March 2021 - Issue 186 - The Fishing Paper and Hunting News

South goes north and it went south

Rowan Hook

I have dived the North Island a few times and experience, if not

to the deep south of Bluff. Exploring north of Auckland, we started with a miserable shore dive in poor visibility out of Tutukaka, the only place that looked remarkably dive-able. Although we found some small crays, the massive swell and poor visibility did not set my hopes high for the rest of the trip.

Commonly referred by the locals as the Mokes, the Mokohinau Islands sit 55 kilometres north east of Omaha. Jackson Shields from ‘Wettie’ suggested the Mokes was a dive spot where anything was possible.

with a slight leftover slop from the previous windy days but, after an hour’s steaming, arriving at the Mokes was surreal. Situated in the middle of nowhere, we could easily see the bottom at 20 metres. With a range of target species from

itching to get in the water.

We divided up the coastline and each set off for an early morning snoop. I am far too active and noisy for snooping, but reminded myself to settle down—this isn’t like Southland diving.

For a large southern lad, hunting kingfish is like running a marathon. The constant current and repeated deep diving wore me down and I bloody wish I had done more cardio pre-trip!

“A donkey is coming your way—dive,” Jackson shouted!

I breathed up and ducked under to see a 60lb plus

gloom and casually swim back off. The donkey hung around for several drops but always out of range—plenty of looks but no shots.

With the interest waning

spotted a nice big bird

workup several hundred metres off the islands and guessed that’s where the kingies would be. Although we swim in plenty of current down home when cray diving, I have to hand it to the North Island lads, this constant swimming and diving in current is hard work!

Diving this school of over 500 trevally, kahawai and

I couldn’t believe it and almost didn’t shoot, but a quick shot through the head and a brief tussle landed

After this, I collapsed on the boat and was relieved when Jackson called it a day.

Bay Of Islands next. I have dived Okaura Bay and Cape Brett but not into the Bay the excitement of seeing a moocher sitting in two metres of water, knowing a wrong look or a slight swell picking you over the lip could ruin your chances is a nice change from shooting mate Ant and I split up the

Rowan with an impressive kingi

coastline for a snoop.

My area was very quiet and, as I met Ant around the point, I shared my disappointment. He had a 10 lber and let two other 15 lbers swim along. I was seething with anger— understatement, but this is what diving can be like!

Unfortunately for me, all the consecutive diving and a head cold caused me to hop out for the day to let my ears stop screaming.

Ant had more luck and shot a 15lber. With me looking like the fat kid missing out on candy, we decided to call it a day—but not before one last drop

Ant dropped down. I heard back in Invercargill. Ant was up. Floating on the end of his shaft was a north of 20lb.

What a day for some!

I left Northland with memories of excitement and disappointment but craving more.

I will be back with the goal of a 20lb snapper and 60lb

Shocked and disbelieving Cou a’s Cut: Coutta

No one likes a family crisis

seen the last of them. After

that. I was there when them up and anyone who

they can cause.

Granted, ‘the Ruthless’ probably had more headaches than I did due to the fact that when a crisis came along, I may well

Police bar. The dog and I may even have been working nightshifts. What I’m trying to say is, its possible I might have missed a few. You may well wonder where am I going with this?

Both our daughters have eventually met and married men who look after them pretty well. I take full credit for this, as it was me and not ‘the Ruthless,’ who these two young guys were frightened of. Lynne thinks things in

great but I’m very much afraid I don’t. Now, do your best to digest this. One of them has got a boat with no rod holders, no bait board

No good for anything except towing skiers and wakeboarders.

While my daughter has come to like the comfort of it, even she said when she first saw it, “That’s not a boat; my Dad’s got a boat, I know what one looks like.

fault with my son-in-law but, with some professional help, I’ve learned to live with it. Crisis number one sort of dealt with.

A boat with no rod holders, however, pales

issue I have with my other son-in-law. During the early evening of the 13 February, I phoned son-in-law number two. Notwithstanding me remaining in a state of shock and disbelief, the following is an accurate summary of

the conversation.

Me, “Gidday mate, how’s it going?”

Him, “Yeah good thanks Kev.”

Me, “Mate, I’m heading tomorrow, do you want to come?”

Him, “Oh Kev, I’d love to but I’m taking Tammy out for a Valentine Day breakfast.” Me, gob-smacked and in a state of shock. I can’t phone call.

Now I’ve always considered myself a sensitive new-age guy. I mow the lawns. I sometimes help clear away the dishes and I don’t expect ‘the Ruthless’ to my berley. I remember her birthday and most wedding anniversaries. All in all, I reckon I set a pretty good example to men how they should behave and treat women. I also have to admit, I like my son-in-law but he obviously needs to get his priorities right. Fishing with his father-in-law or going out for a Valentine Day breakfast? Not much of a choice really, is it?

Finance to float

boat

Ant Buddle with a nice slab of snapper

We understand just how culprit.

There is tension. There are incidents. There is active lobbying to exclude ‘the commercials’. This manifests as proposals for commercial beyond the 12 nautical mile limit or for commercial export. Social media commentators regularly support both propositions with varied mixes of anti-commercial vitriol, misinformation and bigotry.

Tängata whenua have their own unique rights and importantly, have recourse to legislative and regulatory provisions that enable the exercise of customary rights. Their initiatives to preserve the quality of their exercise the traditional role of kaitiakitanga can be more effective than those of the keyboard warriors, but they also have consequences for both recreational and customary users.

Rahui Backfire

In recent months we have seen news of two ‘temporary closures’, one implemented

Picking up on the key point from a previous column—we cannot manage what we do not measure—Daryl Sykes continues the theme of recreational fishing and the interface between commercial and non-commercial users and where they intersect some of the ‘customary rights’. To do so he has to navigate…

Anti-commercial vitriol, misinformation and bigotry

in southern Hawkes Bay and another proposed for the Hauraki Gulf.

Section 186A and B of the Fisheries Act 1996 allows the Minister of Fisheries to temporarily close an area to is to provide for the use and management practices of tängata whenua in the exercise of their customary rights and closures are designed to respond to localised depletion of

Note that, in this context, tängata whenua means the hapu or Iwi that hold manawhenua in the area.

The common denominator in the recent applications for each temporary closure is stock abundance—or rather, the lack thereof. In Hawkes Bay it was pāua; in the Hauraki Gulf a more general and rock lobsters. Both applications were in areas where there is little the species of concern. So where did the abundance go if the commercial sector did not take it? And will a temporary closure restore it?

A closure at Waimarama in Hawkes Bay will have the effect of displacing legitimate pāua harvesting effort to or north, placing those under increasing pressure

and risking further decline in abundance of a muchvalued sedentary stock. Very localised depletion can be fatal to pāua populations.

The paua stocks to the south including those within the Te Angi Angi marine reserve are at greater risk from the “thousands of people in the (Waimarama) area especially over the Christmas and New Year period – from one to three months in every year” if the Waimarama closure is invoked.

It is alleged that a temporary closure will enable or facilitate an improvement for the pāua stocks in the vicinity of Waimarama. That is only possible completely halted for the duration. That is not likely to happen given the levels of illegal removals from the pāua stocks locally and regionally, and the lack of authority vested in locals to actively police such behaviour.

applicants. S.186A closures are rarely temporary and are demonstrated in other regions not to be effective in replenishing stock abundance within the initial two-year provision.

Consider the duration of Kaikoura-Wakatu Quay;

Fisheries management failures

does not address the

September 12, 2002, for a two-year period. Still closed. Similarly, Marsden Bank and Mair Bank, and Maunganui Bay. Each failed to achieve the outcomes intended within the period

of the initial two-year temporary closure. All have been allowed to informally transition to permanent than for kina in Maunganui management failures.

can be made to support the intended outcome of the proposed Waimarama closure to pāua harvesting.

A two-year temporary closure will likely only produce a very temporary improvement in the abundance and sizes of pāua.

Monitor and manage the ‘recs’

Waimarama is to actively

of pāua stocks in that area is a direct consequence

adequately monitor and activities. That failure has

Iwi must be encouraged and facilitated to cooperatively study and

seek amendments to the current amateur daily bag limit regulations; minimum legal size regulations; to the allowances made under the authority of customary permits; and the frequency of customary permit use across the various rohe. If they do not do so, Waimarama perceived problems across to the neighbouring rohe. That is not good for hapu/Iwi relationships and is worse for pāua stocks.

When the Iwi/hapu collective has agreed a more effective plan to manage āua, MPI must then back recommendations for reductions to the amateur daily bag limit and to any agreed increase to MLS by promulgating the necessary regulatory amendments in a timely manner.

MPI must make resources available to actively police existing and future regulations. Rules are pointless if they are being roundly abused for either or both sustenance and greed. Fishing needs to be managed—and as already explained—we cannot manage what we do not measure.

Pāua thieves need stomping on. Photo MPI

A savoured Kiwi food icon

Proposed closed area Waiheke

Fish upon a shooting star

Blair Whiting

I look to the dark, early

star! Better make a wish. Albacore tuna have been

bucket list. On a visit to Taranaki, I had another chance while competing competition.

out of New Plymouth’s

I had made it to the Saddleback Island. Time to deploy the spread.

I set my green and silver mackerel colour short and my UV red colour long and got moving from the dull, inshore waters. By the time I had passed 30 metres, the ocean took on a deep, purple colour, as the sun bounced off the swell.

I was soaked through

With the other competitors still a few kilometres behind, contour. Still no sign of tuna This time it had to happen.

As 50 metres popped onto my chart, the short lure screamed like nothing I had heard before. I quickly wound the other rod in and set to work on taming my

Albies burn line more than enormous runs the little tuna had been beaten. I admired the bullet-like body design and the electric purple him.

I only needed another half

hour on the 50 line before I had my second, so it was time to start heading back to make use of the extra time I now had for the competition.

the long lure gave a squeal before both rods hooked up big time. It was pandemonium,

in multiple directions. I grabbed the rod that was still burning line the quickest and left the other tuna in the holder.

league to the smaller tuna; I could barely gain line against the heavy tail beats

100 metres.

The other tuna popped off the hook, so I was thankful to be relieved of the beginning. At 15 minutes

another tough 15 minutes close enough to try to net.

As I went for the net shot, the tuna tore into the bottom of the net, beating his tail with all of his strength. I was soaked, head to toe. I dropped the rod to secure the net and hauled a giant

That shooting star was me—I had wished for a big tuna that morning.

Wet Blair with dream come true

Navico huge at boat show

Self-isolate in the boat on a lake. But which lake is the question. The usual one will have pleasure boats to the horizon but another favourite is a bit far, so the usual won out.

On the water at 8.30am, normal to a different area. It’s remote but still there were ski boats and

purpose.

Found some interesting water along the margins of an extensive swamp and day, on a small beadhead nymph. Aha thought I, that’s going to be the pattern for the day, but it wasn’t. By about 11.00am I’d seen two mentor came back through the grey matter, “If you’re not

A quick blast with the Yarmy took the boat to another likely haunt. Yeah,

the water but there was one bright red spot in the sea of green bush, a beautiful rata dangled over the lakes edge. Pictures were captured, then

continued. Must improve my casting.

A disused maimai had been taken over by nesting

I heard the peeping of chicks. The day heated up, so another move was made into a backwater, around a hidden corner, into a place we’d had fun in before. There

Hmmm, what to do?

When in doubt, have lunch, so a couple of sammies, a drink of water then the futilities continued afresh with a different

this one either, so another change was made—glad I remembered my glasses. Went past another old maimai that was home to a welcome swallow family and, while the youngsters sat on the structure, the parents my head making more threatening ‘tweets’ than the Orange One!

Another backwater and However, it too ignored the nymph and disappeared, only to ghost into view again beside the boat. I gave it the more.

Another spot where a few got on their ebike asap and

pedalled out of sight.

Time for last chance saloon, a reach of past successes. After careful searching, I spotted an eel, mooching around, waiting to be caught and transported in the Eels on Wheels truck for export.

Not an entirely successful

Outright winners or downright losers

With less than a week

competition was on my mind and this may well have

Saturday morning wake up

was a punch to the gut. I dragged myself out the tent into the freezing Kaikoura air where I was suddenly hit with the full force of the ‘cold’. My sinuses were ruined—the worst thing a Spearo could encounter on the morning of dive day.

Forcing through the pain, I trekked to the dive spot where I was greeted with with thousands of long cylinder eggs, which made

for an eerie and alien like atmosphere.

Within 10 minutes I had

species down, and off to a good start.

Unfortunately, that was the only action I had for the next few hours. However, to my relief, my sinuses were not much of a hindrance.

Heading out to a rock with lots of current I found it to

which was an interesting addition to the catch.

on the board, we were now on the search for blue moki, blue cod and the infamously secretive Kaikoura tarakihi!

After setting up the burley in several locations with no

perfect weed line. I dropped to the bottom and found a fat cod staring me down. I quickly put a shot in to secure another species!

One of my dive buddies and mates Alec had built a reputation throughout the dive for sneaking up on us to

day but as the adage says, better than the best - - -,” you know how it goes.

Time for home but there was a queue at the ramp.

Hmmm, should’ve gone to the other lake. Huh!

2020 hindsight is a wonderful thing.

After he had done so several times with abnormally large blue moki, I decided to try his technique. Diving down on to a bare patch of sand next to a large rock, I found myself looking at a very nice blue moki that had seemingly appeared out of the sand. I managed to put a spear into my fourth target species of the trip!

However, once again, the tarakihi eluded us!

We arrived at the weigh-in with tangible anticipation and excitement. For all we knew, we could have been outright winners or downright losers but only

and disappointment, I was only a few hundred grams off the podium and in almost the same placement as the

year before.

we headed into Port pāua! All in all, it was an amazing competition and weekend with some great mates and fellow Spearos. A massive shoutout to Secta for sponsoring our team and Dive Kaikoura for hosting yet another awesome event.

Sam Boothroyd

Smashing way to join '20' Club

Scott Campbell

started well, with seven jack mackerels in the tank.

A quick 10 minute drive to ‘Spot X’, my favourite Harbour, and was I surprised rock to myself! I set up two rods: A Shimano revolution rod and a 10000 Saragosa, Shimano energy concept with an 8000 Saragosa and deployed the macs. Fifteen minutes later, I had a kahawai on the buggers!

with a 78 centimetre kingi and, by that stage, I was a happy angler. Along came 10.00am and I thought I’d better start packing up, so got one rod out and packed the car.

Suddenly, I noticed my one live bait out was getting a bit panicked. This happened for about 10 minutes before the rod went over and the reel started screaming. Kingi on feel like a yellowtail.

Then it started coming in

nearly always run to the left, where there is a nasty reef and I thought, ‘This is no kingi’. Then I saw what I had on the line. A few yahoos and to say I was happy was an understatement! A quick measure and on the scales—a snapper at 10kg!

At last I am a member of the ‘20’ Club.

Live baiting is certainly a never know what may turn up.

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Gurnard—a seriously underrated fish

They are easy to catch,

they are still an uncommon hammers the rocky points in

To target gurnard, you habitat. They mainly live on of current, anywhere from 10m to over 60m in depth. Anchoring in a sandy bay to

that you can tie up in the middle of.

Daniel Crimp

my berley pot all the way down to the bottom, then lift it up two or three metres; this sits at the ideal level to attract gurnard and other to spread the berley, leading

into the berley trail. (Over summer, a few blue mackerel may turn up and these are gurnard candy).

them and cut into medium sized triangles, irresistible for a fat gurnard.

In terms of what rigs to use,

For bait I have tried everything from pilchards and squid, to chicken and chips, and, for the most part, they all worked. However, the most successful bait by mackerel. Jack mackerel are easily caught using a Black Magic Pink Shrimp Sabiki, equipped with small bits

Gurnard Grabber, but I have found that a plain, hand-tied also lethal on gurnard. Slide your triangles of mackerel on and you’re away laughing. Last but not least… patience!

Be prepared to stay tied up for a few hours and don’t be discouraged if all you’re

catchinga re spiny dogs and eventually come.

I will often stay in one spot for the entire day, putting up with shark after shark but, after a while, they go away and the gurnard show up.

The reason for this is that different species feed at various times of the tide. From my experience, you

can pick up gurnard in twos or threes randomly thoughout the tide but if you past the sharks, you will end up with some awesome as a big feed of gurnard. I hope this information encourages you to give the blue cod a break and target something different.

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matting

Blue mackerelgurnard dessert

Madness, meat and money

went with my mate, the delivered whole commanded 85 cents a pound. In today’s terms in may not sound a money.

A dollar a pound equates to roughly $2.20 per kilo today, but the true comparison doesn’t lie here. By the end of the sixties, the average wage was less than $50 per week but an average red deer could net around 100lbs a carcass, so one deer a week was more than double what you could earn at work. Two or three animals for an evening shoot really put you in the clover, especially if you managed to bag a big bodied stag or two.

It was an unusual time because some people didn’t cashed the cheque at the local pub and set about their hard work. Tax was avoided by giving an alias at the local chiller depot when selling the meat.

I discovered a plethora of hunters who knew about this including C. Ash , A. Hunter, Moore C. Ash and B. A. Hunter, but New Zealand’s top shooters of those days were actually Prime Ministers K Holyoake and R Muldoon, as they received hundreds of cheques.

shoot them, dress them and carry them out. No viscera. For a time you could sell hindquarters only, which made stags on the tops viable, especially with a side load of velvet at $10 a pound!

Our longest day was when we crossed the Ruahines, went down to Maropea Forks and back up the South Fork shooting a deer and then

carrying it all the way back. About 16 hours for one deer. Sometimes we would shoot a couple about an hour or less from the car—yahoo!

at 2.00 am one night, on the main range, and by morning we had them at the river. We then spent all day chaining them in about three miles at a time; the last one of us took a deer and batteries and spotlight. That event took us 19 hours but what a cheque.

We gave it away when the price collapsed to $0.23 a pound, but I resumed in later years in the Tararuas.

David McLean and I shot and sold lots of deer and, on one weekend, we shot a stag of 216 pound and the

We carried them both out for about 5 miles, with the non carrier taking a bit of the weight with a hand up a

deer have!

Paul Hapeta and I brought out one I shot weighing 299 pound—my heaviest ever— it out.

Great times, great fun, was also running marathons at the time, between other pursuits.

David Miller

A 140 pound weakling with a 157 pound deer

This doozey was a backbreaking 230lb

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Use the mess-free brush wand for easy application, and then remove just as easily with a moist towel.

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Knives to finish the job

One thing to keep in mind when heading out during the Roar is to ensure you have a nice sharp knife for when you knock that stag over. You don’t want to be hacking at your trophy animal—using an inferior product will lead to an inferior result.

In store and online at Shooters Supplies there is a wide range of knives to suit everyone’s needs and the best part is you don’t have to break the bank if you

don’t want to!

From pocket knives, folding knives, fixed blade knives, knives specifically for skinning / boning out, tactical knives, pig stickers to shealths to keep them safe and knife sharpening tools, you will find something to do the job.

In particular, Andrew from Shooters Supplies has used the Joker branded knives on numerous occasions. These are handmade Spanish knives finished to a high

standard. He finds them nice and light so they don’t add too much extra weight to your pack, comfy to hold so you get a good grip when you trying to keep it steady when gutting, and they also look very smart with their impressive timber handles. In his mind they hold their edge very well for a knife at an a ordable price range.

Just remember, you can never have too many knives. www.shooterssupplies.co.nz

is very important, of rounds a pistol shooter

up on you and, as we all

We all have friends that have hearing loss from work or from having the music turned up a bit too much (ACDC doesn’t help me). So we all wear ear protection. I wear a custom set of earplugs plus ear-muffs. While this can make it a bit hard times, it gives top protection

and has helped save my hearing after over 25years pistol shooting.

I only have a little selective hearing due to 30 years married life… otherwise all good.

Many use electronic muffs, which have a sound system in them. How they work is like a set of hearing aids but when a loud noise happens, they block it right out. So you have better than normal hearing until the guns go off. I have not gone this way because at some matches there is a lot of back ground noise. When I am about interested in background sounds and being able to block it out makes it easier for me to focus.

The increase in the use of suppressors is a good start towards ear protection for

when hunting. Not that they work quite as well as on TV but it is a good improvement, whether it is enough for you depends on how good it is and what you are happy to live with. However, at any time you can add earplugs

might make a big difference in years to come.

A stag too far

Kim Swan

Late evening and glassing a distant face. Dead centre and bums towards us were three stags browsing amidst matagouri and stunted scrub. Eventually, they each revealed their headgear, there was many a tine between them. All three were impressive but inaccessible at this hour of the day. Sigh, ‘Dammit.’

More glassing, more glancing ‘stagwards,’ more sighing and then, “Holy macaroni, look at that! Now that is a horse!”

A huge pale-coloured stag had stealthed out of cover at the top of the face and cautiously began to browse. This one was even further away than the initial three. A stag too far. A breeze too awry. An hour too late. I sighed so many times hyperventilated.

The ‘what ifs’ followed. We decided upon ‘what if’ we drove from A to B, then scurried along the edge of cover and had a crack at the horse-sized stag, who, surely, would be crowned with a rack proportionate to his bodily dimensions. If he heard our vehicle and skulked back into cover, so be it. If he scented my approach and evaded me,

before darkness enveloped us all, at least I’d tried.

We quietly drove from A to B and then parked up. The breeze was angling behind me, forewarning all and sundry was on the hunt.

would have skedaddled I cut hubby loose, sent him and his and told him I’d pick him up in half an hour or more.

Using every hunting skill I’d accrued in a lifetime, I stalked towards the last known position of the big horse. I did good. I did too good.

I managed a little detour, which put me in line of sight of the original stags. That’s when my wiring began to sizzle and short. Oh my goodness, the best of the three was not just the best of the three. He was the best ever. He was a ‘wallhanger,’ when I don’t do ‘wallhangers.’ He was everything I’d dreamed of.

Twelve long strong tines, sweep and height and uniform perfection. Free range and genuine, he ticked all my boxes.

I wished hadn’t

seen him, I wished he’d been a brokentipped butt-ugly beast, sadly, he was a trophy.

Trophy was still mid-face, sou’ east of me. Husband, who treasure beyond all material things, was tracking nor-west and descending into the opposite valley at every footfall. Darkness was approaching. Neither of us had torches, nor means of communication. If I were to stalk and shoot the glorious stag below me, we’d end up miles apart, both in separate gullies and with the vehicle high on the ridge between us. My hands quivered and my heart pounded as I glassed that stag. had ‘buck fever’ just looking at him. I knew, as certainly as the sun rises

downhill, would never see him again if I turned my back now.

Trophy? Husband? I had to walk away from one.

Maybe Plan A, the big old horse on the ridge and handy to the truck, was a consolation prize to be reconsidered.

resumed my tail-wind ridge-top stalk. did good again. Too good. The feeding pig I’d carefully looped

me just as I laid eyes on the stag. He was sound asleep, head laid along his back. In its panic, the pig came tearing up behind me, tailhigh, blowing and snorting. At the last second it realised its mistake and crashed through the fence beside me. Wires pinged and rocks rolled. Bugger.

The big fella woke with a start and watched the pig make its escape. With bulging eyes he searched for

danger, tensed to jump and run. So shot hurriedly. shot while he lay low and lay awkward, the angles all extreme and technical. I shouldn’t have.

That great big pale stag, he with the huge but uneven antlers and Wapiti genetics, he jumped to his feet, walked backwards, fell onto his haunches and tipped over backwards. Then he stood up, wheeled 180 degrees and bounded away skipping matagouri thickets with ease.

My teeny, tiny .223 bullet had clipped his neck, drawn a drop or two of blood, creased his skin and scared the bejesus out of him but that was all. Sigh, ‘Dammit.’

As I trudged back toward the truck empty-handed, I detoured once more. There, in the gloom far below, was a white-tipped rack taunting me just one last time. wanted to cry. To howl at the rising moon. Instead I wished upon a star.

Months later I saw the

old stag again. He was so distinctive with his pale coat, enormous head and ears I recognised him immediately. This time he wore a crown of soft velvet. He looked down his nose at me, haughty, regal. He lives on. Perhaps Trophy does too. Perhaps, when autumn comes and the hinds’ cycle and the stags’ roars echo across the bush gullies, will get another chance.

Not long to wait now.

New SWAROVSKI OPTIK EL Range with Tracking Assistant (TA)

SWAROVSKI OPTIK presents the new EL Range with Tracking Assistant, a new premium range finding binocular that seamlessly combines SWAROVISION technology with digital intelligence.

Delivering razor-sharp images with precise distance and angle measurement, with a measurement range of 10 to 2,000 meters (10.9 to 2,187 yds). The intelligent binoculars can be individually configured using a smartphone app and customised with the hunter’s own ballistics data. Shot accuracy is ensured by factoring in atmospheric data such as air pressure and temperature, and by displaying the adjusted shooting distance and the clicks needed on the ballistic turret of a SWAROVSKI OPTIK rifle scope.

The new Tracking Assistant is a revolutionary new feature that helps hunters to locate the target area, particularly in di cult terrain. The program works via the EL Range Configurator app on the EL Range TA or on a smartphone.

For more information visit www.swarovskioptik.com

ROAR2021 Getreadyforthe

Get ready for the

ROAR2021

New SWAROVSKI OPTIK BP Backpack 30

Take everything you need for a one-day adventure and enjoy the fact that your wildlife viewing equipment is well stored and protected in the new BP Backpack 30. Made from 100% recycled PET, PFC-free material and weighing only 1.75kg with a 30 litre capacity featuring external fixation for the stable mounting of a tripod plus a lanyard to attach binoculars to the backpack, provides relief of the neck and at the same time quick access to your binoculars.

Integrated single compartment for quick finding of equipment; removable dividers inside make the backpack adaptable for multiple purposes.

For more information visit www.swarovskioptik.com

I have my eye on you Kim Swan

Roar Essentials with Hunting & Fishing NEW ZEALand

Guide GTX®RR WL

hunting trips in rough and rugged terrain.

The upper, made of Nubuck leather with Hydrobloc® treatment, is equipped with an asymmetrical rubber reinforcement to provide better protection.

maximum water protection and breathability and the outsole is Zamberlan® Vibram® Star Trek, a tread with excellent downhill braking, toe climbing, wide yet grippy lugs for easy cleaning and a

Garmin GPSMAP 66i Built for Tough Treks

The sturdy, button-operated GPSMAP 66i features a large 3” colour display you can see even in bright sunlight.

Expedition mode and get up to 200 hours of battery life while using inReach technology.

In the default tracking mode, you get up to 35 hours of battery life, and your device will save your location every 10 minutes.

Preloaded Garmin TOPO mapping with free downloadable Birds Eye

from A to B and back home

$999.99

The Cyclone Technical fabric is a 3 layer bonded softshell DWR treated outer.

Has an internal membrane designed to repel all water internal layer for thermal warmth.

$199.99

Omeals are produced using the highest quality ingredients, patented packaging systems, and lightweight materials so you can throw them in your gear and forget about them until you’re ready for a hot meal at the end of a tiring day.

will hopefully help to lift that veil of mystery.

Thermal imagers commonly available in New Zealand are either American (Flir), European (Pulsar), or Chinese (Burris, NightTech, Pard etc). Regardless of country of origin, some

all models, though these by themselves are no guarantee of performance. Here are a few helpful tips:

Like all lenses, thermal by focal length and diameter. The longer the focal the image becomes. As

50mm lens has a longer focal length than a 38mm lens for instance. Choose a shorter lens for spotting in the bush and farmland, and a longer lens for mountains and open terrain.

The best thermals have precision ground germanium

lenses, though these are expensive to manufacture, they form the clearest image. Lower priced thermals have cast lenses often made from silicon.

Thermal sensors (correctly known as a microbolometer or uncooled focal plane arrays) convert the image formed by the lens into an electronic signal that is processed and displayed on the screen.

are the size of the sensor in and pixel size, 17µ micron for instance. Larger sensors

zooming resolution.

better than a <50mK sensor. Regardless of sensor size, performance is determined by sensitivity.

Screen- The pixel size of the screen has little effect on resolution because the sensor determines resolution.

Sensor sensitivity is a key performance indicator expressed as NETD which stands for Noise Equivalent Temperature Difference. The better a thermal sensor, the lower the NETD. A <25mK sensor is twice as sensitive as a <50mK sensor, whilst

AMOLED screens cost more but display the sharpest image in all conditions, especially cold where lesser screens have poor performance.

Power supply- This is very important for getting the most out of your thermal.

Specially designed highcapacity interchangeable

batteries are ideal for extended usage sessions and for ensuring that the thermal will last many years. Thermals with inbuilt batteries will become less

usable as the battery become worn.

Finally- body construction, features and after sales service are also important. As always, we recommend that you look before you buy and ask the seller about country performance expectations. Be wary if they cannot answer your questions.

Environmental e ects on pāua fisheries

Dr. Tom McCowan – Paua Industry Council Scientist

Fisheries tend to be managed under the assumption that fishing pressure is the only stressor on a fishery. As a result, management usually focuses on levels of catch (e.g., daily bag limits) and minimum legal sizes to ensure sustainability. While the setting of these controls is informed by biological data relevant to the species, there are a range of other stressors that can impact fisheries species and their ecosystems. Water temperature and sedimentation are two major environmental factors that can have an e ect on pāua fisheries.

Water Temperature

Sea temperature is one of the most influential environmental factors on pāua population dynamics and ecosystems. Most significantly, water temperature is the primary determinant of growth rates in pāua. While warmer water can accelerate larval development and increase growth rates in juveniles (up to about 90mm, or the onset of maturity), water warmer than about 17°C generally slows growth rates in larger pāua. This means we typically find larger paua in the cooler waters of the south where pāua regularly grow larger than 160mm (e.g., Stewart Island), and smaller pāua in the warmer waters of the north, where it can be challenging to find pāua over the legal size (125mm). Water temperature also plays an important role in regulating growth and life cycles of a range of algal species that play a critical role in pāua ecosystems as habitat and food sources.

The e ect of temperature on pāua and their ecosystems has highlighted significance in the context of current trends of increasing

High rates of sedimentation and sand movement can restrict pāua habitat leading to smothering and dislodgement

average water temperatures. While pāua and algal species can be quite resilient to a range of temperatures there are some thresholds above which some species cannot exist, or their biology changes. For example, the range of bladder kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) is limited to waters generally less than 17°C (approximately Cook Strait), and as mentioned, pāua do not regularly grow past 125mm above the same temperature.

Another phenomenon associated with patterns of increasing water temperatures are marine heat waves—short periods of abnormally high seawater temperatures. While rapidly increased water temperatures can lead to higher rates of disease in abalone (the family to which pāua belong), direct mortality events have not been associated to marine heatwaves to date. However, there are anecdotal reports of disappearance of algal assemblages linked to marine heat waves, which could have downstream e ects on pāua fisheries, particularly if the incidence and severity of marine heatwaves increases.

Sedimentation and sand movement

Sedimentation is another environmental process that can have an e ect on pāua and their ecosystems. Sedimentation is the deposition of particles on the seafloor, often from land-based runo , and can be intensified in areas near active forestry and farming, and is also driven by rainfall and coastal topography. Paua are considered sedentary, meaning they typically don’t move a lot once they are established in good habitat. The biggest threat of sedimentation is therefore when particles cover and limit the amount of available habitat for pāua at various life stages.

Firstly, sedimentation can significantly limit recruitment (the addition of new individuals to the population) in pāua. After spawning and fertilization, pāua larvae prefer to settle on crustose coralline algae covered boulders (pink rocks) in the shallow sub-tidal zone. Significant sedimentation events can cover these rocks thus limiting the available habitat for pāua to establish. At juvenile life stages (up to 90mm) pāua live under boulders in the first 2m of the sub-tidal zone, a strategy that reduces the risk of predation (primarily from starfish). It has been shown that sedimentation can fill in the cracks in this boulder habitat forcing juveniles to emerge, making them much more susceptible to predation at this vulnerable life stage.

Sedimentation can severely limit the settlement and survival of pāua larvae, which is the critical first step in establishing pāua populations

Sedimentation can also a ect adult pāua by restricting respiration and by smothering habitat and the pāua themselves. Storm events and large-scale sand movement can be another significant factor in covering available pāua habitat. When habitat is covered, pāua tend to move and aggregate on high points on the reef, and their ability to stick to the rock diminishes; when combined with large swells this can cause large number of pāua to be dislodged and wash up on shore.

As discussed above with water temperature, sedimentation can also have similar e ects on seaweeds that are an important part of pāua ecosystems.

Healthy pāua ecosystems are susceptible to the e ects of changing sea temperatures and sedimentation

Importantly, high sediment loads can influence recruitment and growth rates in seaweeds by limiting light available as their primary energy source.

Management of environmental stressors?

It is di cult to take meaningful management action to combat the e ects of these environmental stressors in the context of pāua fisheries, as they are driven by a complex interaction of natural and humaninfluenced process that can be tricky to isolate. Further, there are large areas of coastline in New Zealand which are exposed to various stressors, but still support very productive fisheries. A good starting point is to closely monitor pāua populations in areas that are particularly prone to environmental stressors and are of high importance to the fishery. Long term monitoring could then lead to management that is more appropriate in the context of these stressors, for example, adjusting size limits in areas that are most susceptible to changing sea temperatures to better reflect the changing biology of pāua in these areas.

The Paua Industry Council is currently undertaking a project to identify habitats of particular significance for pāua, and identify stressors and threats to these habitats in specific locations. With targeted monitoring, this will be a good starting point to working with regional councils and Fisheries New Zealand to manage fisheries in the context of changing environmental stressors in the most important parts of the fishery.

Buffalo ‘wreck goes digital

Mercury Bay Museum

Bu alo today

CRIMPTOON

in

The HMS Buffalo Recollaboration with the Mercury Bay Museum will, the Buffalo shipwreck using digital technology and extract new data for public interpretation. The archaeologists and 10 local diving volunteers who will photograph the wreck to create a 3D picture of the remains. The exposed hull will be recorded in detail, and an archaeological authority granted by Heritage New Zealand has approved the collection of material for

experts in their respective

archaeologists Kurt Bennett and Matthew Gainsford, and curator and manager of the Mercury Bay Museum, Rebecca Cox.

Mr Bennett, who is the

leading expert on HMS Buffalo, says, “The remains of the wreck are now more visible than in past years. This presents an opportunity to record the structure in greater detail, with modern technologies and to learn so much more about how these ships were constructed.”

Mr Gainsford sees this to engage with the community to explore one maritime sites.

“We are excited to have members of the local and wider diving community who are keen to record Buffalo. This would not have been possible without the generous support of local businesses and international organisations.”

Mrs Cox explains, “Buffalo is part of Whitianga’s history and it is incredibly important to teach the next generation about these historical sites. I’m excited about incorporating new details into displays for the museum and educational activities for the local schools.”

Monster pāua a mouthful

Following from our January 2021 issue cover photo we challenged readers to send in their biggest pāua pic, really just as a matter of interest to see how big they grow.

Frank Davey caught this thumper south of Ward prior to the earthquake. It weighed 820gms and measured 176mm.

If you have a pic of a monster pāua, send it to editor@thefishingpaper. co.nz with a description of where caught and the size dimensions.

HMS Buffalo was

shallow water off Buffalo Beach.

Savoury wild pork mince

BOOK REVIEW

New Zealand Coastlines

Darryl & Gillian Torckler

Bateman Books

RRP $30

Reviewed by Simon Scott

Scenic coffee table books of New Zealand have been done to death over the years and, with the dry up of international tourists, one wonders if the genre is a dinosaur in its death throes. However, a shot of

adrenaline has come in the form of this vibrant book—the cover is stand out, captivating and page turning. But what makes it worthy of purchase?

Many things, including an attractive price tag, but foremost it depicts an intrinsic Kiwi essence through the lens, of our and as we see it. It is not the stilted chocolate box

style we traditionally get fed, which tend to portray New Zealand in a more sterile light.

Internationally award winning photographer

Darryl Torckler has brought book, and achieved a certain accessibility by capturing very unique images of shoreline places we either interact with, or all can get to. His ability to capture of each location and creates throughout the book.

Combined with clever layout, the photographs tell an absorbing story and could stand alone without Gillian’s text. Not withstanding, her travelog thread does draw the geographical sequence into focus and add context to the photos. The size is perfect too— comfortable, manageable and not cumbersome.

It is also a book that can withstand re-reading, revealing a little something each time it is picked up.

Making sausages at home is easy and satisfying, provided you learn the basics, and invest in some quality equipment. When starting out, we found it best to perfect a simple pure meat sausage as a base recipe and then develop other flavours from there. Consistency is important so learn basic ratios and stick to them.

a quality product: meat, fat, salt and seasoning.

Over time they utilised cheaper cuts and absorbed preservatives to ‘make them go further’ and remain cheaper. The highly processed and precooked era added ultimate insult to the sausage, when everything but real meat went into them.

Quality sausages have made a comeback but even these contain preservatives,

Starting the process a good grinder makes all the di erence

buy pre-mixed sausage meal from a wholesaler, then add meat, fat and water. Genuine smallgoods making is a dying trade.

The home artisan

The advantage of home sausage making is you control what goes in, which determines the outcome: taste, texture, quality and goodness. We have specialised in game sausages and have so far made: venison, pork, goat, rabbit, mixed game and pāua. Our focus is pure meat sausages

steak in casing.

Essential to a pure sausage is meat, fat, salt, pepper and sugar.

Meat and fat: Put quality in to get quality out. I use only good cuts of meat and remove all sinew, which creates smooth textured sausages.

Over summer and autumn I freeze fat cut from prime deer for later use in venison sausages. Throughout the year I save hard fat from wild pigs. Otherwise I buy pork hard fat from the butcher. The fat is important because it cooks the meat as it renders, keeping the

don’t prick sausages before you cook them—you want the fat to stay inside the casing.

meat; if the meat is fatty,

Salt & pepper: You’ll hear it preached to only use top quality salt. Salt is salt. It is your basic meat preservative, so the correct ratio is more important than brand.

Ordinary table salt works

Pepper is your base spice and there is a standard ratio of 1-2 tsp per kilo of meat/ salt. A small amount of sugar can be added to take the edge off the salt. Go natural—no

Straight to the frypan for a taste test

question; better texture, ‘snap’, shape, moisture retention and easier to link. Hog or sheep but not collagen.

grinder, mixer and sausage press

Kitchen appliances will

handle small-batch sausage production, but it will soon frustrate you. Get set up with the right gear. We covered high capacity grinders in the last issue, but you will also need:

Mixer: an important step is mixing the seasoning with meat and fat to create a sticky binding protein called myosin. This holds the sausage together and gives it that classic texture. Mixers can be added later, if substituted with a mixing bowl and dough hook. Essential. Allows you to process bulk, get into a rhythm and produce more in less time. Next month we’ll have a crack at sausage production.

TIDES OF CHANGE

Poppa Mike

Tall tales of bushmen, bulldozers and back-country blokes

by Mike Bellamy

old when Mum kicked

allowed him to spend the school holidays with him, when he and pick him up.

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 hard-earned cash from working in the bush or farm is spent.

Mike tells the story of this rugged upbringing, sleeping 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 childhood and teenage years.

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 highlythe adventures and hilarities continue throughout but the last couple of pages revealed great book of yarns.

PRECISION SERIES

The indexed rotating clamping system 3 angle adjustments 12˚, 20˚, 25˚ Your knife is always in the same place.

King Watercraft Kiwi DNA

Will King was raised on the banks at the coastal end of a South Island river. This beginning ignited his passion for boats from a young age.

Loaded with a critical eye for design, Will entered the world of architecture but the lure of marine design was too strong, so King Watercraft was born back in 2015.

Their range of outboard and jet RIBs are designed and handmade in Christchurch and have that trademark Kiwi DNA of practicality, functionality and bullet proof robustness.

All components and materials are reassuringly top of the line. They’re expertly combined and integrated to give you a great looking boat that will do everything you want it to. King Watercraft take a bespoke approach so boats are matched to your ‘on the water’ lifestyle.

The jet RIBs are a great

option as a sea fishing platform, with no outboard and props getting in the way of a scrap with a big hook up. And up river you can run in ankle deep channels before hitting those deeper pools that hopefully hold some nice fish.

Will’s design nous is evident in the use of U-DEK.

“It supports the lightweight boats we make in several ways. For example, the surface compared to an alloy powder-coated surface is far superior and we find customers enjoy the ability to have grip with footwear and bare feet. It’s really comfortable underfoot, does not absorb heat from the sun and hosing down after a day out fishing is a breeze,” says Will.

“From a design perspective, we have a great range of U-DEK colourways to o er customers and, with the CNC routing patterns, are limited only by your imagination. That can range

from snapper scales to logo’s and other branding options, which really personalise your boat,” enthuses King.

“We also have, through U-DEK, a detailing service that is a real time and money saver. Initial designs and templates are converted to a test kit so we can make sure we get the perfect fit and also get a feel for the overall look before getting on with the final cutting and routing,”says King.

“U-DEK helps give our boats another layer of practical sophistication… they look sharper and are a more visually dynamic,” smiles Will.

www.kingwatercraft.com

Sinker to Smoker

Ron Prestage

dawned cold and clear after days of heavy rain,

calm, discoloured waters

My two lines, baited with prawns, went out and a 2kg rig was soon in the bag. That

9 out of 10 for Mokihinui

used a two-hook clipped down ledger rig instead of the one hook rig, as the off-shore wind catches the bigger rig volume and gives a long cast. The other line featured a pulley rig. promised a lot with a sunny day forecast. The reality was a bitterly cold dawn and a rough sea with a strong rip to the north and lots of debris in the water, which had lines looking like a full clothesline in no time.

the

After waiting patiently for a couple of hours, the sea played ball, as all problems dissipated. An hour of good of 2.9kg. Patience had been rewarded. and the bad features were mainly gone. Lines stayed out and true. Debris in the water was only a minor inconvenience. Baits lasted well over half an hour.

With improved conditions the catch reversed. Only two red cod for the day. and the weather and sea improved more.

with the swell non-existent at times. Red cod dominated

were back in-shore feeding after the rough spell. was almost the

Mokihinui. Only downer was the water, slightly discoloured in close. Changed one rod to squid bait and small snapper decided to make a meal of it. Light northerly wind blowing.

started off cloudy, with the sea not quite as good as yesterday. My sonnext to me and pulled in three red cod and two spikey dogs. I was content with one snapper, caught on squid again.

was a great day for beachgoers, sunny, hot and calm. Not good for

11.00am to 2.00pm. looked quite promising with cloud cover

and a 2.30pm high tide, which came and went with

and the northerly wind had got up with whitecaps aplenty at sea. Despite the northerly being a favourable wind for snapper produced only a couple of small kahawai, which went back out as fresh cut bait. taken up with packing up and prizegiving.

No place for wildings in restoration

which include cedars, pines,

around homesteads and Sounds, primarily for shelter and protection.

When conifer cones mature, they open to release masses of wind-blown seeds, which can travel kilometres downwind. Because the soil type and rainfall are perfectly suited, a large number of these take root and grow.

Wilding conifer are often malformed, have large branches, have a pronounced taper, grow in mixed species groups and are in inaccessible places, making their timber valueless or the extraction costs outweigh any timber value. Over the decades these wilding conifers have spread to such an extent they are now seen as an invasive weed. Without any control, they will form dense forests that have environmental consequences on our native

ecosystems, use up scarce water and alter iconic landscapes.

Wildings 20/20 vision

Wilding conifers cover more than 1.8 million hectares of New Zealand. Despite control efforts they are spreading at an estimated about 90,000 more hectares a year. Without large scale funding and control, within Zealand will be covered with wilding pines.

In 2003, a group of volunteers came together to set up the Marlborough Sounds Restoration Trust. They had a simple yet ambitious goal—to restore and protect the natural environment of the Sounds. The Marlborough Sounds Restoration Trust is dedicated to supporting the active management of wilding conifer infestations by preventing the spread of these tree pests and to progressively remove them

from much of the land already invaded. A strategic and planned approach to wilding pine control will be undertaken in the Sounds and on a scale far larger than any work done previously.

Key management sectors

The Trust is taking a strategic and staged approach to wilding pine control, dividing the Marlborough Sounds into each ranked by priority for control. A management plan top priority management sectors and is used to guide control in these areas: Inner Queen Charlotte Sound, Outer Queen Charlotte Sound, d’Urville Island, Kenepuru Sound, Outer Pelorus Sound.

The Trust also gets involved

outside these management sectors, where landowners and resident groups are seeking assistance to deliver wilding pine control in

their corner of the Sounds.

The Trust encourages and supports landowners to undertake their own smallscale wilding pine control, as a complement to its own programme.

A comprehensive document that provides guidance on converting pine plantations to native forest has been produced by the Trust, DoC and the Marlborough District Council and is available from the Trusts website—along with additional information on control methods.

Three steps to support

The Trust is only able to operate with community support. Your assistance will help protect paradise in the Marlborough Sounds.

We welcome donations from the public. On-line donations can be made through our givealittle page. Or you can download and print the Donation Form to make a donation.

Volunteer: The Trust is

always on the look-out for volunteers to help us on transport, or even to assist with the governance and management of the Trust. If you are able to help, please contact us.

Partner: The Trust has formed valuable partnerships with a range of businesses in the Marlborough Sounds.

If your business would like to become a partner of the Trust, please contact us: http://soundsrestoration.org. nz/

To donate towards getting rid of wilding pines they can do so at - Here is the link for the Give a Little Page: https://

If are you an landowner with a wilding pine issue. Contact Marlborough Sounds Restoration Trust via our web site: http://soundsrestoration.org.nz

Snapper, the target species

This rig was

heaviest fish weighed in on day two.

Jeremy Cooper

Progress on pine pests

THE DIRECTORY

Our Honorary Fisheries O cers (HFOs) continue to patrol New Zealand’s coastline. They’re out there every day donating their time and energy to the future sustainability. Give them a wave if you see them on the water, and if you become aware of suspicious fishing activity, let them know or call MPI on 0800 4 POACHER or email ncc@mpi.govt.nz

Tauranga was the scene of some recent HFO action. Our patrol recently nabbed a group of people with more than three times the legal limit of the popular shellfish tuatua in the area.

The HFOs were inspecting the catch of a group of four people at Papamoa’s Taylors Reserve on Wednesday 9 February when they made the discovery. Initially the group showed the o cers a bucket with the daily allowable limit of 600 tuatua (150 each). However, following a search, o cers uncovered a chilly bin in their vehicle containing a

further 1287 tuatua.

MPI Acting Regional Manager for Fisheries Compliance, Jodie Cole says this o ending was disappointing given the number of shellfish taken, and what appears to be a general disregard for the rules.

“The local shellfish beds have been under a lot of pressure throughout summer. There is visual signage in the area which clearly states the daily take limit of 150 tuatua per gatherer.

“Ignorance of the rules is no excuse and it won’t be tolerated by sta who work hard every day protecting the resource. In this case, it was the dedicated work of our voluntary fishery o cers,” he says.

Mr Cole says the group have been interviewed and could face prosecution.

If you intend to go recreational fishing or to gather shellfish, you can download the NZ Fishing Rules app to ensure you know the rules. It’s always a good idea to check the fishing rules before you head out – especially if you are heading away from your region where there might be some local di erences with the rules.

There’s an easy way to get up to date on the recreational fishing rules and look after our fisheries – just download the NZ Fishing Rules app before you head out. It’ll give you all the latest rules about catch limits, fishing methods, and restrictions in your area so you never get caught out. Remember, do your part to look after your local fishery this summer and follow the fishing rules. To find out how, download the NZ Fishing Rules app wherever

you get your apps from and protect our kaimoana for future generations.

Further information about fishing rules and how to download the app is available online at https:// www.fisheries.govt.nz/rules

And if you become aware of suspicious fishing activity, call MPI on 0800 4 POACHER or email ncc@ mpi.govt.nz

The Ministry for Primary Industries’ Honorary Fishery O cers are volunteers that play an important part in patrolling New Zealand’s coastline and helping preserve our fisheries. They are warranted o cers who

patrol New Zealand’s coastline to help preserve our fisheries.

If you are interested in finding out more about HFOs or how to become part of the team you can find information on MPI’s website at https://www.mpi.govt.nz/ about-mpi/careers/workingmpi/roles-at-mpi/honoraryfishery-o cers/

105 Police line for Delaware argy-bargy

Delaware Bay Access Group

incidents of acrimonious encounters with affected parties. Claims of vehicle vandalism and the notices have surfaced and

civil issues such as the dispute between Nelson City Council and the public wanting to retain access to this public land, they are concerned with any breaches of the law and will document and/or take action on any confrontations.

The Delaware Bay Access Group believes having an independent log of incidents in this issue involving council is a sensible approach and encourages the public to use this channel, if necessary.

Delaware Access committee member Zane Mirfin displays police file

To better protect people, the group has lodged an information report with Nelson Police, which allows members of the public to report and log any incidents relating to the launch of boats at 310 Maori Pa Road, Delaware Bay. The 201222/6902.

If an incident requires immediate response, dial 111. However, phones may not work out there so there is opportunity to log incidents after the event by dialling 105.police.govt.nz

While police cannot become involved with

Nelson City Council, in error, removed the designated launch site at Bishops Peninsula from without due process, consultation or involvement of any elected councillors. Council now argues that as there is no ‘recognised’ launch site on the current plan, current bylaws prohibit driving on the estuary. It is legal to drive on an estuary or foreshore to launch or retrieve a boat from a recognised ramp or launch site.

The Delaware Bay Access group, formed as a representative for local

boaties and seafaring users, has called for council to right its own wrong and reinstate the designated launch site on the current plan. Formal submissions have been made to the current management plan consultation process for

planned.

Local business man Glenn with the Ombudsman over the alleged unlawful removal of the recognised launch site from the coastal plan.

Henderson’s hooka puka

the shop, the Henderson’s

Leysa was stoked to get her groper as well. However, both of them.

perch before the tide was right for ‘puka and, even after a busy summer in the Sounds, were stoked to land several of both species; all

After Bryce and Grant

both landed a nice puka, we shifted into shallower waters for the next part of our day, each staff member (and friends) had been challenged to create their own lure or bait. There was a tie between Josh’s spring onion and Jo’s button lure for creativity and effectiveness, as they both landed nice gurnard.

We towed a couple of Nomad DTX lures home from Cape Jackson in hopes but had no luck. However, we returned to Picton with happy faces and some great

We have another charter booked for March, they are $220 pp, see our Facebook page for more details.

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

• 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

council to do this. Further action is

Tamzin Henderson

New Henderson's team member Leysa is pleased with her catch