Hooked Up 11

HOOKED ISSUE 11 2017

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New Zealand Sport Fishing Council is one of the longest serving incorporated organisations representing recreational anglers.

The NZSFC was formed around the IGFA fishing rules and ethics so that a consistent standard could be set when comparing catches. The NZSFC offers additional records classes for New Zealand records beyond what IGFA offer for juniors and small-fry anglers. We have refined some of the IGFA rules to make them more suitable for our contests.

Our New Zealand based IGFA representatives keep a close liaison between IGFA and (NZSFC) and have regular input into issues that could affect New Zealand anglers. We have promoted valuable marine research that is internationally respected. This includes the game fish tagging programs for marlin, sharks, tuna and kingfish which now has a history of 17 years of information.

The Council created and continues to support the NZ Marine Research Foundation (NZMRF) for the primary purpose of conducting research on fish species benefiting our membership that could not, or will not be financed by government agencies.

Information from research carried out by the NZMRF has been very valuable when justifying our position in species management. All they have to do is remind themselves, that the majority of what the NZSFC does is for the benefit of individual members rather than equal benefits for each club.

More fish in the sea, better access, water quality, individual legal protection, record recognition, research, advocacy, fishing data collection and dissemination are all individual benefits of belonging to the NZSFC.

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CONTENTS EDITORIAL ...........................................................4

EDITOR Phil Appleyard

WEIGHMASTER ROUNDUP .................................6

SUB-EDITING NZ Fishing Media

IGFA ...................................................................10

ART DIRECTOR Lucy Davidson

FISHERIES RESEARCH ...................................12

CONTENT ENQUIRIES Dave Lockwood

FISHERIES MANAGEMENT UPDATE .................15 LEGASEA UPDATE .........................................18 NZMRF ..............................................................21

021 177 1705 secretary@nzsportfishing.org.nz ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Scott Taylor 021 862 579 sales@nzfishingnews.co.nz

CLUB PROFILE .................................................23 TOURNAMENT PROFILE .................................25 GO FUEL ..........................................................26

www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

COVER SHOT: Whakatane angler Ben Shaw caught this pending junior world record big eye tuna (129.1kg) out from Waihau Bay early in January, fishing with his dad Glenn aboard Morpheus.

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EDITORIAL

A

nother sportfishing season draws to a close as winter well and truly sets in. However, there continues to be many significant catches late into the fishing year. The broadbill season is turning up great catches from Gisborne through to the Far North, including a 344kg monster weighed in recently at the Hokianga Big Game and Sport Fishing Club. Other notable late-season catches include four nice bluefin tuna landed

by Hawkes Bay members out of Gisborne.

The work LegaSea undertakes on behalf of the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council and its members is highly valued. Anyone who witnessed the team in operation at the Hutchwilco Boat Show and Fieldays will understand the commitment this team makes to connect with the recreational-fishing public and advocate for a more abundant fishery. The ITM ‘fish walls’ created at both events were an absolute marvel and recognised at the Fieldays as the best ‘Builders Base Star of the show’ award. Comments posted on the wall reinforced the excellent service our outreach organisation is undertaking on behalf of recreational fishers.

Congratulations to NZ IGFA representative Scott Tindale, who has now accomplished something else very special: a hat trick of first places in every IGFA World Record sport-fishing discipline.

First place Male Saltwater Conventional tackle, first place All Tackle, and Male Salt Water Fly fishing. That’s a tremendous effort by one of New Zealand’s finest anglers!

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After two years’ service as Executive Officer, Dave Lockwood leaves us to take up a new position as the CEO of the Lifesavers Foundation.

On behalf of the Council, thank you Dave for your time and effort over this period, and we wish you the very best of luck with your future endeavour.

No season can pass without the recognition of the volunteers who make our sport great.

From Council board members to club committee members and volunteers, we thank you all for your support and the passion you bring to sport fishing.

Take time to have a well-earned rest, then start afresh for the following season.

Phil Appleyard President

New Zealand Sport Fishing Council Inc Mobile: 027 273 0500 www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

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WEIGHMASTER ROUNDUP

IGFA

Rule changes

Significant Changes Made to IGFA’s International Angling Rules & World Record Requirements.

The IGFA’s board of Trustees recently met for their annual meeting, where they ratified several significant changes to the IGFA’s International Angling Rules and World Record Requirements.

INTERNATIONAL ANGLING RULES Assisting the Angler Current IGFA International Angling Rules state that ’the act of a person other than the angler touching the rod, reel, or line either bodily or with a device once the fish strikes or takes the bait’ constitutes a disqualification.

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However, nowhere in the IGFA’s rules is the legality of another person touching or making contact with the angler discussed. The IGFA is frequently questioned on the legality of touching the angler while they are fighting the fish.

In order to clarify this important subject, the IGFA will be adding the following language to section 3 of Disqualifying Acts: ’Holding or touching an angle in a manner that assists them in fighting the fish or takes pressure off the angler. Touching or briefly holding the

angler to prevent them from falling does not constitute a disqualification’. This change is effective April 1, 2017.

Backing and Top-Shot; Current IGFA International Angling Rules state: if the fishing line is attached to backing, the catch shall be classified under the heavier of the lines’ This rule has long been contested in cases where the main line or top shot is lighter than the underlying backing, as logic dictates that the lighter line will break before the heavier backing. This is also contrary to IGFA

angling rules for fly fishing, where the catch is categorized based on the breaking strength of the class tippet, which must be a minimum of 15-inches long.

To address this issue, the IGFA will be making the following alterations to Equipment Regulation A: Title change from ‘LINE’ to ‘LINE AND BACKING’ Adding a new subsection that reads: 3. The use of backing is permissible.’

Adding a new subsection that reads: 4. The catch shall be classified under

the breaking strength of the first five metres of line directly preceding the double line, leader or hook. This section must be comprised of a single, homogenous piece of line.”

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This change is effective April 1st, 2017.

Minimum Ratio Requirements; Currently, to submit a line class or tippet class (flyrod) world record, the only weight requirement is that the fish must weigh at least 0.45kg (1 lb). as a result, the IGFA has accumulated a significant amount of records where the weight of the fish is much lighter than the size of the tackle used to land the fish.

In an effort to have IGFA world records better reflect outstanding achievement, the IGFA has established the following minimum ratio requirements for all new line-class and tippet-class world records: For line class categories up to and including 10kg (20lb) and all tippet-class (fly rod) categories: The weight of the catch must weigh at least half as much as the line class it is eligible for. For example, a fish entered for the 6kg (12lb) line-class or tippet-class category must weigh a minimum of 3kg.

For all line-class categories greater than

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10kg (20lb): The weight of the catch must be equal to, or greater than, the line class it is eligible for. For example, a fish entered in the 24kg (50lb) line class category must weigh a minimum of 24kg.

Minimum ratios will not be retroactive; records that currently do not meet the new minimum weight requirements will not be retired. Records listed in the 2017 World Record Book and IGFA website will have a new column that informs anglers of the minimum weight necessary to establish a record for each line class. This change is effective April 1, 2017.

QUESTION: Under the new IGFA’s ruling regarding the use of backing and topshot, where it states that the ‘catch will be classified under the breaking strength of the first five metres of line directly preceding the double line, leader or hook’, does that mean when submitting a record claim on conventional tackle, anglers only need to submit five metres (or about 16 feet) of main line, rather than the 16 metres (or 50 feet) required up till now?

ANSWER: To clarify, this new rule only concerns those anglers fishing with multiple lines on their reels (i.e. backing and topshot). If a single line is used throughout the reel, nothing changes, because in these situations the IGFA has always tested the first few metres of line closest to the double line, leader, or hook, to determine the appropriate category in which to classify a catch. All the rule changes is that if multiple lines are used on the reel, only the line closest to the double line, leader or hook will be tested, rather than requiring and testing a sample of each different line incorporated on the spool.

That said, the IGFA still requires anglers to submit the first 16 metres (50ft) of the line used in the capture, no matter what it is, as per normal. Of this 16 metres (50ft), at least the first five metres (16 ft) must be the homogenous line-class line, which will be tested to determine the category in which the catch shall be placed. The length of five metres was added to ensure the IGFA has enough line to perform the necessary tests. The full 16 metres is still requested for two main reasons: 1) the line closest to the terminal tackle is chaffed, scraped or damaged, and 2) to have a line sample on file with the record for historical purposes.

- Compiled by Paul Batten

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IGFA NEWS

KNOW THE

RULES O

ne of the primary functions of the International Game Fish Association is to ensure and maintain responsible, ethical angling practices, in part by establishing and maintaining rules.

Until 1940, there was no universal code of sporting ethics to guide anglers in their pursuits. The first steps in this direction were taken in the late 1930s by members of the British Tunny Club, who hoped to formulate rules for ethical angling. However, the looming threat of war interrupted their plans. Shortly after the IGFA was founded in 1939, its officers immediately set to the task of establishing angling guidelines and requirements for world-record catches.

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The angling rules were formulated by the International Game Fish Association to: promote ethical and sporting angling practices; to establish uniform regulations for the compilation of world game fish records; and to provide basic angling guidelines for use in fishing tournaments and any other group angling activities.

These rules have been widely adopted globally and by many regional fishing associations, as well as lots of tournaments.

Most of the rules are very specific and have been so for decades.

For example, the word ‘angling’ is defined as catching or attempting to catch fish with

a rod, reel, line and hook, as outlined in the international angling rules. There are some aspects of angling that cannot be controlled through rule making, however.

Angling regulations cannot insure an outstanding performance from each fish, and world records cannot indicate the amount of difficulty in catching the fish.

Captures in which the fish has not fought, or has not had a chance to fight, do not reflect credit on the fisherman; only the angler can properly evaluate the degree of achievement in establishing the record.

Only fish caught in accordance with IGFA international angling rules, and within the intent of these rules, will be considered for world records.

Captains, crews, anglers and weighmasters are advised to familiarise themselves with the rules, especially if involved in fishing tournaments and/or national/world records. Over the years, many potential record-breaking catches have been disqualified due to some basic rules or regulations not being followed, often simply being overlooked in the heat of the moment when the fish are running hot.

So why not use these cold winter days to brush up on the rules and regulations, double check your lure rigs, and re-check your leader lengths - it might be the difference in claiming that record!

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FISHERIES RESEARCH

Revising the

Highly Migratory Species Fisheries Plan

T

here have been several attempts to develop fisheries plans in New Zealand.

The last one followed the completion of the Ministry of Fisheries 2030 planning process, which set out a board-strategic direction, leading afterwards to a major restructure of the ministry by the merging of several ministries into MPI. New Zealand Sport Fishing Council (NZSFC) took part in all the meetings on Highly Migratory Species (HMS) that resulted in the first of the new Fisheries Plans, which was signed off by the minister in 2010. This included a specific management objective to maintain and enhance world class gamefisheries in New Zealand fisheries waters, with some performance indicators around tagging marlin and tracking catches using the NZSFC club catch tallies.

Figure 1: The number of striped marlin tagged (blue) and number landed (green) by fishing year from Sport Fishing Council records. Striped marlin tagged outside New Zealand fisheries waters are also shown.

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There was a record number of striped marlin tagged and released in 2015-2016 (1530) and around 900 landed and recorded in club records (Figure 1). This includes non-club members who weighed their fish or handed tag cards into a club. There was a surge of interest in gamefishing that season, with many small-boat fishers going out wide for the first time. Consequently, there were more fish than usual caught by non-members and not reported.

We have a good historical record of gamefish catches in New Zealand, and it is worth maintaining that by encouraging fishers to join a club and report their fish.

In 2013-2014 there were more striped marlin landed than tagged (55%), although several hundred were tagged at the Wanganella Banks by New Zealand sport fishing vessels. The current season may be heading the same way, as catches have generally been poor.

An issue of concern raised by NZSFC during the planning meetings has been the absence of yellowfin tuna for many years. (The Bay of Plenty enjoyed some excellent summer fishing on schools of yellowfin in the 1980s and 1990s.)

New Zealand representatives attending Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission meetings were asked to support international conservation and management measures that would limit yellowfin catch. So far, the main changes have been to stop purseseine fishing on Fish Aggregation Devices (FADs) for part of the year. The boats are targeting skipjack tuna, which are abundant in the tropics, but were also killing millions of juvenile yellowfin and bigeye tuna.

Again, NZSFC catch records have helped the recreational fishers make the case for the size of the decline and need for action. The yellowfin catch has been consistently poor in New Zealand since 2006 and non-existent for six straight years from 2009 (Figure 2).

Figure 2: The recreational catch of yellowfin tuna, striped and blue marlin, and broadbill by fishing year from Sport Fishing Council records.

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The total catch for striped marlin has been fairly consistent, with occasional good years. The swordfish catch has been increasing to about the same level of blue marlin annual catch.

The Highly Migratory Species Plan is now seven years old and in the process of being revised. A public consultation period is planned for July 2017. Along with the fisheries management objectives, there are sections on monitoring and minimising the bycatch of seabirds and reducing wastage of sharks. This is part of moving toward an ecosystem approach to fisheries management, taking into account associated and dependent species, including through maintaining food-chain relationships.

Therefore, more attention will be given to the abundance of prey species. Gathering evidence on the diet of the marlin and tuna recreational fishers catch could be useful in this regard.

The ministry also has a role in resolving sector conflict. The extent of skipjack purse-seine fishing in some areas is currently

on the table. Work is planned to identify and resolve unsatisfactory fishery interactions between recreational fishers and purse-seine fishers working skipjack schools. This may include better communication about fishing activities during the season and a process for reporting cases where fishing is disrupted.

There are also proposals to promote the use of target reference points for HMS species in international forums and the adoption of country allocations for more species along the lines of the annual catch limits set by the Commission for Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna.

Attempts to establish country limits for South Pacific albacore are progressing, but the claims for country allocations far exceed current catch and sustainable yield.

The monitoring and management of Highly Migratory Species are complex; NZSFC will continue to engage with commercial fishers, environmental NGOs and MPI to ensure the interests of our members are taken into account.

- By John Holdsworth

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FISHERIES MANAGEMENT UPDATE

CAMERAS NOT UP TO THE TASK The first part of MPI’s Future of our Fisheries is set to be rolled out on October 1, 2017. The Integrated Electronic Monitoring and Reporting system is a combination of MPI’s plans to see real-time electronic reporting of commercial fishing vessels implemented from October 1 this year, with 100% surveillance of fishing vessels via on-board cameras to be in place by October 1, 2018.

An effort to try and create transparency in the commercial fishery has so far hit some serious hurdles. In a trial on boats in the Snapper 1 region (North Cape to East Cape), as much as 80% of the footage was lost completely, leaving these boats unmonitored. Combined with MPI’s desire to reduce observer coverage, stories like this leave the public worried about the capabilities of these systems and whether MPI is trying to run before it can walk.

More recently, an internal MPI report has reached the public. This report and its author have revealed that the proposed cameras are incapable of meeting MPI assertions.

The report states that the cameras are unable to determine fish sizes and, in some cases, species. This raises doubts as to whether the camera footage could be used for prosecution, even if it shows blatant fish dumping. Some fish, due to being undersized or species that are not in the quota management system, are allowed or required to be returned to the ocean, alive or dead. The inability to distinguish between these fish and fish dumped illegally would undermine the system entirely.

MPI was quick to dismiss the report, saying it wasn’t finished - a fact that is refuted by the author, who says it was completed and peer reviewed.

Seabed mining off the Taranaki Bight August 2016, Trans-Tasman Resources Ltd submitted a second application to mine iron ore from the seabed off the Taranaki Bight. This application came after their first attempt in 2013 was declined due to a lack of information.

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The project would see up to 50 million tonnes of sediment extracted from the seabed over the next 35 years. The iron ore would be extracted from this, with the remainder being deposited back into the sea. The NZSFC supported Kiwi’s Against Seabed Mining (KASM) in opposing this project on the grounds it may put the local marine environment and fisheries at risk.

After consultation, an environmental court hearing, presentations and expert witnesses, the process is coming to a close.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the time to make a decision in order to properly consider all the information presented, and we can expect a decision to be made by July 27, 2017, which will be released to the public as soon as possible.

The NZSFC wants to congratulate KASM on its hard work and dedication on behalf of New Zealand public. We are proud to stand with organisations like this, who are standing up for public interests and ensuring future generations have access to a healthy marine environment. Our rights must not be forgotten as access is given away to large companies for private gain, especially as it is the public who risk losing so much.

The NZSFC looks forward to the outcomes and hopes that the EPA will see sense and use caution when making their decision.

Court ruling A landmark court ruling was given on June 27. This ruling was in the case between the Motiti Rohe Moana Trust (MRMT) and the Attorney General. MRMT sought to use powers under the Resource Management Act (RMA) to control fishing so indigenous biodiversity is maintained, as well as provide for the relationship of Maori with their taonga.

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This would allow councils to use RMA to restrict methods or areas of fishing to protect areas and species at risk. The attorney general claimed that these kinds of decisions were prohibited in the RMA and could only be controlled using the Fisheries Management Act. After a lengthy hearing, the High Court Judge ruled in favour of MRMT, stating that provisions in the act allow councils the power to enforce restrictions on fishing, so long as it can be proven that these are for the purpose of maintaining indigenous biodiversity or providing for the relationship between Maori and their Taonga.

This is a win for local councils and, going forward, we are likely to see more rules implemented, similar to those put in place by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Marlborough District Council, who have both recently used the RMA legislation to protect vulnerable areas.

Letter to the minister in response to the CRA2 survey results In late January, a survey was presented to NZSFC clubs in the Auckland and Bay of Plenty regions regarding the state of CRA2.

The survey showed support for a letter to be sent to the Minister for Primary Industries, outlining our objection to the current crayfish management and requesting action. The letter was sent early June, highlighting the collapse of the crayfish stock due to a flawed management procedure and a lack of action. A summary of the survey was included in the letter.

Please read the letter here: http://www. nzsportfishing.co.nz/userfiles/file/CRA2Letter-Minister-NZSFC-June%202017.pdf

Submissions Since April, the NZSFC has submitted against increased catches in Red Cod 2 and Flatfish 3 (Hawkes Bay region). These were opposed primarily due to the uncertainty around these stocks and previous catch rates. Hawkes Bay Seafoods, a major harvester in the area, is currently undergoing trials for misreporting and illegal harvest, among other charges. NZSFC felt it would be irresponsible to increase catch based on figures that are known to be incorrect, and suggested waiting till the outcome of the trial is revealed before taking further action.

NZSFC submitted on the closure of the Southern Scallop fishery and the outcome is expected to be released early July. a. Red Cod 2 and Flatfish 3: The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) advised on June 1, 2017, that it was consulting on proposals to increase the total allowable catch for Flatfish 3 and Red Cod 2. This increase would apply from July 1 to September 30 (end of the fishing year).

Submissions were due by June 14, 2017.

The NZSFC submitted against the in-season increases, partly due to the uncertainty surrounding previous catchreporting highlighted by the current legal case against Hawkes Bay Seafoods. It was recommended that the outcomes of this case be sought before changes are made.

NZSFC recommended that the precautionary approach outlined the ministry’s Harvest Strategy Standard be upheld to ensure the sustainability of this fishery.

b.

Proposed temporary closure of Southern Scallops (SCA 7):

MPI released its consultation documents for a temporary closure of the scallop fishery in the Marlborough, Nelson and Tasman areas on May 10, 2017. Submissions were due on the May 31, 2017. The scallop fishery is generally open from July 15 – February 15. The Southern Scallop biomass is currently at the lowest recorded level and likely below the hard limit, too, the point where it is required to be closed.

A previous closure in the 2015/2016 fishing year had provided a slight improvement in the Marlborough Sounds, but Golden and Tasman Bay have continued to decline.

NZSFC submitted support for the further closure of this fishery to enable further recovery of these depleted areas. A closure of the nearby Port Gore was also supported to reduce a shift of pressure onto this small scallop population.

NZSFC requested a position on the working group be set up to facilitate the restoration of this area.

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LEGASEA UPDATE

THE LATEST FROM LEGASEA

Boat show Every year the Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show packs out the ASB showgrounds in Auckland for four days. The show draws crowds from all over the country to marvel at the incredible wares on display. This one was no exception, and what a show it was.

Thanks to the generous organisers, LegaSea once again took the opportunity to get face to face with some enthusiastic and dedicated members of the public.

Also on show, for the first time in public, was LegaSea’s new, best-practice guide: FishCare – School of best practice. This guide sets out the way for recreational fishers to minimise their impact on the marine environment and make the most out of their catch. The launch was a success, getting positive feedback from all those who learnt new waste minimisation and fish-handling techniques. New brochures and educational material were developed prior to the show so people could take extra copies home to share with friends and family.

With the help of ITM, LegaSea erected the Sea Wall. For a modest donation people could choose a fish, write a message on it, and stick it to the wall, to help ‘rebuild the fishery, one fish at a time’. People jumped at the chance to see their donations added to the wall, and the messages of support were truly encouraging. By the end of the show the fishery looked well and truly rebuilt, with little empty space left at all.

It’s always great to see how many people and businesses thrive off our marine environment, and without abundant fisheries events like this, they would be non-existent.

The happy families and smiling faces reminded the LegaSea team why we work so hard. Success for LegaSea is raising public awareness, by inspiring people to get on board with the need to restore our fisheries and marine productivity.

We’re so pleased that, due to this show, more people now understand successful fishing means good times with family and friends, healthy eating, and a thriving national economy.

The enthusiastic feedback from the public and recreational fishing industry indicates we are on the right track. Now the countdown starts for the 2018 show.

Field days Many farmers love a chance to get away from the paddocks every once in a while, in favour of a bit of R&R out on the big blue, and a fish or two for the frying pan definitely doesn’t go astray.

With this knowledge, the LegaSea team set sail in mid-May and joined the ITM

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team on their stand at the annual Fieldays event in Mystery Creek Hamilton. Fieldays is the largest agricultural come outdoor extravaganza in New Zealand.

ITM again stepped up, providing the materials and horsepower to build an impressive Sea Wall, more than four metres long and over two metres high.

After two days and quite a few donations the Sea Wall was starting to look like a virtual garden. By day three the Wall was that busy it was attracting all sorts of people, not just those interested in fishing.

Ultimately, it was so successful the ITM/ LegaSea stand won the Builders Base ‘Star of the Show’ Award. An honour that the team were truly proud of.

Matt Watson, star of the ITM Fishing Show and avid LegaSea ambassador, managed to take some time out to appear on the stand.

Thanks again Matt for all your help and support.

Fieldays 2017 was a fun few days for the team and we can’t wait to do it all again next year.

Urgent need for a Commission of Inquiry LegaSea responded quickly to news that the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) had failed to adequately monitor the video cameras being installed on commercial trawlers. In early June Newshub uncovered an MPI report acknowledging both the shortcomings of the cameras and that evidence gathered by the cameras is not likely to be admissible in court. LegaSea issued a statement calling for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into fisheries management and the Quota Management System (QMS).

MPI’s ongoing failure to carry out its statutory duties is disturbing. In the longterms interests of our country the mismanagement of our precious marine resources must stop.

NZ Fishing News’ Mark Kitteridge was one of hundreds of show patrons who supported LegaSea’s ‘fish wall’ at the Hutchwilco NZ Boat Show.

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However, the problems are so complex, and the relationship between MPI and commercial fishing interests so intertwined, that only a Royal Commission of Inquiry will be able to unravel the mess.

What’s more, public confidence in MPI is pitiful. An independent survey of over 1900 New Zealanders late last year found that over 70% of respondents agreeing with the question, “Do you think an independent inquiry into fisheries management and the Quota Management System is needed?” Only 4% thought a review was unnecessary.

An issue must satisfy certain requirements before a Commission of Inquiry may be implemented, these are: • there is considerable public anxiety about the matter • a major lapse in Government performance appears to be involved • circumstances giving rise to the inquiry are unique with few or no precedents • the issue cannot be dealt with through the normal machinery of Government or through the criminal or civil courts • the issue is in an area too new, complex or controversial for mature policy decisions to be taken.

• Given the above criteria an Inquiry is the only logical step forward.

The public no longer accepts that our Quota Management System is “world leading”. If we are to have faith in our Ministry and confidence that there will be fish for future generations it is essential that we stop and take a look at how we are managing our fisheries. MPI allowing flagrant dumping of catch and other illegal activity to go unpunished is not acceptable. We need to know that we can trust the Ministry to act in New Zealand’s best interest and not just cater to commercial interests, who are making money removing this precious resource without remorse.

To find out more visit us here and subscribe for updates. Follow LegaSea’s community engagement by liking us on Facebook

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NZMRF

O T E R E H W T X E N Never has MPI spent so much effort in reviewing a paper submitted for inclusion in the decision-making process on marine fishes management.

That was the immediate response we got from our ‘value of recreational fishing in New Zealand’ project. As one would have expected, the commercial fishing representatives did all they could to discredit and minimize the research, but in doing so they exposed the lack of effort MPI had placed in doing this type of research themselves.

It effectively put MPI in the position of either funding its own report or accepting the substance of our report. To ignore it was not really an option, otherwise our representatives would continually reproduce the outcomes for many years in all our recreational issues. After the

substantial review, MPI accepted the report and, in fact, now often quotes it in its own reports.

So where to now? It’s no secret that we need to implement follow-on research to maximise the impact of what has already been done. To find jobs, tax revenues and GDP affects the per kilo of fish harvested for like species. To give us ‘apples for apples’ comparisons of all direct and indirect economic contributions across the entire supply chain means comparing the total estimated economic contributions from recreational fishing versus those from commercial fishing for the specific species we both catch. A similar study commissioned in 2013 by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA is the US Sportfishing industry’s trade association) had the following findings:

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NZMRF 1. Anglers landed just 2% of the total marine finfish landings, compared to 98% by the commercial-fishing industry.

2. Saltwater fish landings by rec anglers contributed three times more to the national GDP than commercial fish landings.

3. The recreational sector achieved $152.24 in value-added or GDP, for every pound of fish landed, compared to the commercial sector’s $1.57 for a single pound of fish.

4. Within the jobs market, the recreational sector made up 54% of all the fishing sector’s jobs. This amounted to 455,000 recreational compared to 381,000 on the commercial side.

5. For every 100,000lb of fish landed, there were 210 recreational fishing jobs, but only 4.5 jobs in the commercial fishing industry.

Powerful stuff, and we are nearly there, as this would be an extension of the research already done in our initial paper. All we need is the funds to complete it; the trustees are exploring options to source the funds required - around $35,000-$50000 is required for this to be completed. As soon as we have this, we will commission the project.

New trustee We welcome new member Terry Creagh to the trustees. Terry, a representative of the Albany Sport Fishing Club and an active member of the NZ Sport Fishing Council, accepted his appointment as a NZMRF trustee at its last meeting.

Terry brings some welcome skills and experience to the NZMRF, thanks to past business interests, involvement in Spirit of Adventure, and his roles as board member of North Harbour Rugby and the welfare trustee of the NZRSA. This will bring the total number of trustees to six, which sits nicely in the range of a minimum of three and maximum of eight allowed under our deed.

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Albany Sport Fishing Club member Terry Creagh is the newest NZ Marine Research Foundation trustee.

CLUB PROFILE

Wairarapa Sports Fishing Club 38 Jetty Road, Castlepoint, Masterton

Est. 1989

T

he Wairarapa Sports Fishing Club began life organising shark-fishing competitions, with the cooler waters seeing very few marlin or yellowfin tuna caught locally. While some notable catches of mako sharks over 350kg have been made, the club has moved on from those days, to at one stage running a length-only competition.

Over the past six years the club has gone from strength to strength. A forward-thinking and hard-working committee, combined with loyal and generous sponsors, has seen club membership treble. Our eight-year-old clubrooms have showers, a toilet, and kitchen and lounge area, with furniture donated by the Gisborne Club. We are about to build an additional outdoor seating area.

There are also dedicated boat-wash facilities, a launching tractor and a covered filleting bay with freezers to store your bait and ice. Our game-fish gantry was kindly donated by the New Plymouth Club. We also have powered campsites available to club members.

The club runs five main competitions throughout the year, which are always well supported. We encourage a family-friendly atmosphere, with a bar operating on competition days, along with excellent sponsored prizes and free food.

Lounge area and Competition Day Living in the roaring forties with strong equinoxial winds mean the sea conditions can sometimes be a challenge, but this helps to protect our fishery and produce some excellent fishing. Main species caught are large tarakihi, blue cod, gurnard, groper, trumpeter, albacore tuna and some excellent kingfish. Snapper are finally starting to make a comeback.

Good sized Kingfish and Gantry The Castlepoint reef is very popular with land-based fishers and this combined with the abundant paua and crayfish make it a special place for both locals and visitors.

The iconic Castlepoint lighthouse, as seen on TV One news and weather, along with the majestic Castle Rock and rugged Mataikona coast, contribute to making this a unique NZ landscape.

Hopefully you will pay us a visit some time.

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24 â—† www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

TOURNAMENT PROFILE In this issue’s Tournament Profile, the winter events from two clubs feature.

$10,000

Given that the winter weather can be fickle, some clubs are resorting to extended fishing periods – anything from a week through to a month.

The Gisborne-Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club goes further than that, with its Harbourview Marine-Carpet Court Winter Tournament conducted over four months, ending on September 23, with the prizegiving following the next day.

The tournament is unique in that one of the sections is for fish caught on electric reels.

There is an open section for the popular species such as snapper, kingfish, trevally, kahawai, trumpeter, bluenose, gemfish, hapuku and blue cod, as well as an offshore section targeting broadbill and several tuna species.

The club says many of its anglers are having to go further and further offshore, which means

dropping down deeper and deeper to get onto their target species. While it is a sport-fishing club, GTSFC also sees the need to cater for anglers who choose to fish with this style of tackle.

There are over $10,000 in prizes to be won, and anglers can fish on as many days as they choose. Non-club members are also eligible to fish, and there is a section for juniors, too.

Auckland’s Mangere Boating Club has gone down a more traditional track with its Great Gurnard Chase event to be fished on July 15.

Sponsored by Ray White, this single-species, one-day event offers a $1000 first prize for the heaviest gurnard, $500 for second heaviest, and $300 for third. The average weight gurnard is worth $250.

Fishing can be inside the Manukau Harbour or outside – from Muriwai south to Port Waikato and all anglers on board must have a ticket.

Fishing can be from boat or shore.

3 June to 23 Sep 2017

Prizes for Open, Electric & Offshore

Reminder from The Club Captain You must enter at least the day prior to fishing, if office is closed register at the bar

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Mangere Bridge

Mangere Bridge

“GREAT GURNARD CHASE” FISHING COMPETITION 15th JULY 2017 1st PRIZE $1000 5 SEPTEMBER 2015 2ND PRIZE $500 3RD PRIZE $300 AVERAGE WEIGHT $250 AND SPOT PRIZES

HOSTED BY MANGERE BOATING CLUB KIWI ESPLANARD MANGERE BRIDGE TICKETS ONLY $25 AVAILABLE FROM MANGERE BOATING CLUB For more details and full set of rules contact: Mangere boating club 09 636 4673 mangereboating@xtra.co.nz 26 ◆ www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

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Auckland Office Phone 09 377 0907 • Email gofuel@plpl.co.nz • www.gofuel.co.nz