Kaipara educates campers

Kaipara communities will soon see officers regularly patrolling freedom camping hot spots, offering education and increasing awareness of proposed new national freedom camping rules.

These fulltime, fixed-term roles have been established by Kaipara District Council with a $135,000 funding boost from the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment’s (MBIE) Freedom Camping Transition Fund.

The funding received is part of a $10 million nationwide package from the Government for local Council transition initiatives to the proposed new freedom camping rules. The proposed Self-Contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Bill amends the Freedom Camping Act 2011 and the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Act 2006 to reduce the negative impacts of freedom camping.

Council’s monitoring and compliance manager ,Dean Nuralli, says the new officers are much needed given Kaipara’s proximity to Auckland, driving up freedom camping numbers in the district.

Auckland Council has no plans to institute similar patrols, as it did not access the funds.

Rose Loaf Cake

This delicately flavoured cake has a delightful, light scent of rose petals, thanks to the addition of rose water. It lends a wonderful, floral flavour to this beautiful Wildflower loaf design. Enjoy with a dollop of rose whipped cream, pistachios, and dried edible rose petals for an exceptional dessert. I used the Wildflower pan.

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 cup almond flour

1/3 cup plus 3 tbsp bread flour

1/2 cup finely ground pistachios

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

10 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 tbsp light brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 tsp finely grated fresh lemon zest

11/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp rose water

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Rose water whipped cream:

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, well-chilled

1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp rose water

You could use the Kayser Cream Whipper and add a couple of drops of Rosewater to it.

Rose water glaze:

1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice

3 tbsp rose water

1/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp butter

For serving:

2 tbsp chopped pistachios dried edible rose petals (if desired)

Do not use regular cooking spray. Use a pastry brush to spread out any excess oil. Combine the first 7 dry ingredients for cake in a medium bowl, and set aside.

Cream butter and sugars. Scrape down sides, then add eggs and mix to combine. Fold in dry ingredients with a spatula. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, rose water and vanilla extract, stirring to combine. Pour mixture into pan, taking care to fill only 3/4 to the top edge. Using a cutting board or dish towel as protection, firmly tap the pan a dozen or so times on the counter to ensure batter gets into every nook and cranny of the pan’s design. Bake on a middle oven shelf, 40-50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

For rose water whipped cream: Using rotary beaters, whip cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold in crème fraiche, vanilla, rose water and sugar. Refrigerate until needed.

For rose water glaze: Heat all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat until butter is melted and sugar has dissolved, then remove from the heat. The consistency will be runny, which is ideal.

Once cake is finished baking, cool cake in pan 5 minutes. While cake is cooling, use a wooden skewer or fork to gently poke several dozen holes into the back side of the cake, then brush with rose water glaze, which will soak into cake. Remove from pan onto a cooling rack; while cake is still warm, brush top side with glaze repeatedly until all glaze is used up. It will soak into the cake and give added flavour and moisture.

To serve, slice cooled cake into 1” thick slices, top with a spoonful of rose water whipped cream, and sprinkled with pistachios and rose petals

Fishery officers had a quiet time over summer, which they say was largely due to the weather.

They say overall, recreational fishing compliance was good, aside from mainly minor infringements.

Some of these included reports of undersize snapper at the Mangawhai boat ramp and an illegal set net at Leigh, which led to one person receiving an infringement notice. Fisheries NZ regional manager for fisheries compliance Phillip Tasker says officers also responded to a report of a person fishing at the Goat Island Marine Reserve and those inquiries are continuing.

“MPI takes a practical approach to compliance with the fishing rules,” he says. “A lot of our work includes educating people on the rules, which is aimed at changing behaviour.

“Sometimes this work includes issuing infringement notices when we find rules are being broken deliberately, or in more serious cases, the matter is placed before the court.” Tasker says fishery officers have been doing regular patrols in the Mahurangi and Kaipara areas, including vessel patrols when the weather has allowed.

“Poor weather in these areas has meant there’s been less recreational fishing during the holidays and the easterly weather pattern has seen more people going to the west coast to fish.”

Fisheries New Zealand continues to encourage recreational fishers to adopt a ‘take only what you need for a feed’ approach and to follow the fishing rules this summer. Fishers can also download the free for regionspecific information on fishing rules to help protect our kai moana for future generations.

Info: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/fishingaquaculture/recreational-fishing/nzfishing-rules-app/

Suspicious behaviour can be reported on 0800 4 POACHER (0800 47 62 24) or email ncc@mpi.govt.nz

A draft fisheries plan for the Hauraki Gulf that still allows bottom trawling and Danish seine fishing is out for public consultation.

The plan also addresses the management of scallops and a review of the management of intertidal harvesting, and supports greater mana whenua and regional participation in fisheries management.

It has already been criticised by fishing lobby group LegaSea. The group says implementing more no-fishing zones is meaningless if destructive damage goes on unabated. It says the government is not being ambitious enough with its Revitalising the Gulf strategy.

“This plan does not take meaningful steps to address the root causes of environmental damage and reduced biodiversity in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.

The most effective response is 100% seafloor protection.

This starts with removing mobile bottom-contact fishing methods from the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park – bottom trawling, scallop dredging and Danish seining.

“More protection in the Government’s eyes amounts to 17.6% of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park becoming ‘protected’, up from the current 6.6% protection from marine reserves and cable zones.”

Director fisheries management Emma Taylor says the plan reflects a commitment to an ecosystems-based fisheries management approach.

“We recognise that all species in the fishery are connected and interdependent and this is reflected in the draft plan,” Taylor says.

“The draft plan will be supported by the development of fisheries indicators and a monitoring framework to measure progress over time. If approved, it will be New Zealand’s first area-based fisheries plan.

Fisheries New Zealand is inviting people to provide feedback on the plan before March 3. More information, including how to submit feedback, is available at: mpi.govt.nz/draft-hauraki-gulf-fisheriesplan

Monday - Friday 8.30am to 5.00pm

Saturday - Sunday 9:00am to 4:00pm

Public Holidays 9:00am to 4:00pm

183 Sandspit Road, Warkworth.