations.

From the presentation put forward by Matt Hall there appeared to be no evidence and therefore no threat. Hall and his team had three hours confirm the current TB stats in Kaweka Possums and to confirm what herds bordering the forest have ever recorded TB or are in danger.

But nothing was presented to substantiate or justify the drop.

All Matt Hall could say with conviction was that the drop is going to happen.

When asked the rep stated that he was not aware of any Kiwi deaths. He must be of short memory or is not interested when we drew his attention to the large loss of kiwi. So what’s changed to prevent future deaths of the Kiwi and other native birds?

In others words we hear what you are saying but we do not care. This was reiterated several times throughout the night which started with visitors complaining about the process and refuting OSPRI’s comment that the public had failed to respond to their initial advice in December 2015 seeking a January response.

OSPRI appeared to not care why so few responses had been received from the 60 organisations supposedly written to.

OSPRI/TBFreeNZ were urged to review how they communicate with stakeholders and not to assume we are not interested because there was minimal response.

Gary Ottmann (GAC) really drove the point home and mentioned that it was felt the OSPRI were trying to push this through without public input.

One deer farmer said that he had not had TB for all the 24 years he had been farming, and testing for, TB. According to Matt Hall the 1080 Pellet break down is that once 100mm of rain had fallen after a drop, there was no poison left in the 1080 pellets - they could be eaten safely.

Clearly Matt Hall and his crew have not read the Materials Handling sheet published by Animal Control Products, where it sets out the physical and chemical properties form/colour/odour: 1080 pellets in have a cylindrical form, are dyed green and may have an odour of cinnamon, fruit flavouring or fish.

Solubility in Water (g/L) Pellets will eventually lose their form and disintegrate if immersed in water for several hours or more.

Decomposition Point (0C): The active ingredient 1080 decomposes at 200 degrees Celsius and becomes unstable at 110 degrees Celsius.

Note: Deer repellent does not mask the Cinnamon which deer are attracted to.

OSPRI are to be asked why they have not followed these guidelines. In this link http://www.epa.govt.nz/Publications/ERMA-1080-Guidelines.pdf” Deer in New Zealand are no longer listed as pests but as an asset. Sika Deer are a herd of significance (special interest) and the formation of the Sika Deer Foundation is well advanced.

Further the following link will be of interest to readers: “http:// www.epa.govt.nz/Publications/ ERMA-1080-Guidelines.pdf”

Weak Deerstalkers and Council Stance against 1080?

by Dick Featherstone

At the same time he criticized the “lack of science”

by DoC. He said statements by Environment Minister Nick Smith were based on assumptions and not facts or real science.

“This decision by Red deer -deer relent doesn’t work. It’s a big “sop.” the NZDA executive shows quite The NZ Deerstalkers Association and clearly that the NZDA and the Big Game Game Animal council have come in Council have capitulated completely for strong criticism over its compli- to Government and DoC control.” ant attitude to the Department of Ron Eddy was a member of both Conservation’s 1080 plans for the the North Canterbury and Nelson “Battle for the Birds” programme. Branches for many years. Having lived Contacted by “Fishing and Out- in the backcountry for many years, doors” several hunters, most with he witnessed damage by 1080 to naNZDA background, expressed a tive fauna, particularly birds, and the mixture of reactions such as “short- suffering to poisoned creatures by sighted” and bitter disappointment”. the inhumane slow killing poison.

Catalyst for the reactions was a let- “The 1080 industry is a gravy train for ter signed by national president Bill all involved. They survive on propaO’Leary and Game Animal Council ganda and bully boy tactics,” he said. member Geoff Kerr which was distrib- Ron Eddy said it was ironic that uted to NZDA branches and hunters. It NZDA in 1959, presented to Parliastated there was “limited opportunity ment an 80,004 signature petition for mitigation of the effects (of DoC- against 1080 - at the time the largproposed 1080 drops) on game ani- est petition in the country’s history. mals and hunters” and stated “mitiga- “The founding members of the tion” would be by use of deer repellent. NZDA will be turning over in their But hunters in and outside NZDA graves over this capitulation to DoC reacted and at times angrily. and the Government,” he added.

Ron Eddy of Nelson, long-time cam- A current NZDA member and forpaigner against 1080 and toxins in mer NZDA branch president who general, said he was “completely declined to be named, said like Ron against” the decision of NZDA execu- Eddy, he was concerned not only for tive to back DoC’s “Battle for the Birds” deer but other life, an oblique referand it’s associated aerial 1080 drops. ence to the NZDA letter that in deal-

ing with “mitigation of the (1080) effects” mentioned only “game animals.”

“It’s not just deer; it’s looking after the ecosystem in its entirety - birds included. Mother Nature left alone, balances things. Rats (kiore) have been here for 800 years, ship rats 200 years.”

He identified NZDA’s “awkward position” when it was ”naively sucked in” to the newly established Game Council, which by an act of Parliament was set up directly responsible to the Minister of Conservation and DoC. A former NZDA member Lloyd Hanson said he joined NZDA 50 years ago because of the fight that presidents such as Newton McConochie, John Henderson and Athol Hood put up over ”noxious animal” issues as well as 1080.

“I left NZDA some 35 years ago and quite honestly realize that I made the right decision considering NZDA’s dismal performance since and particularly now over Battle for the Birds.”

He said in his opinion, NZDA was currently not a true representative of New Zealand hunters with the latest attitude to “Battle for the Birds” 1080 drops.

Former Wairarapa NZDA member Paul O’Donoghue was also adamantly opposed to NZDA’s passive attitude.

“Honestly I despair, when I see that both NZDA and Game Council are both still actively supporting DoC - or at best only offering token resistance - to DoC’s campaign to continually poison NZ for over 40 years.”

He wrote to NZDA expressing “bitter disappointment with the NZDA’s submissive attitude to DoC’s continued campaign to poison our forests with 1080.” Paul O’Donoghue questioned why NZDA and Game Council trusted

Visit us on www.facebook/Fishingandoutdoorsnewspaper so-called DoC “scientific studies” and still believed that 1080 was a selective poison, which only killed “targeted pest species” of rats and possums.

“I’m strongly considering resigning from NZDA. As I see it, NZDA does nothing to defend wild deer in this country and is complicit in the wholesale slaughter of all wildlife in New Zealand, including all our native species of invertebrates, birds and probably freshwater native species such as eels and koura.”

“There is a reason why our forests are silent. It is because they are becoming devoid of wildlife in the name of “conservation”. So much for our “clean green” image abroad.”

Tony Orman, NZDA member since the late 1950’s, said he was saddened by the “soft” approach by NZDA. In the past, he always regarded NZDA as a strong public advocate for game management and wildlife values.

The NZDA letter said there was “limited opportunity for mitiga-

tion”. Mitigation could be achieved by strong advocacy and public presence - “standing up and being counted,” said. Tony Orman.

“The Minister for the Environment and DOC are public servants and therefore accountable. The ‘pest control industry’ is frankly one big gravy train with bought and paid for “science” trying to prop it up. It’s a waste of vast sums of public money as well as destroying the ecosystem.

No thinking taxpayer, hunter and/or conservationist should passively cave in to this insane agenda.”

Asked about the Game Council he said it was a virtual repeat of the 1980’s government-run Recreational Hunting Advisory committee, which was “hog-tied” to government, with the department selecting members who in turn were gagged from speaking out publicly.

“Like any government-run council or committee, it will be a toothless tiger and just a gum-

9

my old watch-dog,” he said.

He was critical of NZDA regarding deer repellent as a “mitigating factor.”

“Repellent is a sop. It doesn’t work.”

He said he had witnessed repellent used on a back country farm in Marlborough with the result being dead red and fallow deer and heavily hit bird life such as robins, tom-tits and falcons.

He said Landcare Research showed after 1080, surviving rats “mushroomed” in numbers to three to four times the original number within two years.

“In effect, Nick Smith and DOC are inadvertently farming and breeding fast-breeding predators, by disruption of the ecosystem’s food chain,” he said. “Worse still they’re doing it with taxpayer money.”

Besides stoats and ferrets remained virtually unscathed by 1080 drops.” he said. “Worse still they’re carrying out ecological chaos with taxpayer money.”

Taupo and Turangi 1080 meetings What a fiasco?

I just shook my head in disgust.

If Ospri and TBFree are the government agents responsible for the frontline organization of the 1080 drops around the country then it’s no wonder the general public are angry.

Attendance at the Turangi and Taupo meetings were poor, mainly because Ospri and TBFree had done a particularly pathetic attempt at advising the public that the events were to be held.

Was this a deliberate plan so that would have few attending the meetings? It appears so as excuse after excuse was forthcoming.

Those that did attend were mostly from word of mouth and vehemently angry that the guidelines for communicating potential 1080 drops were largely being ignored and not carried our properly by contractors.

The Ospri staff at the meetings appeared quite indifferent to answering questions, and it seemed quite

clearly that the right hand didn’t know what the left hand was doing.

“We admit we could do things a lot better” said Stu Hutchings as he made several attempts to answer questions put to him from the floor with an orchestrated manipulation of words which hedged around the question without any definitive answers.

The excuse that few had answered there emails and letters sent out advising of the meeting were met with a barrage of unanswered questions.

“We have a list of Presidents and landowners which we send emails and letters to,” was the reply. Nothing was mentioned whether they had followed up on land sales to new owners or the changing of committees in hunting groups.

The meeting showed a very poor attitude towards hunters and landowners, and indicated quite strongly that Ospri and TBFree have a plan to drop 1080 poison almost everywhere

and while their mandate is to communicate this to the public that’s where the consultation process stops.

They simply don’t appear to care what the public think.

Ospri staff gave the impression that they were on a mission to poison as much back country as possible before the government gets ousted at the next elections.

Questions from the floor regarding evidence which showed TB hadn’t been as prevalent as they state and that they were used very outdated information was chastised and flippantly dismissed.

The facts that evidence that TB was not as widespread as Ospri promulgate and that they were reading the science to suit their programme was ignored.

They gave a very clear message that their consultation process was severely lacking and did little to appease the angry audience as Ospri closed the meeting right on the dot of 7p.m., as they raced to clear the building.

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MSC kicks volunteer instructors ‘out of the park’ Our hugely valued and highly dedicated MSC Firearms Safety have given every volunteer firearms instructor throughout NZ a major kick in the ‘guts’ when hit between the eyes recently when MSC decided to put the final nail in their coffin.

Over recent years all the other MSC training avenues (i.e.: Outdoor 1st Aid, Navigation, Alpine, Bush skills) have been moved over to this ‘paid instructor’ regime as they did away with the vastly experienced and dedicated volunteer instructors in all those areas.

As for those courses now – they are all dead and buried within the MSC framework and now despite their endless promises that Firearms Safety training would not be touched or changed; this is what they have come up with.

Further to this coming out, the straight out lies and misleading information that has been circulated and provided by MSC Management under the leadership of Mike Daisley has been disgraceful.

They have even stooped so low as to use false information as they looked their instructors in the eye at the Roadshows to try and foster support for this debacle. In my mind, owning a firearm is a privilege not a right and it should be accompanied by honesty, integrity and respect. After all, aren’t these the core criteria that the Police require yet here is this umbrella organization in MSC doing the complete opposite.

Despite MSC saying that they have done the maths and that one of these options will work (most likely at their admission, the one with 5 full time staff for the

whole country) fine, nobody in their right mind could believe this.

Primarily the MSC reasons are that there is not enough consistent delivery of the current programmes and that the instructors haven’t been trained properly. Yet some of the instructors have more real time experience from Military Service and hands on hunting and shooting than most.

A very simple solution – MSC executives needs to get off their arses and do their job; which is to provide the service to these instructors as per the payment they receive from NZ Police. That payment is made to MSC, for them to provide and support volunteer instructors in the delivery of MSC Firearms Safety training to new firearms licence applicants.

It’s really easy here to see who

has failed – that’s the MSC executive and not the instructors yet their chosen remedy is to get rid of all the volunteer instructors!!!

In short….MSC (or at least the current executives) needs to be removed from this realm and be replaced by a creditable organization that can work with these extremely skilled and dedicated volunteers as we all continue to aim for reduced firearm related incidents and a positive future for our various sporting codes.

The current MSC Firearms Safety Programme has about 480 volunteers with significant hunting and shooting experience. They are based in 150 locations in New Zealand. MSC propose to significantly reduce the number of trainers and the number of locations.

The three models be-

Farming Leaders Have Responsibility for Public’s Rivers Farming organizations, self-interest irrigation lobbyists, plus the Minister of Primary Industries are being irresponsible towards the crisis of New Zealand’s depleted and degraded rivers and streams says a national trout fishing advocacy.

President of the NZ Federation of Freshwater Anglers David Haynes was reacting to a call by Irrigation NZ’s CEO Andrew Curtis over the experimental Hinds/Hekeao Managed Aquifer Recharge project that would deplete the Rangitata River.

He also referred to another call by Hawkes Bay Federated Farmers president Will Foley over the controversial Hawkes Bay Ruataniwha scheme for the Tukituki River in which Foley commented that since 196 unidentified farmers had signed up to the currently unapproved

scheme, that it was financially viable and must immediately proceed.

“The Hawkes Bay Federated Farmers call ignores that the only people so far identified as contributing to the dam’s costs are the public, i.e. taxpayers and ratepayers.”

David Haynes said the contribution the public would make was tantamount to a giant subsidy for private profit while the public’s river, already under severe environmental stress, would be sacrificed.

Federated Farmers claim that the Tukituki catchment area would “enjoy improved environmental outcomes” was that of a “cock-eyed optimist” contradicting all known science about the impact of dams.

David Haynes also singled out the Minister of Primary Industries Nathan Guy who said it was time

the public stopped blaming agriculture for the degraded state of rivers. “Why would the public illogically do that when it’s well documented that intensive agriculture is a major cause of degradation of the public’s waterways?”

He said it was time for government ministers to realize they were fundamentally public servants meant to be serving the general public interest of not only today’s generation but future generations.

“How will Messrs Curtis, Foley and Guy explain to their children and grandchildren that they were party to the degradation of rivers that now were unswimmable?”

All New Zealanders, town and country, from politicians to farmers needed to take collective responsibility to have a “land and water

ethic” to restore waterways. Many farmers were responsible and practiced a sense of stewardship but a significant number failed to do so.

Horizons Regional Council, covering southern Hawkes Bay, Manawatu, Rangitikei and other rural areas recently revealed that of 482 farms with Sustainable Land Use Plans, exactly half had done nothing to fulfil obligations or had made less than 20 percent of planned progress. The plans, designed to limit the effects of large-scale hill erosion and prevent silt run-off and deposition in rivers, were free to farmers, but cost council ratepayers between $12,0009 and $18,000 each to conduct but were voluntary.

David Haynes said the abdication of environmental responsibility by Federated Farmers was graphically illustrated by national Federated

ing considered are a. 40 part time paid instructors covering 50 locations, or b. 5 full time paid instructors covering 50 locations, or c. 15 Part time paid and 72 Volunteers covering 50 locations.

It seems likely that some Government Department wanting to con the public will be behind this, as it’s happened to lots of volunteer organisation’s like the Search & Rescue, Fire Service, Play Centres, Forest & Bird. It’s a typical modern Corporate style, Money first, Morals last management plan.

The old saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” seems to have been thrown out with the bath water. So often now we see things being changed that were working fine. Why, because some pen pushing desk jockey has to justify their position and create more paper work for the filing cabinet.

They then sit back, pat themselves on the back and say “didn’t we do a great job”.

Meanwhile the new system turns into an utter failure which no one is held accountable for.

Many people use firearms as a tool of the trade. The proposed reduction in firearms instructors and/or volunteers means that distances to travel to the nearest licensing centre will increase. There will also be less people available to do the educating, testing and related tasks, which means it is likely that it will take longer for these processes to happen.

MSC volunteers have been delivering the Firearms Safety Programme for the past 30 years and its success can be measured by the steady decline in the number of unintentional shooting incidents, better practical training and advice, and monitoring of the behaviour and safety standards of fellow shooters.

Farmers president William Rolleston who claimed on National Radio “we do actually have very clean rivers in New Zealand - there is no doubt.”

“Rolleston’s bizarre claim flew in the face of concerns by the Parliamentary commissioner for the Environment and all the published studies by independent scientists.

It’s apparent the deep concerns held by the public over degraded rivers, fails to even rate as an issue for NZ’s agribusiness spokesmen.”

David Haynes said the science underpinning the truly degraded state of the public’s waterways had been very clear for a long time, pinpointing that agricultural intensification particularly monocultures of mega-sized corporate dairy farms, was usually the major cause.

A ground-breaking report just published by the respected Cawthron Institute and NIWA proved conclusively that the over-allocation of water extracted for intensive

agriculture, was directly affecting the ecosystem of public rivers, including vital macro-invertebrate populations that were food sources for native fish and the public’s trout and salmon stocks.

“Denials about the deplorable state of many rivers both in quantity of flow and quality, by agri-business representatives is frustrating since it’s selfish, self-serving and short-sighted.”

David Haynes said fish health was tantamount to the “canary in the coal mine. “Not only are many lowland rivers rated as unfit for swimming but once favoured swimming and fishing rivers, were dry riverbeds, mute testimony to the degradation and at times total destruction. Anglers know because they’re out there, seeing diminished fish size and numbers, and essentially acting as environmental watchdogs for the public” he said.

Fish and Game in disaster mode!

At a recent Fish & Game meeting the National Fish and Game Chairman, Lindsay Lions, announced that he had received a letter from the Minister of Conservation ‘demanding’ that the Fish & Game Council immediately ban the use of lead shot in all shotgun gauges.

It seems like Maggie Barry is up to her old tricks!

It would appear that the Forest & Bird organization has almost complete control over DoC as it seems that this is where this ludicrous proposal has come from.

Rumours about a total ban on lead shot for duck shooting have been circulating for some time now, especially indicating that a prominent firearms retailer who appears to be the main anti-lead shot protagonist had approached DoC to get DoC to ban the use of lead shot, to the extent that they were bragging on social media of their success.

It would appear that their motive in gaining a ban, would be to sell to sell more 12 gauge semi’s!

Tony Reiger, a retired yank from Alaska, who has been here for 30 years and is not a duck shooter, also appears to be in on the act. It seems that he is becoming a self-appointed advisor to DoC and Fish and Game, suggesting that lead shot be completely banned as well, forgetting that many of our youth use the lighter gauge guns in their quest to become duckshooters.

Reiger’s rhetoric revolves around the complete banning of all major and sub gauges of lead shot, highlighting the fact that some countries have banned the use of lead sinkers, giving the usual 101 reasons but deliberately forgets the issues of the damage that steel shot has to waterways. In the USA conservationists have found that steel shot is the main cause of the fouling of many ponds and wet land areas.

It seems that Reiger has over looked this important research.

In total some 37 Countries have banned the use of lead shot in the hunting of water fowl.

In May 2014 the New Zealand Fish and Game Council in a vote 7:5 resolved to retain the status quo in regards to the exemption of lead shot for sub gauge shotguns with a review of the policy set for 2017.

In May 2015 the NZ Fish and Game Council committed a $55,000 spend in the 2016 year to research levels of heavy metal accumulation and ingested lead shot in New Zealand Mallards.

Reiger then suggests that to ban lead shot would save them from this spend.

New Zealand First policy is to restore the use of lead shot for waterfowl hunting in all gauges.

They are aware of the potential toxicity of lead but are not persuaded that the risk posed is as great as some commentators propose.

Lead doesn’t do you much good if you eat it either in the form of a salt or the metal. Elemental lead reacts with hydrochloric acid in the stomach forming lead chloride which is a cumulative carcinogen and neurological and reproductive toxin.

That said it takes a while to build up and neither the duck nor the person eating the duck is likely to suffer any acute effects. A duck that survives being shot and has pellets lodged is more likely to die from becoming an old duck than from the effects of the lead; and pellets in a

dead duck are unlikely to produce a level of PbCl2 that is dangerous to human health before it gets eaten.

Thus the risks associated with lead toxicity from shot are demonstrable but overstated.

They are also aware that steel itself presents some degree of environmental and biological risk, and we note that certain jurisdictions have moved back to lead from steel, because of concerns about the relative threats posed by shot of differing compositions. It is worthy of note that some manufacturers of steel shot include metals such as tin and antimony, which carry their own health risk factors.

New Zealand First is also concerned from an animal welfare standpoint that steel shot, being relatively harder and lighter than lead shot, does not kill as quickly or cleanly as lead, resulting in more game birds being wounded or suffering unnecessarily slow and painful deaths.

Fish and Game also plans to restrict magazine capacity, ban the use of motorized decoys, lower the limit bag and shorten the season. It very much sounds like they have finally woken up to the fact that mallard numbers have plummeted – they’ve only had six years to wake up!

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Venison Thugs There have been recent TV programmes praising the helicopter pilots and shooters and others of venison and live capture recovery.

They are painted as heroes. To me they are not. They were cowboys, thugs in that they broke laws and even sabotaged rival helicopters that might have resulted in crashes and lost lives. They burned hangars, they poached recreational areas and behaved like lawless thugs.

They did not care a stuff about the deer. They shot hinds that had new born fawns, resulting in the

fawn dying a slow, cruel death.

They shot trophy stags in velvet.

They were killers and knew no laws.

They had no conscience, no thought for private property or the welfare of animals.

And on the TV programme some said they would do it all again.

Pitiful, mad specimens of humanity.

So to TV producers, don’t dish this absolute nonsense up.

The Deer Wars weren’t a great era.

Those in the “industry” were not heroes or admirable daredevils.

Today there are still helicop-

ters that poach, slaughter every deer, tahr or chamois they see.

Let us not forget the bureaucrats in the Forest Service and since 1987, in DOC, who turned or still turn, a blind eye to the slaughter and illegalities.

In the 1980s,in the South Island, one Forest Service public servant, “bribed” chopper operators that he would bury poaching complaints, if they dropped every 5th deer they got onto his deer farm.

How do I know? A helicopter operator told me. The Forest Service officer was cunning in only approaching the helicopter operators singly. No witnesses!

Corrupt, shameful, sickening.

Herb Francis North Canterbury

Hunting the Grebe 1966-67

By Nigel Prickett

Airdrop at Clark Hut from De Havilland Dominie.

In summer 1966-7 Forest Service hunters were in Fiordland on a research project under animal ecologist the late Graeme Caughley. Before Christmas, the Grebe and tributaries Florence, Jaquiery and Fowler were hunted

by Alan Brown, Daryl Marshall, Jim Reed and Nigel Prickett.

We also hunted the Russet Burn to the west, which we knew as the ‘Isn’t Burn’, apparently from the old time cullers. The story I remember is that information available to them had only one catchment from the north into Lake Hauroko, not two, so that when they reached

per Cove track. At the same time the pre-Christmas Grebe party was in Wapiti country west of Lake Te Anau, which is another story.

When we arrived in the Grebe, Jim Kane had just started meat shooting from Clark Hut, taking the animals to Lake Monowai by horse and then down the lake. When a Forest Service airdrop rained down he packed it away and went out to find out what was going on. In the end we fitted in pretty well, mostly leaving the upper Grebe to him and his horses, and even got some animals for him. Like many hunters Jim later graduated to flying heli-

Clark Hut 1966.

the first on their way in they thought it was the Hauroko Burn, then found out it isn’t. One of the old cullers’ camps was a long way west on the Roa-Long Burn saddle.

Among visitors when we were in the Grebe were Caughley himself, also hunters Elwyn Green and Bill Allison,

the Jaquiery. The lean-to wood shed is a late addition. Information here is from the DoC website.

Our supplies were dropped in by a De Havilland Dominie bi-plane, flown I think by Bill Black. The drops were not without incident, as when a bundle of corrugated iron for the Florence tent camp chimney fell into a swamp and took two hours to dig out. There were two or three drops at Clark Hut, putting at least one dent in the roof.

Elwyn Green also tells a story of Jim Kane ‘… just getting the fire started to heat up a stew, he had been spotlighting all night and slept in. He heard a roar of the Dominie overhead, followed by two thumps of sacks landing outside. He staggered to the doorway only to meet another sack and parachute coming straight at him. He dived to one side as it came in the doorway knocking the camp oven off its hook and emptying the stew into the fire at the other end of the hut.’

In four summers in the mid-60s most of Caughley’s research shooters were university students, who could hardly believe their good fortune in being paid to hunt. What we

Alan Brown at the Florence tent camp

copters. He died in a crash in 1989.

Clark Hut is the last remaining split beech hut and one of two surviving cullers’ huts in Fiordland National Park. It was built in 1941 by shooters Archie Clark and Allan Cookson.

The timber was cut from surrounding bush, and corrugated iron,

did not know at the time was that in the Grebe we enjoyed something of the end of serious deer numbers before the arrival of helicopter hunting, especially out of the bush in the open country and clearings.

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Smith concedes rivers need clean-up The Government has finally conceded that our lakes and rivers are in dire straight and require a clean-up.

The government’s hand has been forced to ensure that all New Zealanders have access to swimmable water.

“We are currently consulting on new national rules on fencing to keep stock out of rivers and lakes and on tighter new standards, including swimmability, said Smith Environment Minister.

Consulting!! Smith could very easily come down on polluter’s overnight but he hasn’t got the gonads to stand up and be counted.

Smith is not seeing the problem, it’s the smaller drains and creeks where the stock are walking and the

Deercullers Reunion

This reunion is only open to NZ Deercullers Assn Members.

The group who are spearheading this reunion are: Andy Leigh, Brian Neilson, Fred Dickson, Jock Spinks and Shaun Neustroski. cooking gear, etc. brought in via Lake Monowai then carried to the site. The 12 ft 6 inch x 10 ft 6 inch hut has a beech sapling frame, split beech cladding, a wood floor on broadleaf piles, stone fireplace, corrugated iron roof and four beech pole bunks. The chimney is said to have been repaired with sheet metal from a Percival Proctor which crashed in 1947 at the mouth of

to give themselves the credit in a disjointed and failed PR campaign.

Smith is showing his incompetence by saying that many of our rivers and lakes have nutrient run-off cycles of many decades and says it will take a similar period for the clean-ups, to deliver the required improvements in river quality.

The Government also disagrees with a ban on new water storage and irrigation schemes, as they support farmers attempting to irrigate desert areas where there has always been a shortage of water and always will be.

It is wrong to claim that these schemes will not cause a decline in water quality and supply.

manga was closed down and left to private hunters and deer numbers started to climb again.

A few years later Wilf and I decided that the meat prices were 10c a pound and we could make a living by meat hunting in the same area.

The animals were not that big and I remember carrying a perfectly healthy six pointer stag one day and we were guessing the weight.

It turned out to be 60lb or 27kg. Not many deer at that time went much more than 100 to 120lb or 60kg.

Brian Neilson and Wilf Fuller at Blackberry’s Creek, Horomanga Block in the Te Urewera National Park With the coming of heliApril 1966. copters and high meat prices the deer numbers While looking through photos were not many good heads the other day I came across this shot although there were old dropped, body weights doubled one and got to thinking about bleached antlers, which were and heads have improved to a red deer heads in Te Ureweras good, in places like the Kurakura point where I know a couple of over the last 50 years that I have Clearing in the Waikare River. nice twelve pointers that came been familiar with the area. This seemed to show us that with from the same creek this year.

On a cold evening in April 1965 in animal numbers high the deer It will be interesting to watch the Horomanga Valley, my hunting were short of food and lacking over the next few years as animate Wild Fuller came into the hut size but with numbers knocked mal numbers are climbing rapjus after dark and after the usual down the food was more plenti- idly whether the size of the ‘jeez its cold out there’ told me he ful and deer were getting big- deer and antlers drop back to had shot a good stag in Black- ger and heads were improving. what they were in the sixties. berry’s Creek and would like to After years of shooting the Horotake a photo of it in the morning.

The next morning we headed View the newspaper online at www.fishingoutdoors.org and off from Midway Hut along with advertise online with us.

Brian Carson, our field officer who had arrived later that evening, and went about half an hour up the creek to where the stag was.

It was an eight pointer with a good spread and length, exceptional for the area in those years, and had been just up out of the creek on a bench, roaring.

Of the thousands of deer shot by government hunters there

9-12 March 2017

and ex-cullers working for the Park Board Jim Davis and the late Len McConnell (died April 2015). Our bases were Clark Hut in the upper Grebe and a tent camp in the Florence, put in by Elwyn, Mike Barnett and Andy Apse before we arrived.

In early 1967 Andy Leigh and Ken Tustin fly-camped several weeks near Lake Roe at the site of today’s hut on the Lake Hauroko to Sup-

negative attitude by many Councils that deliberately pump sewerage and dirty storm water into waterways. They give themselves consent to do this while targeting the public for minor misdemeanours.

IT’S NOT JUST THE FARMERS, MR SMITH. Smith has the audacity to claim nationals new rules will help while most rivers are still unswimmable, and getting worse and more polluted, we have trout not being able to spawn as rivers are sucked dry by irrigators and then the government are allowing companies to bottle water by the ton for export.

The government is undoubtedly to blame for New Zealand’s water quality issues yet they are trying

Reminiscing …..

at the Thames Valley Deerstalkers premises, Paeroa.

Nigel Prickett, Daryl Marshall, Alan Brown and Jim Reed at Clark Hut.

11

If anyone is able to assist or help out with anything at all during this time, or being prepared to put their hand up for other jobs as they come along.

Please email - ring Jock Spinks on 07 862 4883 or Brian Neilson 027 8910958 or brianneilson@xtra.co.nz

12

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Opinion

Minister Guy Forgets to Swim and Fish Need Clean Water

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Genesis not interested in public safety

- by Ken Sims

There has been a number of media statements recently, including one from Agricultural Minister Nathan Guy, suggesting that our rural waterways aren’t really as bad as they are being painted, and it really was time to stop blaming agriculture for what has happened to them.

Really? There was no mention of course, as to if or when the severe degradation of at least two thirds of our lowland waterways, that we know is primarily caused by agricultural

intensification, deforestation and poorly managed harvesting, might end, or even be better managed.

This myopic denial was typified by ‘Rural Advocate’ Jamie McFadden playing fast and loose with the facts in ‘A ground-level view of North Canterbury waterway health’ (June 11) and “Dairy Farmers doing their bit to protect rivers” (June 13).

For example he accuses anglers of spreading didymo in the Hurunui but factual reports at the time indicated didymo first occurred at a popular kayak launching site. Similarly when didymo was first identified in NZ (from a still unidentified source), bio-security authorities and government did nothing to halt a jet boat marathon at the time involving a number of South Island rivers. And does he really think that Fish & Game, whose job it is to facilitate fishing opportunities, would close a winter fishery without real justification? Or is he just flying a kite?

As an ‘environmental consultant’ Mc-

See AD Below The perfect kiwi setting by Mark Aldridge who was participating in the NZMTG casting context at Matata using his ‘baitcannon’ to fire his fishing line out further.

Fadden would know full well that voluntarily building stock bridges and fencing off riparian strips on larger waterways are only a small part of the solution. Total watershed management is the key. Decades of topdressing super-phosphate have resulted in impaired soil structure and leaching. In some regions, pine forests reduce natural water run-off, induce acidification, with a 25 year cycle of clear felling causing siltation.

McFadden cites the Hurunui. Has he recently looked at the Selwyn River for example? Now often dry, it was once a beloved trout dry fly stream for the likes of Canterbury’s doyen of fly fishers the late George Ferris.

The National Government seized control of the democratically elected ECan to facilitate a monoculture of mega corporate dairying development with associated accelerated irrigation. Dairying in low rainfall areas with porous soil structures like Canterbury and the MacKenzie Basin is environmental lunacy.

Just how completely out of touch farming organizations are with the New Zealand public has just been reinforced by the recent publication of the latest KPMG Agribusiness Agenda.

Despite the fact the public rates the quality of their water as New Zealand’s number one environmental issue; the agribusiness community does not accord it a priority at all. How is that for ‘listening to your customers’?

Salmon, trout and native fish all need water to live in. And the public need their rivers full and clean enough to not poison their companion animals, to recreate in, and for kids to safely swim in.

Turangi is one of those rural inland towns that rely on tourism for its income. The town is world famous for its trout fishery, namely the mighty Tongariro river system, which anglers from around the world flock too in an attempt to catch the elusive rainbow and brown trout that live there year around.

Of the tourist activities available in Turangi most centre around the Tongariro River and include river rafting, fly fishing, visit to the Trout Centre, the river trail, Ruapehu mountain, or fishing on Lake Taupo. Genesis Energy also control access to the Poutu Power Station which when constructed was to be used as a tourism venture for Turangi, yet they choose not to allow visitors which could bring millions of dollars to the town.

Turangi already has the operating infrastructure available but Genesis are too pigheaded to open the dam for public viewing.

So it makes it pretty clear that this small town relies on visitors being made welcome and being able to stay there.

With plummeting Trout fishing licence sales, depleted funding for DoC and the Taupo District Council removing metal from the river, you Foot note: Ken Sims is a Spokesman for may well wonder what’s going on. the NZ Federation Freshwater Anglers Back in 1983 Genesis Energy in conjunction with the government diverted from surrounding rivers for the Tongariro Powers scheme.

The Tongariro Power Scheme can be divided into four key sections the Eastern Diversion, Western Diversion, Tongariro Section and Rotoaira Section.

The Eastern Diversion extends from the Wahianoa Aqueduct on the southern flanks of Mt Ruapehu, eastward to the Moawhango Dam and north to the discharge point of the Moawhango Tunnel at the Rangipo Dam on the Tongariro River. This is where the

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flood problem appears to occur as excess water during floods is diverted into the Tongariro River.

Lake Moawhango has a normal operating range of approximately 15.2 metres and as such rarely spills except during the largest floods.

Water is taken from Lake Moawhango to the upper Tongariro River by a 19.2km tunnel. The tunnel flow is regulated by a discharge valve at the downstream end of the tunnel where it discharges into the Tongariro River, at Rangipo Dam with no regard for river users.

The Rangipo Tailrace Tunnel discharges water from the Rangipo Power Station after electricity generation, through a 3 km tunnel to the Tongariro River, immediately upstream of the Poutu intake.

Back in the 1960’s and 70’s when the river became swollen and flooded due to excess rain in the hills behind Turangi there appeared to be plenty of warning to anglers, however it seems that that is not the case today.

Recent rainfalls have seen huge volumes of water racing down the river almost catching anglers unaware of the danger.

Dedicated websites which indicated likely water flows and weather forecasts were confusing and difficult for a layman to understand, yet Genesis in spite of regular and frequent complaints have done nothing to appease the situation.

When you consider the millions generated from the power scheme they put little to nothing back into this fledgling community as it struggles to survive with all the negative fishing issues promulgated in main stream media.

Most anglers we have spoken to point the finger directly at Genesis and blame them one hundred per cent, for ruining many fishing trips as they are to blame for holding vast litres of water and letting this go during weekends fishing.

Genesis of course denies this and says they have no control over river flows, but is this really the truth. They say every time it rains heavily the rivers naturally raise causing floods. But the truth is that it is the extra water coming from all the other surrounding rivers which create this ‘natural event’.

There have been many other occasions where the Waipakahi and Tongariro catchments have seen

large rainfall over a period of a week; yet an occurrence similar to what occurred and witnessed over recent weekends hasn’t happened on these occasions to the extent of endangering lives.

Genesis Energy state that they have ‘limited ability’ to control or affect flood flows on the Tongariro River. Note the word ‘limited’.

The Poutu Intake (which takes water from the Tongariro River and transports it to Lake Rotoaira via Poutu Canal), has a maximum consented water take of 80 m3/s, and can typically only take 65-70 m3/s. When flows in the Tongariro River (at Poutu Intake) reach 160 m3/s, Genesis Energy is required to close the Poutu Intake. This prevents the transport of Tongariro River sediment to Lake Rotoaira and is a resource consent requirement.

Is it also because of the extra water coming from the Moawhango Dam and other surrounding rovers?

The interests of river users should be placed ahead of $$$.

A very successful underground power station tourism precedent is at Manapouri in the remotest southern location in the South Island.

A response from Manapouri confirmed Turangi’s lost tourist opportunity, i.e.: during the Manapouri summer season covering a six-seven month period in a much more remote location they get about 50,000 tourists paying net $20 per person for the power station visit = $1 Million p.a.

The Turangi iSite could benefit with that sort of income. In addition they pay Meridian Energy $5 per head = $250,000 p.a. An extra cost to tourists includes a boat trip across Lake Manapouri at $75/head.

Comparatively, conservatively, the Genesis Underground experience should attract over 100,000 visitors p.a. as it is open all year and has easy access from Turangi, just off SH1 about 25 km from Turangi, then factor in the additional nearby scenic opportunities including the Poutu Dam and the Pillars of Hercules on the upper Tongariro River. So at Rangipo the potential would be even greater, with a potential income of $500,000.

Another similar successful underground power station precedent is in the Snowy Mountains in Aussie.

Their hydro power scheme took 25 years to build and employed 100,000 to build nine power stations and provided irrigation via 16 dams. At the Tumut No 2 location they have underground tourist tours and audio visual displays.

Local Turangi-Tongariro and Taupo regional tourism is really neglecting a ‘unique’ opportunity. This is the only underground power station in the North Island. As seen in the photos, everything is ready to go, except Genesis.

They continue to procrastinate and just cannot be bothered… We are advised by locals who worked on the original power scheme that the construction time was extended to provide for the road in to be sealed and a toilet installed to cater for tourists…”

Ed: We contacted Genesis Energy who declined to comment.

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Taupo Trout Hatchery issues

Cliff Pool, Tongariro

Last month we had a moderate flood of some 250 cumecs, putting some nice fish into the Tongariro, they were in superb condition, since that time rainfall has been almost zero with river level at mid-20 cumecs and clear, air temperatures as ridiculous as everywhere else for the time of year, subsequently having an obvious effect on the fishing, or has it ??

Yes the river is low and all the rest of it, could it be the fish are seeking out deeper pools faster water providing better cover during the day, with the numbers of anglers about they are being pushed elsewhere in the river (given the low water levels).

Some facts, a 9lb Rainbow Jack was caught recently early morning with several slightly smaller prior to that one, several 6 plus lbers caught mid river, 8 rainbows

caught within 45 mins in a fast water stretch all in prime condition.

The hatchery stream is holding a large number of Rainbows some into double figures.

Many anglers do not change their tactics or take enough notice of the prevailing conditions, I recently watched four anglers in the Major Jones, none moved at all, all casting into their one place the entire time, heavy bombs, large indicators, did they really think the fish were going to hang around, had there been any, then no doubt proclaim there are no fish in the river, right.

Move through a pool, move to another area, try something different, shorter leader, another fly, smaller indicator a black or white one — anything.

Czech nymphing?? come and have a look at the HANAK products.

The DoC Review of the Taupo Sports Fishery on the present and future role of the Trout Centre - so where does it suggest trout farming?

DoC make it very hard for us to explain as they refer us to the 2012 Fishery Review as follows: As the famed Tongariro winter spawning runs attract many more ‘outsiders’ aka tourists from other parts of NZ such as South Island (where most of the fishing is closed off for winter), there is increasing requests over issues such as the decision by DOC to use the Trout Centre hatchery to 5lb rainbow breed mature trout for local Maori.

Extracts from DOC’s 2013 Taupo On the menu in the Cafe during Sports Fishery Review: Managewinter Venison, Chicken pies, our fa- ment Interventions – some options. mous Beef and Chorizo burger with What we heard: what we heard Jalapeno onions, Beef Bourguignon, in relation to management interMushroom, Pea and Ham, Leek and ventions was a number of ideas Potato soup all made fresh on the about actions that the Departpremises, cooked breakfast week- ment should be taking to improve ends, or Sweet and Savoury brioche, the Fishery – ranging from more Almond Croissants, Bacon and concerted stocking of the lake, Poached Egg in a Ciabatta Roll toast- removal of catfish, changes to ed plus many other delicacies daily. bag and size limits and the like.

“Buddy Service” available, you What we concluded: On the speMUST know how to cast, have your cifics, we found little evidence own gear, we will show you where. that actively stocking Lake Taupō Please phone ahead 07 386 7929. will be effective generally, but esFree lesson in Czech nymph- pecially when the issue is more ing with any HANAK or AIRFLO likely to be reduced food (ironiCzech nymph Rod purchased. cally, there are potentially too CREEL TACKLE HOUSE & CAFE, many fish in the system at present).

Turangi, Central North Is- In relation to catfish, while the Deland stockists of HANAK prod- partment’s science currently indiucts. www.creeltackle.com cates that they have little or no impact on trout, anglers generally do not accept this viewpoint. Putting aside the communication issues that undoubtedly contribute to this divergence of views, we believe there should be an acceptance that

Genesis refuse to open Turangi tourist venture

With Turangi’s economy in the balance from less fisherman visiting the Tongariro River, as trout size continues to be a huge problem, and with the frequent ‘natural’ flooding of the River which Genesis Energy assure fishers is ‘out of their control,’ and ‘nothing to do with the closing of the Poutu Canal’ hence the large drop in licence fees which DoC deny, some of Turangi’s business’ are becoming increasingly concerned.

Requests to Genesis Energy to open up the underground power station for public tourist viewing appear to be falling on deaf ears.

When emailed Genesis replied as follows: Question: ‘Can you explain why Genesis have not allowed tourists trips to your underground power station? Turangi is desperate to develop more tourist opportunities. The Manapouri Power Station visit is one of the best attractions at Te Anau. So why not in Turangi?’

Answer: “We are in the business of running and maintaining power schemes. Due to limited staff numbers and work commitments we are not set up in house to take public tours.

I agree that NZ inc could do well by this type of activity. But we are simply not geared up for this at this point. We may choose to look at options available to us further down the track.”

Everything is already there, it

will not cost Genesis a cent, and Turangi will be forever grateful.

Turangi businesses have been asking them now for many years to open it up, to no avail.

Turangi has only one major industry – tourism – and needs to use every tourist opportunity locally, in the struggle for economic survival.

For years we have continually heard of rumours to open up the Underground Power Station for tourists visits but it has never happened.

That is apart from the odd one day a few years ago during the Turangi ‘Autumn Festival’ when it was always booked out.

A very successful underground power station tourism precedent is at Manapouri in the remotest southern location in the South Island.

The response from Manapouri (x Bruce Nicol, Assistant Operations Manager at Te Anau/Manapouri) confirmed Turangi’s lost $$$ tourist opportunity, i.e. In their summer season of six-seven months in a much more remote location they get about 50,000 tourists each year paying net $20 per person for the power station visit = $1 Million p.a. In addition they pay Meridian Energy $5 per head = $250,000 p.a. The full cost to tourists to include the boat trip across the lake is $75/head…

The Turangi iSite could benefit with that income.

Comparatively, conservatively, the Genesis Underground experience should attract over 100,000 visitors p.a. as it is open all year and has easy access from Turangi.

Local Turangi-Tongariro (and Taupo) regional tourism is really neglecting a ‘unique’ opportunity.

This is the only underground power station in the North Island. As seen in the photos, everything is ready to go, except Genesis…

Compare the very remote location of Manapouri to the Rangipo Power Station – just off SH1 about 25 km from Turangi, then factor in the additional nearby scenic opportunities including the Poutu Dam and the Pillars of Hercules on the upper Tongariro River.

So at Rangipo the potential would be even greater?

Turangi cannot accept their delays any longer.

As Genesis continue to procrastinate, we are advised by locals who worked on the original power scheme that the construction time was extended to provide for the road in to be sealed and a toilet installed to cater for tourists.

As long as Turangi is struggling to find more tourism opportunities, Genesis really have no legitimate excuse. It is still a mainly public owned facility. Genesis have a social and moral responsibility and now they have withdrawn their subsidizes for local community amenities, they still owe the region for the long term environmental damage to the Tongariro River that continues to detrimentally affect tourism.

Their ‘limited staff numbers’ excuse is nonsense. Other similar bus tours rely on the bus company and driver for everything, i.e. Manapouri drivers are required to gain an ‘Entry Certificate’ which is a Meridian Energy test for competency, security, safety, and emergency, and all drivers need current first aid certificates. Turangi shuttle bus drivers already have that. All tourists need is Genesis access approval.

Their shareholders would be asking why?

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catfish could be considered to be a conservation (rather than fishery) issue. They clearly have a negative impact on the native kōura populations, which are an important taonga species for Ngāti Tūwharetoa, and they are not a major food source for trout. Catfish also potentially have a negative impact on the wider lake ecosystem as well as on people’s perceptions. There is an opportunity to take some proactive steps to reduce the population, and potentially even enable some form of commercial harvest (regulated under the Fisheries Act).

The Role of the Hatchery”: What we heard in relation to the trout hatchery, as part of the National Trout Centre (which is discussed further in Section 1.1.2) were questions about its role, and (as noted above) in particular whether it should be used more actively to stock the lake with fish. We found that the hatchery’s purpose is generally narrower than this, and anyway, a longterm strategy of actively stocking the lake is unlikely to be effective.

As an example, in the 1960s, upwards of 100,000 fish were released into the lake, but made no discernible difference to fish numbers.

While the option should not be permanently discounted, there is little evidence at present that active stocking would be an effective intervention.

Four key roles for the hatchery were identified in the course of the review.

The first is as an insurance policy should a catastrophic event hit the Fishery, secondly it is a useful backup to the Eastern Fish and Game Hatchery, thirdly it fulfils a research role, and

Trout Fishing in Winter Winter is that time of the year when many anglers hang up their rods and retreat to a sofa with a warm drink and cool book. But to do so means they are missing out on some of the best fishing the year has to offer. Rather than reminiscing about the previous season and making plans for where to go on October 1st, they could be on the water and experiencing some great sport.

All round the country there are many waters that are open to anglers all year. In the North Island alone there are nearly 150 waters that remain open year round. And in fact many fish best in the cooler months. On lakes for instance, the fish are less disturbed by other water users such as skiers and water activities and so come closer to shore. Many are also looking for places to spawn and so are moving along the shoreline searching for a suitable inflowing stream.

Waters in the more northern regions such as Northland’s Kai Iwi lakes are true winter fisheries. During the summer the fish go deep to find the cooler water (and to escape the many water activities happening by holiday makers). Great fishing can

be found close to the shoreline or by harling around the lakes edges.

Rivers and streams are often also open in the lower reaches. Trout in spawning mode will have moved upstream to the spawning beds but many fish will remain in these lower sections and will still be actively feeding. Again there is often much less pressure on them and so they will be less timid and more easily targeted.

Winter is the wettest time of the year in New Zealand and with the lower sun not having the heat to dry out the land; rivers do tend to discolour quickly after rain. But when a river is discoloured there are other places to explore with a rod in hand. Lakes are an obvious choice as these seldom discolour to the point they cannot be fished.

Spring creeks such as those around Tirau and Putaruru tend to remain clean except after very heavy rain and any river will often be fishable in the first section where it leaves a still water such as a lake or hydro dam. And of course there are the rivers that feed into Taupo with their huge runs of fish each winter.

It is true however that winter fish-

13

lastly it stocks the children’s’ fishing pool.

The hatchery facility is also poised to be used as a whio ‘hardening’ facility in the near future.

What we conclude: As a fish management tool the hatchery appears currently to have only limited value.

The roles that were identified are useful but not particularly significant in the overall management scheme, and there would be the ability simply to ‘turn off’ the facility and bring it back on stream should the need arise in the future.

However, counter to that, is that the resources currently spent on the hatchery are not large. And, as part of the wider advocacy and education around the Taupō Fishery and freshwater environments generally, the Tongariro National Trout Centre is an emerging jewel which has significant potential for freshwater advocacy and increasing participation rates in the Fishery. It may be that a functioning hatchery should continue to form part of that wider story. Because a commitment has already been made by the Department to examine options for the optimal use of the whole site, our view is that any decisions on the future of the hatchery function should be parked for now.

OK? So anglers have asked where in all that did it suggest the change in policy so that trout are to be reared to maturity to be given to local Maori?

This is just another tiny example of how a major 175 page Government review – that anglers paid for through their licences – has been ignored.

Why bother with a review at all?

We would be interested in your comments and responses.

ing is different to that experienced during the warmer months. The fish tend to be deeper and prefer the pools to the faster runs they frequent in summer. There are not the hatches to encourage fish to surface feed though on warm still days you can often be surprised by fish rising to a hatch. Spin fishing is often a very good way to target and cover the water and those who prefer to fly fish; wet-lining or using larger heavier nymphs can be productive. And around September the whitebait can start to appear in the estuaries which can attract the larger fish into a feeding frenzy.

So when cabin fever hits and you feel the need to get out on the water, remember that no matter where you live in the North Island, check your regulations and you will find there are numerous waters within easy reach that you can fish.

For further information about winter fishing in the North Island, the website www.nzfishing.com has produced a very informative book that can be downloaded that not only describes all the open waters but has sections on the best methods to employ and what the trout are feeding on. It also describes the way the fishing changes through the winter months.

Change to Taupo fishing regulations process Amendments to how regulations are made for the Lake Taupo trout fishery will make its management more responsive, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says.

“The change will allow fishing conditions developed by the Taupo Fishery Advisory Committee, including the key management tools of daily bag and fish size limits, to be approved solely by the Minister of Conservation rather than through the Cabinet process, as was the case. The new process will make it easier to respond to the natural year-by-year changes in fish size and abundance. Currently, this takes too long and is a cause of some frustration for anglers,” “What it means is that in a year where there are more trout spawning we can raise the bag limit to allow anglers to catch more – and likewise, in a year where fish are smaller on average we can reduce the size limit to protect

breeding stock and safeguard the fishery.” Fishing regulation changes for Taupo can also now be published as Gazette angler notices, as happens in all other New Zealand trout fisheries. The Tau-

po Fishery Advisory Committee, Tuwharetoa Maori Trust Board and the Taupo angling community have all been supportive of this change.

The new regulations will take effect from May 19th 2016.

14

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Help Didymo Dave clean up the Waitahanui and Hinemaia Rivers Call 021 02600437 for drop off points North Island wide visit us on facebook

A blonde walked into a gas station and said to the manager, “I locked my keys in my car. Do you have a coat hanger or something I can stick through the window to unlock the door?”

“Why sure,” said the manager. “We have something that works especially well for that.”

A couple minutes later, the manager walked outside to see how the blonde was doing and he heard another voice.

“No, no! A little to the left,” said the other blonde inside the car.

A scotsman and his wife walked past a swanky new restaurant.

“Did you smell that food?” she asked. “It smells incredible!”

Being a ‘kind hearted’ scotsman, he thought, “What the hell, I’ll treat her!”

So, they walked past it again!

Water is Public!

by Tony Orman

Who owns water?

The Prime Minister shrugs the issue off by declaring water belongs to no-one. That seems a casual, flippant way of looking at it. My calculated assessment is the early European settlers establishing the new colony saw it as public. The reasoning behind this likelihood - or is it certainty - is the migrants

joining the earlier Pacific Island migrants in New Zealand wanted to escape the feudal society of Britain where the right to fish, shoot or hunt belonged to the upper class (i.e. the wealthy) who could afford to pay the fishing and hunting fees to gain access. Consequently they set up a unique egalitarian society where fishing and hunting were

by opportunity and access, available to all, regardless of personal wealth or ethnicity. So, written into law was a prohibition on the sale of fishing and hunting rights.

Incidentally it’s strange that in recent years, private pheasant preserves, where shooters are charged $1,000 or more for a day’s shooting, have been allowed to intrude into this egalitarian setup. But I digress slightly from water. The unique public ownership of fishing and hunting resources was no accident.

It was deliberate. Therefore it seems

logical that as trout and ducks live in or on water, the first settlers saw the habitat (i.e. rivers and lakes) in the same egalitarian light i.e. equal opportunity for all - public ownership.

By the PM’s flippant comment I assume he really meant water belongs to no one person or group, but to all, i.e. the public. In the final analysis water is a public resource. Politicians are elected to serve the overall public interest.

NZ Federation of Freshwater Anglers president David Haynes judiciously touched on a crucial point

when he said “Another risk is that with a charge on water comes an inferred property right on that water with opportunities to trade it as for any other commodity. History has shown, whether in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe or the Indian sub- continent that tradeable water rights inevitably ending up concentrating ownership into the hands of a few. The Quota Management System (QMS) for our (sea) fishery is a good lesson.”

“Our” sea fishery? Corporate companies seem to regard it as a prop-

erty right, akin to private ownership! The QMS has fishing quotas as tradeable. So the big corporate players buy up the smaller “family” quotas, aggregating quota, thus eventually concentrating “property rights” into the hands of a few. These big corporates wield heavy political influence, often being major donors to political parties. We don’t want that dominant setup with our rivers and lakes!

My message is to be alert, don’t be naive or shrug it off as not important.

The public ownership of water must

View the newspaper online at www.fishingoutdoors.org – and advertise online with us Continued from page 14...

not be eroded. It must be enshrined in law. That will make it abundantly clear to future governments.

The other complementary message is to not shrug off politics by saying you’re not interested.

The stark reality is politics in our sport, whether it’s exclusive access, water ownership, water qual-

ity and flow in our rivers, is simply “cause and effect.” Take an interest. Your children and grandchildren will thank you. Get involved.

Which brings me to the NZ Federation of Freshwater Anglers. It needs the backing of every sincere troutfisher. The NZFFA does a splendid job. By its constitution it supports Fish and Game’s

democratic setup but it wants accountability from any organization and especially government.

But organizations like the Federation needs new and younger faces as an investment to ensure its future strength. Do you want to do your share for tomorrow’s anglers? Get involved.

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Build your own kitset dinghy

The finished speed boat was great, but it was the pleasure of building and sense of achievement that Charlie holds on to.

And now – armed with a degree in mechanical engineering and a stint at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, legendary for its design and manuStitchbird dinghies are a beauti- facturing R&D – Charlie is makful little kit set dinghy designed ing that experience accessible to film it and send to me. (earlybird. for people to build at home. They other people, even those who don’t thames@gmail.com) with details of require a bare minimum of tools, have a Dad with a nice big shed. where it happened, date and time. time, and experience. Every compo- How’s he doing it? Through offerI will forward it on to the necessary nent is PTR cut using precise com- ing kitset dinghies for people to people so they can deal with it. puter controlled machines (CNC). build at home. His two “Stitchbird I have recently started to sell ‘Pre The boats are assembled by Dinghy” designs require a bare Cut bait’ in cartons. These are Squid hand and held together with minimum of tools, time, and exor Pillies and have already become a high quality epoxy resin. perience to put together. Every very popular with the shore fisher- The resin comes in an easy to dis- component is PTR-cut, using preman and the kids. Also on my ‘New’ pense ‘point and shoot’ style car- cise computer controlled machines list are Power Sticks and Lion Sticks; tridge. The design incorporates (CNC). The boats can be assembled two rods that are virtually unbreak- electrical cable ties as a method of by hand and are held together able. Produced by Fladen which ‘stitching’ the boat together during with a high quality epoxy resin, is a Swedish Company, they come the gluing and assembling process. which comes in an easy to dispense in two lengths, 6’6” and 8’ and are Once assembled, the resin hardens, ‘point and shoot’ style cartridge. both 2 piece. They are ideal for fish- after which the cable ties can be re- It’s a great option for someone who ing from a boat and the shore and moved. The holes that they leave can is looking for a weekend project are very well priced at $49.99 and then be filled with the same resin with the kids or who has thought $89.00 respectively. Fladen, which and the boat can then be prepared about building a boat (or someis very popular in Europe have been for painting. This involves sanding thing else) but has never taken that around for a long time and are truly and filling of small holes and gaps. first step because of shortages of a top of the range producer. I have Coving any internal joints and ap- tools, space, confidence and/or exdecided to stock a bit more of their plying undercoats and primer. perience. Charlie deliberately set gear over the next year, as I know Builders can then choose about ensuring those issues would that their Flasher Rigs and Sabikis from a variety of top coat not be barriers to people being able are superior to most other brands by colours and/or varnish. to enjoy using his kitsets. He’s cona long run and are more than suit- Charlie North built a classic fident that anyable for NZ waters. As a reminder, I wooden speed boat with his one who can am still open late on a Friday night Dad when he was young fella. pull the trigger for all of you guys coming up for the “It was a huge undertaking but on a caulking weekend. Phone me to confirm and it didn’t really seem like it at the gun, zip up a I’ll make sure I’m here, (07 868 6833 time because Dad had a nice cable tie, do a - everyone else does). FREE ICE is big shed. He had loads of tools bit of sanding still on the menu for purchases over and equipment, and lots of ex- and work with a $50.00 and with the huge tackle perience restoring classic cars paint brush can range that I carry you will be more and bikes. Building a boat from build a Stitchthan happy to spend five minutes scratch with him was a lot of fun.” bird Dinghy. in the shop. I am always willing to give away the local knowledge and put you on the track for some good fishing, so don’t be worried to ask questions. If you are fishing in the ‘Bounty Hunter’ competition on 2nd and 3rd July come in and grab REFLECTION TIME gone peaches and cream, we your bait. I have a huge selection About 3 years ago I saw a have had our troubles but let’s and it’s all ‘A’ Grade and top quality. group of young Maori fel- take a look at the benefits.

Until next time, ‘Tight Lines’. Vernon las, aged 12 sitting on the We started by building a pile of Waitahanui River bridge trap boxes, then got some dowith a hand line in the river. nated and the result is 238 rats, My first thought was that they are stoats and weasels have been too old to want to use a handline, trapped to help the native birds. bet they don’t have fishing rods. We are now in the process of exNow I could have gone back panding that project with anand told them off and all the other 70 traps and have had rest but instead I sat on the timber donated by Tenon, mesh, LOOKING FOR A bridge with them, had a chat screws etc from Bunnings and BOAT RAMP? and confirmed what I suspected. Waikato Regional Council small Short story is with their per- initiative fund has donated the Check out our website mission I approached their $$$ for the trap mechanisms. www.fishingoutdoors.org Mums and offered to help. So the vermin in the river valley For New Zealand’s most The young ones wanted to know are in trouble. In addition there comprehensive what I did and were keen to help are several areas on the riverBoat Ramps Listings look after the river and that’s banks where blackberry, broom how the Te Awa o Waitahanui etc have been cleared and naproject, which stands for “The tive trees are being replanted.

River of Waitahanui”, began. Willows are a dying breed in the Now to say I copped a load of river valley and a big patch grow“you are wasting your time with ing in the river about 200m upthose kids” type comments from stream from the main road bridge people would be an understate- have all been cut about 6 inches ment but some people did back us. above the waterline and gelled.

So three years on The branches have been rewhat has happened? moved and stacked and when Well I can’t say everything has the root systems are dead

Early Bird Bait & Tackle Report Early Bird Bait & Tackle Report Well guys; we are half way through the year and already the days are getting lighter. The water temperature is just below 17 degrees as I speak and the fish are as plentiful now as a few months ago. The weather in general has been very kind to us over here on the Coromandel and the easterlies have been holding their ground, giving us a very smooth Firth of Thames.

The boat ramps have been constantly busy at the weekends and now with the drying off of cows on the farm, more and more farmers are taking to the water. Most of them have not been disappointed with plenty of good sized snapper coming onboard between 45cm and 55cm. Kahawai workups are everywhere with a lot of them being spotted very close to the shore.

These fish are in pristine condition and are putting up some good fights on light gear. As Kahawai is fantastic bait at any time of the year, try filleting a smaller one and using the whole side as big bait. You will probably need larger hooks like 8/0 but at the moment there are a lot of big fish around and with a bit of luck on your side you may just hook into one of these buggers.

Kingies are plentiful at the moment and are right in at the shoreline. A couple of guys fishing near Kereta told me there were three of them at their feet. The biggest had eyes about three inches in diameter so these where very big fish. The guys where not prepared, so couldn’t hook into them but did take a few low res. photos to show me.

Places to catch fish are definitely not confined to the deeper water.

Fishing the shallows, just out from the Piako River has produced large

catches of good snapper up to 45cm but quite a few small sharks.

Further north, in about 12 metres, it starts to get better and then on the Mussel Farms it is great. Get yourself tied up on the Farm and drop a good Berley Bomb down and have patience. Even though some guys have said things start happening almost immediately, give it longer for the older moochers to have a poke around. Pillies, Squid, Mullet and Mackerel are all working good but some of the softbaits are on the ‘persevere’ list. I really do thing that as the water gets colder, the smell of a nice piece of Pillie has to be more attractive than artificial bait, but I know that many of my customer’s only use softbait so will say the opposite. Colours of softbaits make a big difference and the way you actually move them in the water will also make a big difference on whether the fish will take them or not. As they say,’ practise makes perfect’ so listen to your fellow fisherman and take note.

The worm beds further out in the middle of the Firth has produced some nice Gurnard and around Motutapere Island just out from Coromandel Town, some guys from Te Aroha had a great day with Trevally being hooked on every drop. The Firth really is a playground for fishing and we do want to keep it like this, but as you read articles about fish dumping by the trawlers it makes you wonder how long it will last. Also, MPI have been out over the last month doing checks on fish sizes and limits and still we are getting people caught with excess and very small fish. If you see anyone keeping undersized fish please phone MPI. If you see illegal dumping of fish by the commercial guys,

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15

DIDYMO DAVE’S REPORT

The boat can be on the water within a few weekends. The dinghies row well, and the boats have been tested with 2.5hp outboards and would be suitable for an electric outboard. Charlie is also working on a sailing kit which could be added down the track.

The main assembly can be completed in two short sessions of roughly an hour each. The first session is all about unpacking and identifying all the components and gluing a few easy items together. The second session is all about assembling the boat, which is great, because it looks like a boat very quickly!

The design cleverly incorporates electrical cable ties as a method of ‘stitching’ the boat together during the gluing and assembling process.

Once assembled, the resin hardens, after which the cable ties can be removed. The holes that the ties leave can then be filled with resin and the boat can then be prepared for painting. This involves sanding and filling small holes and gaps, covering any internal joints and applying undercoats and primer. Builders can then choose from a variety of top coat colours and/or varnish.

The sanding and painting can be the trickiest part of the project if you’re after a really nice finish, but Charlie encourages people to crack into it and get it done. All the little mistakes, or missed bits just become part of the story and part of the learning experience.

They make each boat unique!

they will be pulled out too.

The team refer back to the day the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in deciding what to do with a tree.

If a species of tree such as Kowhai was in the river valley on that day we look after it, if it wasn’t like Silver Birch we kill it, simple.

So currently parts of the river do look a bit of a mess, but as I suggested to a fisherman the other day, the real problem is that the invasive weeds were not dealt to when they were seedlings.

In addition, heaps of rubbish has been picked up, lots of trout caught, quite a few driving lessons, plenty of play fighting in the lake when having a swim after work in the summer and an awful lot of fun has been had.

So next time you see a school aged young Maori fella on the Waitahanui River with an axe, pitchfork, rake, saw, drill etc don’t prejudge.

He might be part of a fantastic team of young men who have done so much work already for the Waitahanui River. Give him a pat on the back and say thanks.

Ed: We are in the process of starting a ‘Givealittle’ page – ‘Help clean up the Waitahanui River’ so people interested in helping us out can donate.

Kapiti Rec Fishing Only Reserve wanted Please visit and LIKE us on Facebook www. facebook.com/Fishingandoutdoorsnewspaper and share with your friends and get out regular news and updates

Here’s something up for discussion, The Marine Reserve.

This was set up and implemented around 1992, the crown went to Te Ati Awa and proposed the current marine reserve, they wanted them to support it and be 50% of the management.

They got the marine reserve, but the management partnership never happened, surprise, surprise.

Now 24 years later, DoC has no vessel anywhere near the reserve and one visits the area a couple of times a year, some locals keep an eye out but there’s

effectively no monitoring.

Commercial fishing vessels and trawlers are watched working through the area as they go back and forth between Airplane and the mainland, close to the beach, right up to the reserve, then they trawl back south and back up to the reserve, then there’s the ones that just drag straight through.

The MPI is called and they don’t have an available boat, or need witnesses or pics and it’s just a big load of don’t care again. What’s the point of a 0800 Poached phone number if no-one is prepared to get out of bed.

Clearly what is needed is for locals to set up a new monitoring committee from local interested parties, this includes local fishers, as the reserve affects the local recreational fishers the most.

A recreational fishing reserve is also needed so recreational catch can be managed fairly, in an area from somewhere near the south end of Kapiti to Pukerua Bay and the north end of Kapiti to Otaki.

With local body elections coming up not too far away, this is a good time to get some solid council support for an initiative like this.

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New Boat Sales and Service

NEW BOATS READY FOR INSPECTION

Ramco 5050 prelude and voyager trailer Boarding ladder & 4 Rod Holders. We can fit the engine of your choice. $23,398.00

2016 Ramco 5450 Prelude and Voyager trailer basic package only (does not include motor or extras).

Priced from $25,246.50

2016 Ramco 5800 Interceptor and voyager trailer - basic package only (does not include motor or extras) Priced from $34,522.28

07 849 4936 027 473 4075 Phil Birss Marine, 26 Euclid Ave, Te Rapa, Hamilton

Phil.birss@xtra.co.nz www.philbirssmarine.co.nz

Mid Winter Deals Okuma Cortez 12 Reel was $249

now $169 50% off Max Pick n Pluck Reel Cases

50% off Gillies Ockta Lures

20% off Plano Soft side tackle boxes

Snowbee Neoprene waders was $199.90 now $99.90