January 2021 - Issue 184 - The Fishing Paper and Hunting News

2020 will be remembered not only as the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also a time when Government actions had the most (potentially) adverse impacts on South Island marine recreational fishing.

Just to recap, as was proposed mid-year, Marine Protected Areas in the southeast would lock up in perpetuity some longstanding recreational fishing areas, including those adjoining Dunedin, and raise concerns about fisher safety if required to fish alternative areas.

As of 1 July, not only did the National Blue Cod Strategy reduce South Island daily bag limits by 50 to 80% while North Island limits remained unchanged, it ended the longstanding practice of filleting at sea. Also, fishers can no longer transit through an area with a larger catch legally taken in another area.

As of 1 October, the set-net ban precluded recreational netting even in estuaries and inlets where it has been done for over 100 years without any dolphin sightings, let alone mortalities. At the top of the South, the ban ironically allows netting beyond 4 nautical miles in known dolphin habitat.

As expected, these three issues make up Fish Mainland’s near-term priorities. Here is a brief update on

actions taken on each issue:

It appears the southeast MPA process is on hold as Fisheries New Zealand (now Oceans and Fisheries) undergo restructuring. When the process resumes, Fish Mainland will continue to work with the commercial fishing sector, Iwi and others to ensure each sector’s representatives work collaboratively and prioritise local views in solving local problems and therefore minimise impacts on existing users of the marine environment.

Fish Mainland will continue to assess fishers’ basis for concern about the blue cod rule changes. It will also be directly involved in Oceans and Fisheries’ evolution of the National Blue Cod Strategy through its use of an Expert Group. The scope of this group is to provide background knowledge and advice on the blue cod fishery and expert analysis and problem solving.

Fish Mainland will also be directly involved in providing a quantifiable basis for colour changes in the Strategy’s tra c light system. For this purpose, the former Fisheries New Zealand and Fish Mainland developed a system for recreational fishers reporting blue cod catch and bycatch.

The ban on set netting has already led to two public meetings at the top of the South, with further meetings to be scheduled. Their purpose will be to document where low or no-risk netting has occurred over the long term.

The aim will be for local fishers to work with o cials in advising the new Minister, Hon David Parker, regarding how the current ban might be adapted to allow netting in specified areas without compromising the objectives of the Dolphin Threat Management Plan.

These issues, with more to come, make it apparent that fishers benefit from Fish Mainland coordinating, representing and promoting their interests.

Finally, Fish Mainland is very fortunate to have had the generous financial support of the Myers Foundation Trust during its design and early launch stages. The Trust has recently confirmed it will match fund (dollar for dollar) other funds raised to a maximum of $200,000 during this year.

Now is the time to show your support by signing up and making what donation you can, which will be matched by the Myers Foundation Trust https:// www.fishmainland.nz/

Surprise salmon a stumper

Beginners luck paid off for Vicky Van Der Zwet of Rolleston when she caught

lagoon near the Rakaia

There were a few early salmon sighted in the lower Rakaia River in November, all in excellent condition having fed well while at sea.

The big South Island East Coast rivers, the Waimakariri, Rakaia, Rangitata and Waitaki have long been the focus of annual pilgrimages for many anglers chasing those sleek silver bullets called salmon. With more and more Kiwis traveling around New Zealand this summer, the opportunity is there to buy a

allowed to catch one

The aim of Fish Mainland is to provide a uni ed voice for the South Island marine recreational shing community. Its aim is also to demonstrate the ability to work respectfully and collaboratively with others to nd workable solutions that provide the best public outcomes.

Its vision is a healthy and abundant marine environment in which recreational shers have an equitable share of available sheries resources and are respected partners in management decisions.

The recreational shing sector is far more numerous, diverse and unde ned than the commercial shing sector and Iwi shing interests. As a sector, recreational shers remain largely unknown, except for a small proportion with membership to shing and boating clubs

If you are interested in and supportive of recreational shing and/or sustainable sheries management practices then become a member of Fish Mainland today

MEMBERSHIP IS FREE - JOIN TODAY

• AkeydevelopmentforFishMainlandisitsSouthIsland RecreationalFisheriesPolicy.

• ItspurposeistoguideandcoordinatetheactionsoftheSouth Islandrecreational shingsector,theCrown,Iwi,other shing sectorsandinterestsinrealisingopportunitiesandmeetingthe challengesfacingtherecreationalsectorinshared sheries.

• Shared sheriesarethosewherecommercial,recreationaland Māoricustomary shershaveasharedinterest,andtheyvalue theirsharequitedi erently.

Photo Credit

Alisa Mcgilvary-Howard

Fish and Game NZ

Vicki with her first salmon, a sizeable fish

Cracking the moki code

Blair Whiting

needed to put together a

Moki are a very selective feeder compared to snapper, since they will only eat baits. No pilchards or tuna strips here. The bait choice had to be mussel or paddle crab. I began surfcasting with chunks of mussel on a ledger rig in an attempt to catch one.

I immediately ran into my mussel was being ripped off the hook in seconds by pickers. I needed a strategy to keep the baits in the zone for longer. Eventually, I stumbled upon using biodegradable gauze bandages. I wrap a strip of this material around my mussel before binding it up tightly with elastic. This easily slips my circle hook through and creates an almost impenetrable bait.

Now that my bait issue was solved, it was time to

work out why I still wasn’t catching anything. A quick chat with a few moki experts told me that I should be

near some rocky reef. Once I had lined this up with a good tide and some good weather, I tried my strategy again. This time I hooked up. A bright blue dorsal appeared in the surf and I was over the moon. I landed photos and let it go.

Moments after the bait went back into the water, I landed yet another moki. This one was little smaller but a triumph all the same. I made a note of the conditions: Low swell height, low wind speed and the change of light. Another very important point I noted was both moki took the bait directly behind the breaker, barely 5 metres offshore. With some results to back up my effort, I was very motivated to catch one over 40cm and put the species well and truly to rest. A string of failures followed, with no hook-ups and barely a moki seen.

Finally, when it all seemed lost, a perfect forecast appeared. This time I took the tide timing into account. With a 7.30pm low tide right

the light faded, the

again. This time it was a proper rod bending bite. I scrambled to grab the rod in

Finance to float

as

elusive

order to keep the line tight. After a short battle in the surf, my prize was washed up onto the sand. A 47cm

blue moki lay, sparkling neon blue. If I could describe

moment. The culmination of hours of waiting, researching

and failing, all combined to create this moment of achievement. Now that I’ve cracked the code, it’s time for a big one.

Blair finally cracked the moki code

Daryl Sykes reports on the Australian rock lobster industry’s recent rocky relationship with its most important trading partner and reflects on the plight of…

The Christmas lobster tail

were not sustainable and, for everyday Australians to afford lobster, the market would have to one day crash.

Andrew Lawrie of Sky Seafoods said at the time that strong Chinese demand meant local sales were not affordable and he was hoping the export price would not get too high for Christmas …”Or people just will not buy lobsters for Christmas,” he said.

Sails Restaurant owner

Adam Brooks, from Robe in South Australia, said his customers were not willing to pay the export price for lobsters.

“That’s the hardest thing, trying to pass that cost onto your guests without feeling like you’re ripping them off,” he said.

Mr Brooks said the price of rock lobsters was reminiscent of a larger issue with Australian seafood.

“It’s the same with all Australian seafood. It’s cheaper for us to buy imported seafood than Australian products, but the quality of the Australian product is better.”

Southern Rock Lobsters were selling for about AU$85 per kilo mid-way through 2016, but prices reached as high as $125 per kilo that year. China, with an insatiable appetite for the crustaceans, was and is Australia’s largest market for Southern Rock Lobsters.

Mr Brooks believed prices

Be careful for what you wish for

Fast forward to November 2020 and that is exactly what has happened to the Australian lobster industry—their main market has crashed due to a geopolitical dispute between Australia and China.

2020, China imported 5,080 metric tonnes of Australian rock lobsters, down 25% in volume and 33% in value on the previous year.

But in early November, loads of live rock lobsters were sitting on the tarmac at airports in Australia stalled from being exported to China due to a trade dispute between the two countries. Tonnes of live Australian lobsters were also stranded on the tarmac at a Chinese airport, prompting fears they were the next victims in the ongoing trade dispute between Australia and China.

The lobsters were facing Chinese customs clearance issues as exporters ran out of time to get them into restaurants and shops before they are spoiled.

To mitigate this risk, a decision was made by many exporters to stop sending shipments to China. In fact, they did not have much choice. Australian rock

lobsters, along with beef, barley and wine, have been caught in rising tensions between Australia and China in recent months after multiple disputes over the coronavirus, Hong Kong, and foreign interference in Australian domestic politics. And neither side is showing

served at banquets and highend restaurants.

Domestic discount dollars fleet saviour?

Back to South Australia—a recent newspaper story reports, “The price of seafood is slashed for South Australians as tensions with

signs of backing down. The disruption curbs a recent recovery for Australian rock lobster, which is heavily geared toward sales to China. China’s economy has rebounded postCOVID-19, and weddings and celebrations that were postponed are now going ahead. This fuelled strong demand for rock lobsters

China escalate. Supermarket chain Drakes is planning on cashing in on the ongoing trade dispute, cutting the cost of lobster to levels never seen before”.

Drakes are reported to be selling lobsters for as little as AU$75/kg ahead of Christmas as producers turn to the local market to help

Western rock lobster fishing vessel – bins of live lobsters destined for eastern states

in the world, the product usually retails for about $125/kg during the summer period.

But that marketing effort is already being undone by large quantities of Western Australian lobsters being offered for sale to the Australian domestic market. Western rock lobster

as little as AU$25/kg at the boat and State producers are ‘exporting’ to the Sydney and to major domestic hospitality businesses. There are so many ‘cheap’ frozen Western lobsters in the Sydney market that several of the main players in the boutique and usually very valuable NSW lobster industry are still tied up at the wharf.

Elsewhere around the Australian coast the story is pretty much the same. There are plenty of export quality lobsters being offered to domestic consumers at discount prices. The volume of sales over the Christmas/ New year period might be just enough to keep the

wait for the dispute with China to subside.

Dark clouds and tarnished linings

And in the meantime?

Where are the Chinese obtaining the highly prized southern rock lobsters that have established themselves as the premium seafood product amongst discerning Chinese consumers? New

Zealand exporters are maintaining a steady supply subject to the availability of air freight capacity and the vagaries of border clearances in China. Prices are not extravagant, but they have been steady, particularly through the month of November. The dark cloud over the Australian lobster industry does not have a particularly bright silver lining for New Zealand producers; in fact, they are glad just to still be in business.

Some random critical comments by our new Minister of Foreign Affairs and her Prime Minister have clearly caught the ear given what happened in Australia, some in the New Zealand seafood industry are becoming increasingly nervous about possible repercussions. And yes, if you are in the retail market for a Christmas lobster you can buy at prices comparable to Australia—go online and check the deals. Yes, you can buy direct vessel. Wharf sales of rock lobsters are allowed subject to the quantity of individual transactions and mandatory

to harvest your own, there is to be had in the lead-up to Christmas and through to mid-January. If you cannot see the bottom at low tide then you are looking too deep. Stay safe.

Domestic market promotion in South Australia – a sign of the times

Cou a’s Cut: Coutta

Cop up a crooked river

Things have gone a bit quiet on the political front. The government appears to be attempting to be sensible, the Greens are being a bit conspicuous by their silence and ‘Twig and Tweet’ haven’t really done anything stupid that pissed people off coming up to Christmas. Still, the year has just hatched so don’t hold your breath.

Until covid burst into our lives, ‘Lynne the Ruthless’ and I were talking about a trip back to Darwin, where we had spent six years in the late 70s and early 80s. Both of our kids were born there so the place holds a special place in my heart. The special. Sorry girls but your old man is honest if nothing shows featuring the Territory and the barramundi takes me back to the days I was young and probably stupid to frequent the billabongs around Oenpelli. Long trips up and down the East Alligator River in a 12ft punt with a badly bent front, courtesy of ‘the Ruthless’

miscalculating the height of the carport when the boat was on the back of the ute. Young because I was and stupid due to the place being pretty well populated with saltwater crocodiles, a lot that were considerably longer than the punt. Back then a chilly bin full of cold cans wasn’t frowned upon but deemed a necessity to keep a person hydrated in temperatures around 30 degrees.

police station was

adhered to

Gill nets being strung across creeks leading into the main river were apparently a problem. Troupe, my red heeler and I spent hours and days looking for them in the 30 mile stretch between Cahills Crossing and the mouth of the east Alligator River. I never found one in three years of patrolling but ‘unintendedly’ located quite a few prime barramundi

On one of these ‘patrols’ I on the bank. Okay, I admit it I broke the law and shot one. They were great eating. While I was on the bank plucking it, Troupe took off onto the plain, which was covered in grass probably three foot high. I wasn’t too concerned until he started barking and I saw the grass moving quite violently and heading right in my direction. Thinking he was chasing a pig I dropped the half-plucked turkey and set myself up to try and grab it.

I’ll tell you what, I bloody near crapped myself when a crocodile about eight foot long came tearing out of the grass with Troupe hot up its backside. I sidestepped the croc and managed to grab Troupe who was set to chase it into the water. Troupe and I had some very meaningful dialogue that day.

I was meaning to tell you about some barramundi

month. Perhaps when I grow up and mature a bit Crimpy will give me a bit more space in the paper.

Hope you had a good New Year and this one treats us better than the last.

Strait into the fish

Tamzin Henderson

restrictions), with the largest bluey hitting 59cm. Luck wasn’t on our side with the groper but we had another day up our sleeve.

A thumper of a bluie

The forecast wasn’t too favourable for an overnight trip with the wind swinging from a strong northerly to strong southerly through we caught great numbers of tarakihi, perch and cod (outside of the Sounds cod

We steamed back through Tory Channel and out to little Waikawa to spend the night. Once on anchor up gurnard well into the evening.

The weather had calmed a little in the morning and the tides were favourable so it was back into the Strait for cod and groper. With

fairly full bins and some time to kill, we anchored so a couple of boys could jump in for a dive. They successfully shot moki collecting crays and kina. Overall we caught 14 which allows individual

In a time where we can’t travel overseas, weekend or becoming more popular and after a fantastic weekend, we can understand why.

TOPWATER FISHING GEAR

now in store

Sweet as

hands into the air and call appropriately and gathering

“Sweet

Gotta love my man. He, who understands and supports my hunting obsession. He, who cheerfully waves me away into torrential rain, temperatures. I feel free and freed and blessed indeed.

The dogs rouse themselves from dry kennels and squint into the sideways rain. They recognise my ‘appropriate attire’ and bound forth with an enthusiasm very similar to mine. If they could verbalise “yeeehaaa,” they would. If I could sprint, tussle and cock my leg on the garden as they do, I would.

In the forest the creek crossings are formidable. carries debris and hapless insects, boulders rumble and back eddies are crowned

with off-white foam. The ute creates a bulging bow-wave as I idle through, debris thudding against my door. Window wipers slap and slide. Rain tumbles down and a southeast wind whips sleety squalls like an angry dominatrix. While all else is sodden, my enthusiasm is not dampened one jot. Out then. Amongst it.

Like the old Colgate Fluoroguard advert said, “eet does get een!”

Dogs’ sprints, piddles and larking ebbs, then a steady work ethic kicks in. We zigzag up a steep forest track. Zig, wind in our face. Zag, wind at our back. Hairpin corner after hairpin corner, zig, zag and zig again. Z’s till Pearl and her son sniff a scent on a favourable gust and go seek.

I see them. On the opposite face they begin powering through the long wet grass, son leading mum, forcing themselves through blackberry vines and sidestepping thickets. There, ahead of them, appears a ginger-bred sow. She is running for her life. She is built like a torpedo, her streamlined form sending showers of droplets over her on her own home range and

despite her urgency she is clever about every aspect of her escape.

As the dogs begin to gain on her, when her capture is inevitable, the ginger sow disappears as miraculously as she had appeared earlier. From my vantage point I cannot see her. All I see is two dogs, who’re impeded by tangling vegetation. Their vision is blurred. Their noses and hearing are redundant in the wind and downpour. They loop in tight circles, dive into thickets, bounce high in an effort to see. Up, down, around and around.

Pearl, experienced as ever, realises they’ve been duped. She ranges in ever

a scent trail. Then they’re off, sprinting around the face, around the ridge and gone. I am familiar with the trajectory of runaway pigs hereabouts, the most likely escape route crosses a forest road back yonder. A glance at my tracking receiver the road I go, away from the tangling blackberry and away from the dousings of drip-laden trees.

Pearl and Nugget have made a good recovery and caught their quarry just before she’d reached the

road crossing. On hearing them, Chop and I break into a run. It’s then I register the slow-moving ruckus of squealing pig and growling dogs is trundling towards beehives beside the road. Lots of hives. Hives who’s winged workforce are housebound due to the weather conditions. A workforce who’re ill-tempered after being indoors all day. This is bad.

I try to run faster. Try to ignore boots heavy with swilling water, clothes

my shoulder, cold stiff limbs unwilling to be hurried. Then

there’s age, more than half a century of age. My ‘faster’ resembles a slow-motion scene in a movie. The emphasis on s-l-o-w.

Thank goodness for the downhill section at the end and for gravity. I arrive in style before grabbing hairy legs, twisting then turning the pig over bodily. Knife in. Blood out. Time, just, to marvel somewhere along the line the ginger-bred pig has peeled off into the never-never, side-stepping in a manner the dogs have continued straight past her and onto the scent of this sow, which is purest black. Unlucky for some.

My buzz over, the chase and capture is necessarily brief as Chop struts over and insults the neighbours. He takes a leak on the corner of their hive. Worse, Nugget follows suit. Like father, like son.

The crowd of irate bees assembling en masse at their hive entry are certain a human is a most likely culprit. Sweet about me?

about me. All that stuff about being handicapped by boots, clothes, limbs and age, it was a lie. I can run quite quickly for an old-timer, oh yes I can!

Kim Swan Chop takes a leak again

Skinhead snaps

recently found out he had

he would spend weeks and

Being the incredible guy he is, he decided to shave his head to raise funds for leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand. In support of him, 26 others and I shaved heads to raise funds, making

a part of this, even though I now have an extremely cold head most the time.

The very next day Dad and I headed out for a snapper

water temperature now sitting at around 16 degrees we were sure there were snapper to be found. We anchored up in front of Rabbit Island at about the 10m mark. The week’s

Sam Boothroyd

was murky and the looming clouds above us were not encouraging but we felt it was worth a try.

After a few hours we had bin and then my rod bent over and started doing the classic snapper head-shakes.

a beautiful 45cm fat snapper surfaced. I was stoked, the

cheeky bugger had taken down both hooks of my

one go so it was obviously hungry. I reckon it was my cold, bald head that really

I was the only one who got the goodies that night, with a few other decent snapper coming aboard and a massive kahawai for the

smoker.

After a big clean up I got to work on dinner and cooked the snapper my favorite way, the classic breadcrumbed

and fried. I also made smoked kahawai paté to go on top, with mackerel ceviche on the side. What a way to end an awesome evening on the water.

Canal Classic rod Mackenzie Country inspiration

one of the new options

Designed and developed in Japan, the Canal Classic utilises selected quality components. It’s built around a high performance 40 ton graphite blank.

FUJI® reel seat, is designed

to provide the ultimate in sensitivity. To top it off, the ALPS™ guides and EVA grips. It also comes with a hook keeper. The twostunning appearance.

Measuring 2.51m (8’3”), the rod has a light-medium action with a line weight range of 4-12lb and a maximum lure weight of 18g.

The Canal Classic is

purpose built for those who appreciate the sensitivity required for egg rolling but it also provides enough stiffness to set a soft plastic or spinning lure. Prior to the rods release, it has undergone extensive that all of those involved are extremely impressed. The Canal Classic is available now. Make sure you check it out at your favourite tackle store.

All in all, it is a great start to the top of the south snapper season and I put it all down to my haircut. Hopefully bigger and better

For the Mustang, hunter, fisher, tractor, car enthusiast, man-cave and more, there is a sign here on display at our show room to suit everyone. New stock arriving daily now for Christmas so visit us at Ellis Street Auto, Ph 03 542 4035 104a Ellis Street, Brightwater, Nelson From only $30 these signs make amazing gifts Tin Signs

Tim Clark

Another great fish on the Canal Classic

This greedy snapper took both hooks

RIGS YOU CAN TRUST

Memphis Hurren - Snapper 5/0 Chartreuse Snapper Snack®

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SNAPPER SNACKS®

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PISTOL SHOOTING

Brian Bishop

Is your pistol ge ing a whipping?

How long will we be able to keep this up? The anti-gunners are getting stronger and it seems a big percentage of shooters don’t give a damn or haven’t woken up to the changing world. Anti-gunners are working hard to disarm everyone and have no understanding or care that and the most humane tool for farmers and others. Then you have the sporting community who help with training for the use of and compete the same as any other sport. If we want to keep our right to use them, we need to think now and start getting together.

The

autumn of Brunner browns

trees exposing where

Stopping off at Moana for water and change for the ramp honesty box, we enjoyed a traditional exchange with Dave, before launching the boat. While

doing so, a character pulled up and I asked if he had a rod with him.

“No, just looking but I’ve got a licence for next season in September,” he said.

That was a bit puzzling, odd who you meet when out

It wasn’t a bad day out there with mist layers around the mountains but no rain or wind, so optimism levels began to rise.

Being at the point where autumn oozes into the start

This Government has shown nothing but contempt towards licence holders so far, which means we are in for a bad three years at the least.

How many of you belong to a shooting organisation or club? Who joined COLFO either as a member or the Fair & Reasonable Campaign? Because if you aren’t in one or all of these, then you are not helping in who want to keep shooting. The number of people who signed up to COLFO was shamefully low and even lower numbers reached into their pockets to help. This was bitterly disappointing because without our help these support networks cannot function.

You may not agree or even like what COLFO or any of the other organisations are doing in order to try and keep our rights. To do nothing and then cry your rights have been taken away is shameful. These organisations are doing all they can, the best way they can. Some are working on the longer game but they are are you doing? How much have you helped the cause? Did you talk to members of parliament, write letters, do submissions? If you can’t

then you had better start looking for a new hobby, because if you aren’t helping us, you are helping those against us by weakening our side.

In numbers there is power and the government only care about power and votes. The media are against us too, so we have trouble getting the truth out to the general public about what’s happening. It is way past time to start helping to defend yourselves and your rights before they are gone. For me, no matter what, I will be able to say in years to come I did all I could and over and get whipped.

of winter, there were few boats about–just the odd duck hunter and a lone jet skier describing silly circles. The natural world was represented by a white heron working the edges, some nervous waterfowl and

Overhead the sun expended most of its energy trying to get through the cloud ceiling, which meant keeping the layers of clothing on throughout the entire performance.

knot buoys, the Osprey was pointed toward a regular starting point as line was paid out in the hope of

modest brownie in the very skinny water. Didn’t see the take, only felt the resistance, then it took off, to be played out, netted and let go.

The lake was very low, to the point the boat was grounded in places we normally navigate with ease. An eye was kept on waters

water. As soon as the line wafted out, the bow waves went in the wrong direction—not toward the casting of course. It wasn’t what you’d call a great day but any time on the water is better than staying at home. Lunch was enjoyed in a quiet, sheltered reach, while airs dropped away and

off, creating some nice of ‘today’s view from my to a mate and then the action

thin

A somewhat indifferent day on Brunner but, with a bit of rain to add depth to the lake, we’ll try our fortunes again.

Lake Brunner low

A Lake Brunner brown

Photo Credit Quinton Gately

Summer wharf tactics

Blair Whiting

see other anglers struggling

Many sabikis are too large for the smaller mouthed species on offer. I have always found going away from these to be the best bet at catching lots of the small mullet, spotties, mackerel and especially piper. Fly hooks are extremely strong and are produced small mouths. This is where I

hooks catch everything.

I recommend size 14 or 16 as a starting point for tiny gauge hooks may sound like they would snap under bugger all load but, I assure

example my 3.6kg kahawai on a size 16, with a bait smaller than a pinkie nail.

two-hook ledger on 8–10lb

By tiny, Blair means TINY

trace and weigh it down with a 1-ounce sinker at the bottom. I recommend squid as a tough bait that won’t come off. Piper are particularly vulnerable to this tactic since they struggle mouth.

Load up some braid to a light spin set and you will detect more bites with the zero-stretch line. Most of these species pick the bait up quite lightly so the extra

feeling increases your hook up rate.

The water column is a very interesting part of wharf different species for each part. Starting at the surface

yellow eyed mullet. Mid mackerel, kahawai and trevally. On the bottom:

and parore patrol. Lower the bait down into each of these sections to catch different

Dennis will be involved in sales, parts and servicing and brings over 20 years experience in the marine industry

Harris, Heath Hendrickson and Luke Blanchet will guarantee our customers get the

increase your chances

Mix it up well until you basically have porridge. Throw small chunks out every few minutes and you

Simply lower your line into the action and wait for someone to make a mistake.

wasted

boring, put a live one down. It’s amazing how many different predators can hang out around wharves. This is a great school holiday activity and highly rewarding even for adults. Many of these skills carry over to at catching live bait is a big am very thankful for the time I spent on the wharf.

YOU WANNA TOTALLY ESCAPE STRESS? GET A BOW & ARROW

Tiny hooks for this tenacious kahawai

Ecosystem approaches to pāua fisheries

Ecosystem approaches to fisheries (EAF) is becoming an increasingly popular concept in fisheries management. It reflects the understanding that proper fisheries management requires consideration of the wider ecosystem that fisheries species rely on, rather than focusing solely on a species of interest. The starting point for the application of EAF with pāua is understanding the key habitats and species interactions that support and influence the fishery.

Firstly, it is important to understand the life cycle of the pāua and the habitats that support di erent life stages. Adult (sexually mature) pāua live in rocky reef habitats, generally between depths of 1 to 10m, where they tend to thrive in wave exposed areas with large boulder and gutter type substrate. The main food source for adult pāua is drift algae (detached and broken up bits of seaweed), and when possible, their preference is for brown and red algae rather than green. Reproduction occurs through ‘broadcast spawning’ involving the simultaneous release of gametes (eggs and sperm) into the water column where fertilization and development of larvae occurs. Larvae exist in the water column for about 10 days, after which they eventually settle coralline algae covered boulders (the pink rocks you see on rocky reefs) in 1-2m of water,

and start to develop into juvenile pāua. Newly settled and juvenile pāua feed by grazing on bacteria and the algal films on the surfaces they inhabit. For the first three years of life, juvenile pāua live in ‘cryptic’ habitats under boulders and crevices where they generally cannot be seen. Pāua start to emerge onto more open reef habitats after about three years when they are 80-100mm, which generally coincides with the onset of maturity.

Other important ecosystem considerations are the predators and competitors that a species interacts with in its environment. While several species have been observed to eat pāua, including crayfish, octopus and fish (e.g., blue cod), their main predator is the seven arm starfish.

Predation of pāua by all predators is most significant during the juvenile life phase. A competitor is a di erent species that competes for resources. For pāua, the most significant competitor is kina. Kina can compete with pāua food and habitat resources, and there is some scientific evidence that on small scales, a high abundance of kina can lead to a reduction in pāua numbers.

So what e ects does harvesting pāua have on their ecosystems? Generally, the ecosystem e ects of pāua fishing are considered to be minimal. In the scientific literature, abalone—the family to which pāua belong—are not considered to be a ‘keystone’ species, meaning their removal does not significantly a ect their environment. Pāua do not have a significant influence on the abundance of seaweeds, as while they have been documented to feed on live (attached)

The seven-arm starfish is the primary predator of pāua. Note the discharge response from one pāua used to try to distract and divert the predator (Photo: Geo Laing).

Dr. Tom McCowan - Pāua Specialist

in ‘cryptic’ habitats where they are hidden from predators.

seaweeds, it is broken down drift seaweed that makes up the vast majority of the diet. Conversely, species such as kina that feed on attached plants can significantly deplete seaweeds, most commonly observed as ‘kina barrens’—high density kina aggregations on denuded reef. There is some anecdotal evidence to suggest that pāua harvesting could promote

the establishment of kina barrens by reducing competition for food and space for kina, however, pāua do not typically inhabit areas where widespread kina barrens occur. Harvesting pāua is also unlikely to have adverse e ects on their many predators. Most pāua predators, and in particular the seven arm starfish are considered ‘generalists’ (they feed on a wide range of species), so removal of pāua from the environment is unlikely to impact them, especially when predation is mainly on juvenile pāua that are not removed during harvesting.

A secondary consideration with EAF is the e ect that the physical act of harvesting and potential bycatch has on fisheries ecosystems. The only legal way of harvesting pāua is by hand gathering, usually with the assistance of a blunt tool or pāua knife. This means the impact of harvesting itself is negligible when compared to some other fishing methods (e.g., dredging for scallops). Hand

gathering pāua is also highly selective, meaning there is zero bycatch involved with pāua harvesting.

So while pāua have a reasonably complex life history involving a range of habitats, food requirements and interactions with other species, the overall impact of harvesting pāua is unlikely to have noticeable e ect on pāua ecosystems. Consequently, there is probably little that can be done to improve practices to enhance EAF in our pāua fisheries, although there is interest from industry in identifying and mapping out habitats of particular significance for pāua. There is still value in having a general understanding of the ecosystem interactions at play for pāua, and other species where ecosystem e ects may be more apparent. This is particularly so in the context of changing environmental stressors (e.g., ocean warming and sedimentation), which could potentially amplify ecosystem interactions for New Zealand’s favourite fisheries species.

Juvenile pāua live

Note the pink coralline algae important for settlement and food for juvenile pāua (Photo: Tom McCowan)

Big Foot no myth

Enthusiastic pāua diver Hilary Ayrton displays a monster fish taken on a recent dive in southern waters. Healthy shellfish stocks are the result of robust management e orts of the pāua industry in conjunction with government fisheries policies.

The editor would be interested to hear of your largest pāua caught, as it would be interesting to see how big these fish grow locally: editor@thefishingpaper.co.nz

Stargazer - Monkfish

General Description.

This generic name probably came about due to the fact that the eyes look skyward from atop an ugly bullish head. This by burying into silt, with the eyes protruding. Six species are present around New Zealand, the most popular

It has a mottled olive brown colouration above, fading to white underneath. The body tapers from a

prominent spine points backwards from the base

of the pectoral spines. They average 30-50cm and grow as large as 60cm. The mouth points upward from the front of the head.

Distribution. Stargazers are common throughout our coastal about the lower South Island. Their range includes shallow water and estuaries down to around 600m along the shelf.

Targeting Stargazers. This species has perfected the art of ambush, burying itself in the sediment and

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they pass. For this reason it is seldom caught by recreational anglers. While they are occasionally taken when dragging nets, they are more commonly picked up in

Spearing at night for occasional one to the table.

Limits.

Southern - Combined daily

limit. Minimum set net mesh 100mm.

Other areas - No bag or

size limits. Minimum set net mesh 100mm.

Food Qualities.

bulldog and boof suggest they are held in low regard and discarded as a misconception, because the for good reason.

suitable for all cooking methods.

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Pig hunters poisoned by cocky

lunch when the phone

“Hey ya wanna go for a hunt over Stanley Brook today?” he asked. “I’ll pick

you up in 20 minutes.”

I scoffed down my lunch, got my knife and belt and, true to his word, 20 minutes later Shane turned up on the drive in his silver ute, with a bunch of excited dogs on

the back.

“We’re off to Jack Carlton’s,” Shane told me, “he’s had a few pigs coming down from the forest, so I thought we’d check it out.”

Between us and the farm we were heading to is the Stanley Brook hill. At the base of the hill was a sharp right-hand hairpin off the main road onto a gravel road and four kilometres up the valley to Jack Carlton’s farm.

As we headed up

saw three pigs on

up the road and let

the paddock to the other two another pig about the same size. We made short work of it and I dressed it out, while Shane went back to the other one and dressed it out.

Shane, being the good bloke, decided we would go see Jack and see if he wanted one of the pigs.

We pulled into Jack’s driveway and he came out to meet us.

“Gidday guys,” he said, “how’d you get on?”

“Good, we got a couple— we thought we’d come see if you wanted one,” Shane said.

“Yeah sure,” Jack said enthusiastically.

Jack selected his pig and we took it around the back of the house where Charlie Apiata, Jack’s farm worker, was waiting. Jack said,

telltale squeal telling us the holders had

I could see the dogs had a 60lb pig in the paddock but there were only three dogs on it. Then there was more barking and the sound of a good scrap going on. We pig and sent the dogs down

“Hey hang about while I skin this thing.”

After a half hour of general chatting and skinning and dismembering we bagged up the cut up animal.

“Grab a seat fellas,” said Jack.

We sat down at an old wooden picnic table. Behind Jack were two fridges. Jack opened the

bottles of what looked to be a very golden lager and

liquid gold. He plonked a bottle in front of each of us, then went to the second fridge and pulled out four more bottles, which I think were slightly larger than the what looked like used engine oil that had been sitting for a few years. It was like a black sludge. He gave us a handle each.

“Righto boys, put a third of the gold one in your glass and top it up with the dark one, and Bob’s your uncle,” Jack explained.

Being only a young lad at the time and not much of a drinker, this tonic, in my opinion, should be used only for medicinal purposes. After three handles of the noxious brew, my body was all tingly and I was feeling quite happy—this truly was good stuff.

Not going to be outmatched by the cunning farmer and his cheeky sidekick, we tried to match them glass for glass. After

emptied, we started round two. By this stage, I was feeling not much at all, as my whole body was numb

Steve Robinson

but I was really, really happy. There was no way we could match the stamina of the two old-timers. Somewhere in the third round, Shane and I must have decided enough was enough.

I can remember two, very nearly empty bottles in front of me but can’t remember if I next day still dressed, boots and all, with the biggest hangover I’d ever had, wondering how on earth we got home.

Shane rang, asking if I had driven home. He’d woken up on his back porch, curled up under a Swandri, but his ute wasn’t there. I told him I couldn’t remember even getting home, let alone who drove, and didn’t know where the ute was. I went outside to see if it was on the driveway, at the same time, Shane was checking his place.

The guardians of the Carlton estate had dropped us off and we couldn’t even remember!

We don’t stop into Jacks very often after a hunt now.

way and the substance in those fridges was best left outbreaks of coronavirus.

Sinker to Smoker

Ron Prestage

Surfcasting success relies

line and then deciding to

get that attraction reaction

That a raction reaction

West Coast beaches targeting snapper I have found good quality arrow squid to be a reliable, tough bait. Disappointment at the quality of packet squid bait years ago saw me sourcing bulk squid bait from

frozen 10kg shatter packs of quality bait squid have served me well and usually contains large specimens of pearly white arrow squid. These large squid can be cut

baits. A further key to success with such baits is keeping them in a chilly bin at the beach to maintain the fresh quality.

Pilchard is another good snapper bait but only lasts

on the hook in benign surfcasting conditions, very rare on the West Coast. However, if conditions are right, pilchard, tied on with plenty of bait elastic, can be a winner. A 5kg box of well spent.

Bait choice is governed by the species you are targeting. If rig is your target you need to be using the food they eat, paddle crabs. You can get one over the rig by using prawns for bait. Even though these crustaceans are not in their New Zealand diet, rig can be tricked into chomping on Australian banana prawns. The rig’s

THE ORIGINAL 30 SECOND TENT SECONDS TO PITCH. SECOND TO NONE.

well-developed sense of smell is their downfall I guess.

Frozen bait is very convenient but the old saying, ‘fresh is best’, has some merit. If I am targeting snapper and a hapless kahawai is landed, more often than not it will end up

in bloody chunks on the end of the line again. Snapper love fresh kahawai and it is a genuinely tough bait.

Other examples of fussy

moki who go for mussels.

Some surfcasters swear by

surfcasting success or prefer to catch their baits in crab pots or by using sabiki rigs to catch yellow-eye mullet, another good snapper bait. Whether it’s fresh or frozen, the bait is where it all starts from so the time and money is well spent when you hook that beauty in the surf.

Channel 01 – Mt. Stokes

Coverage from Cape Farewell in the south to Cape Egmont in the north, and the east from Cape Palliser to Cape Campbell.  Most of the Marlborough Sounds, Golden Bay, Tasman Bay , Wellington and Cook Strait.  At times. This channel may be workable outside these perimeters.

Channel 04 – Drumduan.

Covers Tasman Bay and the western d’Urville area.

Permanently linked to both channels 60 and 65.  This means that any transmission made on channel 04 is heard simultaneously on both channels 60 and 65 and vice versa.

Channel 60 – Mt. Burnett

Covers Kahurangi Point in the west, all of Golden Bay and the western side of d’Urville Island.  Channel 60 is permanently linked to channel 04  (and subsequently to channel 65) so any transmission made on channel 04 is heard on channel 04, 60, and 65 as well.

Channel 63 – Mt. Kahikatea.

Covers Queen Charlotte Sound, Port Underwood, Cook Strait, south to Cape Campbell, Kapiti and Mana and also parts of Kenepuru and Pelorus Sounds.  This channel is good for Wellington approaches but not good within Wellington Harbour.  (Mariners are advised to cancel Trip Reports at Barrets Reef buoy).

Channel 65 – Paradise Reserve

Covers Kenepuru and Pelorus Sounds, Havelock, d’Urville, western Cook Strait, parts of Tasman Bay, Golden Bay and large sections of Queen Charlotte Sound.

Channel 66 – Mt. Stokes

Coverage area is similar to Channel 01.  This repeater is for commercial users only and is not operator monitored.

Channels 01 and 63 are linked for the marine forecasts only and one operator monitors both channels.

Channels are monitored 0700 hrs to 2200 hrs all year round

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A doggone chamois, here!

Elliot Hendry

BOOK REVIEW

pack on the little plateau

After setting up my tent I carried on up the ridge, stopping now and again to glass the surrounding mountainside. A few prints were evident here and there, which kept my spirits up and I soon bumped into a hind and fawn. Seemingly knowing they were safe from me, she stopped and watched before departing into the scrub. They were the only animals I saw that evening, but I couldn’t have cared less as I munched on my back country meal in the fading light; it was just great being back up high in the hills away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. The next morning dawned as the previous one, with not a cloud in sight so I quickly broke camp and carried on up the ridge again, intending to sidle around several gullies before dropping back

down into the main valley.

glassing spot, I’d barely got to work when my dog started winding and showing interest in the gully below us. Standing up for a look, an animal running away caught my eye. A chamois! Not what I was expecting to see in this particular area but a very welcome surprise.

pack, I checked there was no kid with it and the horns were well above the ears. Luckily, it stopped to look back as they often do before disappearing and I dropped it with a solid shot straight through the shoulder. Making my way down to it, I found it was a barren doe with a nasty eye injury

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Nine Lives

Expeditions to Everest

Robert Mads Anderson

Bateman Books

RRP $40

Reviewed by Simon Scott

Lives refers to those nine expeditions where Anderson was truly alive but it is also a portent of inevitable death.

so I didn’t feel too bad about mistaking it for a buck. I took all the meat and the head as the forecast southerly cloud began to ominously roll in. With a fair bit more weight on board already I decided to cut short my day on the tops and headed straight back down the hill and onto the main track back home.

the world closer to the sky than the ground!

Nine Lives recounts the ordeals surrounding these ascents, including a near attempt of Everest. Death is synonymous with tales of Everest but so is living. Distilled from Anderson’s evocative writing is the purity of life high altitude mountaineers experience when constantly shadowed by death. Hence Nine

go to

Much of Anderson’s writing is introspective and he forges this with the minutiae of altitude climbing so the pages grow cold under your grip. Through his recounting of climbing without oxygen, bivouacking or sleeping in the open at over 8000m, tumbling in an avalanche and hallucinating while being oxygen deprived, the real sense of Everest seeps

GET IT!

Nine Lives is a compelling and enlightening read, taut triumph, tragedy and relief. Very unlikely to disappoint.

I wish all my followers a happy and prosperous New Year.

By the time you read this, Christmas will have come and gone, days will be shortening and nights will lengthening, next month will be the last month of summer. Now is a good time to plan for the forthcoming Roar and for hunting and shooting pests at night.

Many New Zealand hunters have embraced our new thermal technology, though there is still a strong following of hunters who choose a night vision alone hunting solution, or often in combination

held thermal imagers. The fact is that whilst Pulsar thermal imagers are always improving, so is our night vision equipment. A Pulsar or a night vision forward attachment is, and always has been, the best available.

• The best image quality in all light conditions due to the advanced NIR (near infrared) sensor and precision ground optics

Shooting with Pulsar night vision riflescopes.

• Robust waterproof housing with a high recoil rating

• Changeable batteries, recording, and multiple reticle and zeroing features

The Pulsar advantages are of real importance when shooting in varying conditions, when every slight gain in performance helps to achieve a successful hunt. The clarity and light night vision scope is streets ahead of the competition, and highly important when identifying your target and estimating distance.

The Pulsar Digisight Ultra LRF has an integral laser precise distance which is especially important when using suppressed subsonic range shooting.

Many hunters and pest thermal imager to spot with and access background safety, then use a Pulsar the shot. This has a couple of important advantages. Firstly, the night vision scope helps with positive target

telling the difference between a cat and a possum, or when culling spikers and hinds. Secondly, a thermal will see through foliage, whilst night vision cannot.

*

Shooting sambar deer at night with a Pulsar Digex DNV riflescope and no additional illumination. A second deer can be seen standing amongst the trees in the background.

If you can clearly see your target with night vision, you can comfortably take the shot. This is of particular importance when using lightweight bullets that may but not least, night vision is considerably more affordable than thermal. A thermal and proven combination.

If you are interested in night vision hunting, or you have pests to shoot, a Pulsar provide excellent service. Visit your local stockist to see one for yourself.

Exploring Golden Bay

in 1851, with pockets full of money and ambition. As he looked around for opportunity, he came across the large expanse of the Aorere River valley, with

inundated with tourists

a port at the river mouth. He set about purchasing about 50 acres from local Maori. Back in London, the government had mapped out a whole new grid pattern town naming it Collingwood, in recognition of Admiral Lord Nelson’s second-incommand, Admiral Lord Collingwood in the Battle of Trafalgar. When the Aorere gold rush started in 1857, storekeepers and hotelkeepers looked to

and reverted to the English plan name of Collingwood, although a Gibbs Rd still remains. A copy of this plan still exists as do some of the street names. Keep a look out for Excellent, Swiftsure

ships. If you take a stroll about the town keep an eye out for the heritage trail, heritage panels and historic sites, including the war memorial.

Sadly, the town was plagued over the years by

1897, 1904, 1930 and 1967. The worst of these being in 1904, when every was completely destroyed

Allow me to suggest putting a day aside just for Collingwood, a great base for exploring the wider region. Up the Aorere Valley to Bainham and beyond to or out west to Westhaven Inlet. Puponga too has an amazing history, Rockville, Bedstead Gully. Collingwood was unoccupied when William Gibbs arrived in Nelson

purchase land at the port, so William Gibbs started selling

He then called it Gibbstown once more.

Before 1857 William Gibbs had purchased a further block of land at Totaranui and was busy establishing a farm there, accessed by sea or a bridle track from Wainui Bay. As the gold rushes petered out, the name Gibbstown petered out

Collingwood fire 1904

seeing a lot of crap on

leaving only skeleton chimneys standing. Today the land at the end of the peninsula once set aside as Native Reserve is now the Collingwood Motor Camp.

Meanwhile William Gibbs prospered in many ways out on his huge property at Totaranui. This story will appear in the next summer issue of The Fishing Paper, a must read before you adventure out beyond Pohara and over Gibbs Hill.

scrolling while having my morning cuppa when some kind sole (sic) posted that there were lots of kahawai feeding in the bay. The bay being the one beside the Kaikoura Railway Station. Time to put a hasty plan into action. My soft bait rod was loaded into the Hilux along with some spare gear, knife and a large bucket. Off I went.

Five minutes later, I pulled into the car park and, as the post said, the kahawai were indeed going nuts. A short walk down the beach had me seaside with large amounts of birds working the shore line. With a 28 gram cast and was immediately

hooked up to the best on a soft bait rod. There were only three anglers there and we were all hooked up instantaneously. I beached

fat specimen indeed and spewing up large amounts of small shrimp like creatures as well as krill (Squat Lobster).

were quickly released

my cell phone rang and, as it was Mum, I did answer it!

While having a conversation, I kept up the battle with the that men can do two things at once!

With Mum off the line, I

was back into it and landed was more than enough to put the walk back to the Hilux was all the more easier with session.

put the frames into my cray pots for bait. Some of the made into smoked kahawai paté, while the rest had the red meat removed and was eaten as sashimi, which we dipped in soy sauce and Dijon mustard. I highly recommend the Dijon part, as it is delicious. So, there you have it. Facebook gave me an excellent start to the day and some food for the table.

Malcolm Halstead

Poppa Mike

Sam’s hare razing hunt

Steve ‘Pieman’ Terry

around the yard with his air

With a variety of shootable wildlife on the lifestyle block, including pheasants,

pukekos, mallards and paradise shelducks, I had to educate him that just because dad shoots them in season with a licence and shotgun, rules prohibit his “if it moves” attitude to hunting. Fortunately, hares and rabbits are also plentiful, so we headed out on Saturday evening full of anticipation.

This unlucky hare tried to slump in the grass 15m away as Sam lined the crosshairs on it. The subsonic headshot put an instant smile on Sam’s face—and mine to be fair— and was followed

Hopefully bigger game follows soon!

Sam Terry on the hunt for meat for his dad's next pie

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Watch high-resolution tracking them as they swim in and around cover with ActiveTarget Live Sonar. This innovative solution

are positioned in structure and how they respond to a lure presentation. With this view, anglers know if the current technique is working,

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Curried pāua and mushrooms

4 pāua cleaned and minced

4 button mushrooms cut into eighths

1 small onion finely diced

2 tsp crushed garlic

1 tsp crushed ginger

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground coriander

1 tsp turmeric

¼ tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp garlic salt

1/8 tsp ground chilli powder

Juice of half a lemon

200ml coconut cream

Salt & white pepper

Rice bran oil

Cover the base of a frying pan with a thin film of oil and heat over a moderate heat. Add mushrooms and brown.

Add onions and cook until soft; stir in garlic and ginger, and cook for a further minute.

Add dry spices and cook for a couple of minutes to draw the flavour out, stirring continuously.

Pour in coconut cream and bring to a simmer until it reduces to a thick creamy consistency.

Add pāua and cook gently for a further two minutes, stirring as you do.

Squeeze in lemon juice and season to taste with salt and white pepper.

Surfcasters’ calendar event

Simon Mather—Convenor, 2021 Amberley Beach Surfcasting Competition

a fairly solitary

Let’s face it, much of the time surfcasting isn’t easy and those who achieve any degree of success are to be admired. The thing about for most of us the easier it is to catch something the less satisfying it can become. Surfcasters generally don’t have that problem; it takes a certain amount of fortitude, some would say madness, to get out on that beach or on top of those rocks on an inclement day and take

what the ocean chucks at you. Even on a nice day it takes a certain amount of luck, patience, practice,

lot of stubbornness and, if you have been fortunate, someone who took the time to share their knowledge with you when you started out—not to mention a few good tips from others along the way.

On the Sunday 24 January, Amberley District

Lions will host their 28th consecutive annual Surfcasting Competition at Amberley Beach. While there will not be much in the way of solitude, there will be the opportunity for a bit of humour and some neighbouring competitors, maybe the opportunity to pick up a tip or two and the to put you in the running for a prize.

An evening of Tench delight

Spring is the season for

to catch a few of these

The lack of wind kept the sound of the trees from rustling their new leaves, but the smell of nearby willow catkins lingered. My ground-bait consisted of mash layers and white bread crumb, with sweetcorn mixed thoroughly within for added sweetness.

I gently threw a couple of balls of this groundbait towards the distance I

just off the marginal shelf. Even though I tried to be quiet, the splashes of my bait hitting the surface of the water made a nearby coot somewhat concerned, but it soon settled and continued diving for stonewort to feed its young.

Within a few moments, I

Tyler McBeth

rod, established the depth of the water and had the sitting perfectly a couple of feet past my rod tip. Within moments, my hook-bait greedily was engulfed by a tench. The orange-tipped

the water column. I struck!

battle but was soon in the net. My prize was a female tench, which weighed roughly 3lb. Once the hook admired, I re-baited and placed my rig back to where again. Hook set, my rod substantial and I struggled to turn it as it charged towards a submerged tree trunk to my left. Putting my knots to the test, I applied maximum strain on my line as the closer to the sanctuary of the

tangled mass of branches and roots. Thankfully, my opponent gave in and, to my relief, turned towards open water. I carefully tired the tench as it slapped its paintbrush shaped tail on the surface before diving down in the water again. Soon it was exhausted and graced

the rim of my landing net. I hastily removed the hook in the net for a few minutes before taking a photo. This female tench was in fantastic condition, except for its green colour is reminiscent

Tyler's tactics tricked this tremendous tench

of the black silt that smothers the bottom of the lake bed.

After a couple of photos, she was released back to her snaggy domain.

following that capture, none of which matched the tench. As light faded, the welcome swallows retreated to their nests after skimming the surface of the lake. I reluctantly disassembled my rod, while hoping that I in a couple of months when its belly is a football full of spawn.

Nalder clothing fit for purpose

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Even on a hot day you can maintain a level of comfort

seams are welded, not stitched, which is stronger and more durable, and they don’t leak.

Mike says staff work regardless of the weather conditions so need protection from the elements. “They are also required to wear the gear where Nalder clothing has an edge,” Mike adds. “All wet weather gear sweats but Nalder gear seems to maintain a higher degree of comfort—we certainly don’t get any staff asking for different brands!”

Mike can’t speak highly enough of his dealings with Nalder Protective Clothing: orders are emailed through and acknowledged by owner

Kevin Cooper immediately, then usually delivered via courier within a couple of working days.

Nalder Protective Clothing are accommodating, happy to make changes to suit customer requirements; Clearwater Mussels had small ‘lugs’ added to leggings and jackets to take the weight off waistbands and collars when hanging.

“Being local, Nalder has a good grasp on local industry so their product is pretty

Mike says four elements support of Nalder Protective Clothing: Nalder is local, owner operated, produces quality garments and well priced.

Tough Country

Tall tales of bushmen, bulldozers and back-country blokes by

Mike Bellamy

Reviewed: Poppa Mike

childhood and teenage years.

As Mike recalls these adventures with his Dad, accompanied by Dad’s ‘parrot,’ the reader gets taken to many interesting corners of New Zealand - places very few get to see or visit but never too far away from a pub, where the hardearned cash from working in the bush or farm is spent.

Mike tells the story of this rugged upbringing, sleeping rough, learning ‘on the job’ the skills of the bushman, the fencer, and the handyman, on hand. Often a bed was the backseat of the car, while Dad quenched his thirst, or in a caravan with the ‘parrot,’ an old farmhouse, shearers’ quarters, or an old converted bus. His writing style is very matter of fact, his memory clear as a bell, as he recalls the formative years of his

very readable, at times hilariously funny, sometimes incredulous, at others very sad and every word is true! I found it hard to put down, a case of what on earth is coming up next. It helped my interest by being familiar with some of the locations where Dad found work and familiar with some of the characters from my years of living in rural New Zealand, with a ‘pub’ handy.

As the book progresses through the adventures from childhood Mike to teenage Mike to adult Mike, he is able to transfer many of the skills learnt from his Dad and take up various highlyskilled jobs. Needless to say, the adventures and hilarities continue throughout but the last couple of pages revealed

great book of yarns.

CHEVIOT HARDWARE & LOTTO

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THE DIRECTORY

What are the birds telling us?

Seabirds are designed to find and catch fish. They are good indicators of what’s below the surface – which makes them angler’s best friend, until they get caught on your line. Birds to watch this summer

1. Black Petrel / Tāiko

Tāiko can be good indicators of bait fish and will go for your bait – diving up to 6 metres for squid and small fish, often to feed a chick waiting patiently on Aotea / Great Barrier Island. The adults will be recently returned from South America, but the Hauraki Gulf is the only place in the world black petrel breed. The species is in serious trouble so sink your bait deep to avoid hooking them.

2. Fluttering Shearwater / Pakahā Pakahā forage in large flocks, sometimes thousands of birds. They indicate small schooling bait fish pushed up by predators like kahawai and trevally. They tend to hang around New Zealand in the o -season but, like many of us, might take a jaunt to Australia over winter. They probably won’t bother you but last year we heard that three pakahā were drowned by a single trace so make sure you take all your rubbish, line and hooks home with you.

3. Australasian Gannet / Tākupu

Gannets circling high over a small area indicates they are waiting for predators to push schooling bait fish (like mackerel, herring and pilchards) to the surface. Shallow dives can indicate piper or saury, a steeper dive can mean pilchards or anchovies.

4. Flesh-Footed Shearwater / Toanui

Toanui indicate small fish, small squid and crustaceans. They aren’t fussy and can be a real pain for boaties, so keep your bait and scraps well hidden. These shearwaters are another species that is in serious trouble. In the oseason they feed o the east coast of Japan and may have been exposed to pollutants after the 2011 tsunami and Fukushima nuclear reactor disaster.

5. Grey-Faced Petrel / Ōi

Ōi indicate squid, crustaceans and small fish. They can dive up to 20 metres, looking more like a fish underwater than a bird. Long lines are the biggest risk to these fellas at sea.

Catching Birds, Not Fish

An independent report by Dragonfly Data Science, The capture of seabirds and marine mammals in New Zealand non-commercial fisheries, estimated there could be up to 40,000 captures of seabirds by recreational fishers per year. This includes birds tangled in fishing lines and birds being hooked. About three quarters of those are released, but we don’t really know how many birds survive capture. We all need to adopt seabird smart fishing practices to reduce this.

Braid

One recreational fishing issue in particular that has developed over recent years is the increasing use of braid. Because braid doesn’t stretch it can be deadly to sea birds by cutting them if they fly into it at high speed or by getting tangled. Once braid has knotted itself around a bird, it is extremely di cult to remove.

Sabiki Rigs

Another serious issue is the use of sabiki rigs for catching bait, or being used by kids o wharves and discarded carelessly where seabirds can swallow the hooks or become entangled. It is not uncommon for one sabiki rig to capture or

entangle multiple birds.

Advice to Anglers Avoidance

Knowing that seabirds are looking for food, you can make your boat less attractive to them by keeping it clean. Use a bait bucket or bait board with a lid and keep scraps covered. Keep your deck clean and take the bait o any unattended rods.

Seabirds are fast and many of them will dive 6 metres or more. Once you’ve prepared your berley container or set your line, sink it deep in the water as fast as you can. Keeping your rod tip low will prevent birds from becoming entangled in your line.

Are you smarter than a seabird? Streamers, water pistols and bird of prey kites may help to create a safe zone around your boat. Like puppies, seabirds can be fooled by a quick feint in the wrong direction before you drop your line in.

If nothing else is working sometimes the only thing left to do is stop fishing for a while or move to a di erent area.

Doing less damage

Crushing or removing the barb from hooks makes them easier to remove. If you’ve hooked a bird with a barbed hook, first bring the bird in as gently as possible. A net can help minimise the damage to the bird and wrapping the bird in a towel will help you control it, especially if you cover its eyes. Be careful not to cover the bird’s nostrils though.

Control the bird’s beak without twisting it, either remove or crush the barb, and delicately remove the hook from the bird, doing as little damage as you can. If a bird swallows your hook it’s important to cut the line as close as possible to the point of entry. The hook will dissolve in the bird’s stomach, but leaving any line dangling from a bird is a real threat to its survival.

Subscribe

The recreational fishing team at MPI keep subscribers up to date with what’s happening in their local areas of interest. Email recfishingteam@mpi.govt.nz to subscribe.

For more information about seabird conservation visit www.southernseabirds.org.

Photo Credits: 1. Neil Fitzgerald 2. Herb Christophers 3. Dennis Buurman 4. Neil Fitzgerald 5. B. Whylie

Council admits serious mistake

Delaware Bay Access Group

During a public meeting with the Delaware Bay Access Group on Friday 25 September 2020, Nelson City Council managers acknowledged an historical error where a sta member failed to follow due process and arbitrarily removed the Bishop’s Peninsula designated boat launch site from a previous plan. At the time, NCC Planner instructed the NCC Manager that Iwi requested that it be removed and he did so. This likely occurred consequent to court rulings on Iwi ownership of the estuary that were subsequently overruled by the Court of Appeal.

and Iwi launch site for well

the Delaware Bay site was recognised as a designated

Nelson City Council even required a local land owner to construct a public road to facilitate appropriate access to this launch site.

Council flip flop

Despite setting a precedent of allowing continued

While acknowledging the error, Group Manager Environmental Management Clare Barton said the error was not noticed but the plan was subsequently gazetted and therefore, in Council’s view, it had become legal. However, the Delaware Bay Access Group believes the Council has a duty to its a poor process and unjust outcome and asked that the launch site be reinstated on the current draft management plan.

At the root of this argument, the current draft Nelson Management Plan has no designated launching site in the Delaware (Wakapuaka) Estuary, despite the area being used as a local commercial and recreational access point for over a century, and a recognised recreational

stating it is illegal to launch site and redirecting local

Clare Barton advised the access group in mid December that, “Council will be undertaking lighthanded enforcement over the summer period at Delaware Bay. The approach will be the same as taken last year. Council is currently working through the options that will be pursued regarding boat access at Delaware Bay.”

The September meeting with Council was also attended by National MP Nick Smith, access group lawyer Nigel McFadden, representatives of local residents and affected local Iwi representatives. The

Council viewed the meeting as ‘an information gathering exercise’ and the Delaware Bay Access Group outlined a number of other key points, including: as the safest access

causing any damage or environmental harm and affects less than 1% of the estuary.

There is no evidence that launching boats is

Public access rights defended

Cable Bay designated launch sites are unsuitable and unsafe. Numerous accidents, swamping and injury, including broken limbs, are witnessed annually. Local resident having to rescue up to three or four vessels or stranded vehicles a weekend over summer months. Council redirecting the boating public to use Cable Bay without Delaware Estuary

as a back up is putting lives at risk.

The Delaware Bay Access Group had already worked with Council, local Iwi and other members of the public over the previous four years to facilitate a management plan for launching at Delaware Estuary. This collaborative approach resulted in the formation of a very inclusive plan and a way forward that addressed cross-cultural needs, environmental and values and the wider community’s needs with

Council have an obligation to facilitate and maintain access to the coastal and marine environment. The access group, on behalf of its constituents, made submissions on the Draft Nelson Plan that the designated launch site at Delaware Estuary be reinstated so that it could be debated publicly in a democratic fashion. The Delaware Bay Access Group has also launched a petition to have NCC reinstate the designated at Delaware estuary launchsite

The petition can be signed here: Or scan the QR code

Zane Mirfin and Rachael Reese celebrate their success safely back in the estuary

Time to front up

regards to this area of Crown Land.

The plan was accepted by Council, posted on their website and the public be applying for resource consent for a two-year trial of the plan, which included a Code of Practice for launching at the designated site. However, a local Iwi subsequently advised Council they would no longer support the proposal and at a public meeting in September 2019 demanded Council enforce the no driving ban on the estuary.

Although it appears a localised issue, this could set a precedent for losing other points of access to our coastal regions, and this affects all boaties and marine users. Even if you don’t launch at Delaware Estuary, your local beach access could be next. We have seen the accelerated erosion of our rights recently; take, for example, the set net ban. It is time we united, galvanised and

The Delaware Bay Access Group needs to consolidate moving forward so we are looking to register as an incorporated society. This will formalise our standing, create a stronger infrastructure with which to meet this ongoing challenge and raise funds to meet our costs.

Delaware Bay, the only safe launch site for small recreational craft north of Nelson