July 2022 - Issue 202 - The Fishing Paper and Hunting News

From fishing to spearfishing— trying to hunt

Matt Shearer

I’ve always been a keen

My wife said, “Another expensive hobby you don’t have time for!”

Then I did what any dreamer would do. I dreamed my way into kit.

Now I had all the gear and no idea where to start. My brother-in-law came to the rescue. A keen diver and perfect person to help prove my wife wrong. He taught me how to suit up, gave me lessons on the basics and essentials: I learnt how to lie still, how to load my spear, and to duck and dive down long, I was waddling towards the water like a walrus

form of spat farms. The goal? To spear a kingi. I had a dive buddy and a mate to manage the boat. The sun

was shining and the water was calm. This was my big moment, I just knew it. We tied up to mussel buoy and I began to suit up. Half and hour later I was still suiting up. What had simply been tried on the beach became boat. Finally, I suited up and, already soaked in sweat, dived into the deep blue.

blue, especially closer in. Where was that crystal clear water? The mesmerizing blue? Where were all the fogging up and my snorkel felt too small to breathe through. This wasn’t even close to being relaxing. The water was green, the vision was murky—was that a shark?

day. Instead, I became comfortable. I practiced my breathing and calmed my movements. I got used to diving down to greater depths. I learned to enjoy myself.

My workmate took pity on me and decided to show me how to hunt the spat farms. So back I went for attempt

number two. I was still slow and awkward, my mask wasn’t done up properly, it was too busy wrestling with I was working on it. One moment there was nothing and then there they were, a school of

nine; you couldn’t count them All. They were big, they were active and they were beautiful. They were completely unconcerned by me.

slowly tracking with the spear and, like a master at work, executed a perfectly placed shot.

Winter reflection of rainbows

Blair Whiting

I drove over the crest of a familiar hill and prayed for at least some clear edges. To my surprise the stream a tinge of colour. I could months! I set off up the river, went, not at all bothered by the 10-degree temperature. I rounded a corner and feeding in a run. One cast and bang. Immediate hit. And a brown trout at that. I red spots before it powered off back into the run. I’d never caught a brown from this stream, I was off to a

strong start.

I continued, meandering through the valley towards a favourite pool of mine when I spotted a very large, slow-moving stretch, with at the head. In no time I’d plucked out a spirited threepound rainbow hen.

I always forget the days are short in winter and the sun was already making a beeline for the horizon at the water, relaxed when, just as I neared my turn around point, I saw a very nice planned to stop.

I lobbed a couple of heavy nymphs without success; seemed she wasn’t interested in free food. Drift after drift I had almost given up, and drifting them further.

assumed she had spooked so I decided to call it a day. As there was suddenly a weight

Now it was my turn. I headed down amongst the one to track. I decided, then I pulled the trigger. I got it! All thoughts of calmness left me as I excitedly swam for the boat, clutching my spear for all it was worth. I down—and it was a strong

managed a, “Woo-hoo,” before it dragged be back under.

With a bit of luck and a second shot from my mate,

the boat. I was ecstatic. I was exhausted. It was nothing like I imagined. It was so much more.

eaten the nymph as I was lifting it up!

Not happy with this outcome, the hen charged off upstream but, with no

way forward, she turned and headed off down a rapid with me scrambling behind.

current, hoping to get an early net shot near the back of the next run. Silly idea, as

legs and I was left trying to avert disaster.

After a brief protest, the rainbow conceded and rolled onto her side. It was

slowly back into the stream,

afternoon out and headed back to the car chuffed, as the light began to fade.

Another successful conference

presenters at conference and provided updates on all changes nautical and marine concurrent to the conference is a trade exhibition for suppliers to present their

Delegates heard from Hon David Parker via a live zoom connection from his from Fisheries New Zealand reporting on the recent reforms, which includes vessels as well as number of other matters. Maritime NZ, Fisheries Inshore NZ and Seafood NZ are regular

The conference day is followed by a traditional Fish & Chip dinner, which has been held for over 50 years, and is then followed by the NZ Shipwreck Trust gets underway, an important presentation is made by Electronic Navigation Ltd to a member who has gone beyond to support and promote the federation. This Kibblewhite from Splashzone Marine, who is not only our auctioneer but runs a

based in the Central Hawkes

The amount raised this year was approximately $58,000, which surpassed that taken at the conference in Dunedin last year. The Shipwreck Trust assists the families of those lost at sea to cover costs whilst those matters are settled.

The second day of the conference programme includes the formality of the annual general meeting but also includes a celebration to the commitment of

The federation, through sponsorship by Sunderland Marine, arrange a coach tour for the day around the region, allowing the partners a chance to relax and see

the sights and sample some local delicacies, wines and a special lunch at the Mission Estate.

Fisheries NZ have recently

number of those around the South Island. For Southern Inshore they include tarakihi,

blue cod, and blue warehou in Taranaki, as well as a proposed change in the

The reviews are generally based on the most recent science data from stock assessments and trawl surveys conducted on both the east and west coasts of the South Island. Southern Inshore contract independent scientists to complete

some stock assessments, where others go through the Fisheries NZ science procurement process. All presentations go through the Fisheries NZ working group peer review process. A substantial level of the costs (75% -100%) for this science is either paid direct or via the cost recovery process from the commercial sector. The burden of cost is generally higher on the commercial sector for a number of

The majority of the current proposals include increases to the quota levels, which is termed the total allowable commercial catch (TACC), and adjustments to the overall total allowable catch (TAC) and other sector allowances. Southern Inshore closely monitor

and promote the research requirements for a number of commercially important ones, that are also shared

of year’s, the company has promoted a step-wise

approach to increases to the TACC’s with regular TACC increases are made off the back of this research and long-term catch trends. We believe the same should apply for proposals to decrease TACC’s but recently those proposals

can be a number of factors that can cause the lack of does not necessarily mean just that settings of some associated stocks, market forces and fuel prices, to name a few, can impact the level of catch. There needs characterisation and science by Fisheries NZ to propose a reduced TACC other than it is simply not being caught and ask submitters to provide that information.

The consultation documents can be found at

A crusade for a king

argued that he was trying to perfect his dismount procedure, which led us to had divorced him for exactly that reason—he had a poor dismount routine. Then there was Steve ‘Pieman’ Terry who has latterly been renamed ‘Sumo’ on account of the fact that his galloping waistline is matching pace with his advancing years.

Amongst the ranks were such characters as Gayboy, The silent assassin, Del out of the top bunk every night—quite literally. He

Like many manly Kiwi traditions, this blokes’ annual Island has played out for two decades, organised by a oneeyed Dutchman whose name I won’t mention here… I’ll Vander Zwet. This year, six

communed at French Pass and launched daily sorties around the island, location dictated by whim and personal preference but, to a greater degree, the weather. Easterlies brought lumpy seas

few days—when the wind is the least—but perseverance and good local knowledge helped most teams scratch a good feed of snapper, Greyboy and tarakihi from the depths.

Appropriate gear and knowing how and when to foul and reef structures proved pivotal. Slow jigs on

light tackle proved deadly when conditions allowed

current, bait on basic ledger rigs with 6/0—8/0 hooks worked better—more particularly, fresh kahawai

hooks were the go—I had 5/0 recurves straightened by big snapper. Flasher rigs worked well on pannies but you need XOS to hold the big boys. For slow jigging, I was using a Shimano 300HG TranX reel spooled with 20lb Shimano Kairiki braid and

rod. A variety of slow jigs from 100g to 200g caught

warehou.

Mid week the weather gave us a window of one day

idyllic conditions, which concentrated boats over the prime spots; we counted 35 in a huddle at one stage.

snapper coming on the bite for a good spell. However, not everyone capitalised, which highlighted my previous comments on gear and know how. As an example of this—and not or take the piss—‘Sumo’ and his crew of ‘electric reel

Tin

driven and window weight

desperate to catch a snapper, he actually attempted to park his 8.5m Osprey on top of our 6m boat so he could get on the spot. I think their tally for the week was eight blue cod, a leatherjacket, 22

snapper still dripping milk!

horse. Mechanically jigged

from above a school of big kahawai at 40m. It pulled serious line and was quickly heading for the foul. With the tide pulling us into the shallows, it was

skill on the rod and some judicious manoeuvring of the boat to steer it into the

demise. What a way to end the crusade.

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Bulls eye on bull tahr

It didn’t take long to get up the creek’s main section following, what we thought was, a bit of fresh stag sign about.

Stopping for a drink and a bite to eat amongst a rock garden, my half-eaten sandwich was soon thrown down, followed by a “F*** me, quick, get back behind me.”

A big dark scrub bull had just emerged out of the bush 40 metres away and was walking towards us. I quickly reached down for the Sako and chambered a round. Picking my moment carefully, I squeezed off, connecting with the bull and launching him forwards to

We were both subdued after what just went down, especially Damo as it was to such a beast of a creature.

I started head skinning my bull but not long before I he had spotted another one

in a clearing, 480m away.

Grabbing the binos, I locked onto him and instantly knew he was another tank of a bull.

way we could recover the bull if we shot him where he was and he fed on down, into the bush, out of sight.

Hatching a plan, we navigated through some tight bush to get a better look at an area for the shot but we hadn’t laid eyes on the bull for over an hour.

“There goes an animal. What’s that one,” Damo asked.

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A young bull was feeding right down low on a steep chute. He was doing his thing, enjoying his life, when a big bull appeared out of nowhere, high up on a clearing. Again, we took some time to decide. Ideally, we needed the big bull to drop down 50m from where he was to even consider a shot. At this point we were relying on him sliding down out of the steep stuff.

location before starting to head back up into a steep

bluff face. The steep bluff face we didn’t want him anywhere near.

Damo hadn’t shot a tahr before, let alone a big mature scrub bull, so we decided to take the shot.

The bullet found its mark, the bull rearing right up high in the air before starting a descent down across the face. Damo didn’t waste any time with follow up shots; it was “game on, game over” for the bull.

“Geezz you were lucky mate—that bull was

basically gone before that last shot.”

bull, we had already pieced together the route of recovery, so wasted no time getting over to check it out. The bull was hooked up around some trees but we managed to maneuver him off and down on to a small rock gutter ledge.

After an epic photo session, it was time for another head skinning job. It was a good feeling packing out a big old stinky scrub bull each.

During winter, an elemental force of nature drives the seasonal migration of whales along New Zealand’s coastlines. Kiwis are in awe of

The original New Zealand and Sub-Antarctic population of southern right whales was estimated to be around 28,000 individuals; this was reduced to the point of almost extinction (40 breeding females) as they were a target or ‘right’ species for whalers. Today, even after 80 years of protection, the population is only 12% of what it was.

New Zealand waters are occupied by nine species of baleen whales, three species of sperm whales, 13 species of beaked whales, one species of porpoise, and at least 18 species of dolphins. New Zealand straddles the migration routes of many of the large and medium sized whales, travelling between the tropics and Antarctic—a fact exploited by early whalers.

Interactions between whales and commercial worldwide for centuries but are increasing in frequency—a trend likely to continue as demand for high quality, high value seafood continues, whilst whale populations increase annually.

Seventeen countries of whale entanglements. Historically, entanglements with commercial rock lobster gear in New Zealand have been low but, with the whale population increasing, the risk is heightened. This industry, particularly if entanglements result in whale mortalities.

In the 33 years between 1984 and 2017, 44 large whale entanglements in New Zealand waters were reported, of which 39 were attributable to pot/trap and

(64%) involved humpback whales, eight (21%) orca, three (8%) southern right

whales, one minke whale, one blue whale and one unknown baleen whale were documented as entangled. From 1991-2017, 1.4 whales per year were reported as entangled in pot/trap and large whale entanglements involved rock lobster and ‘likely’ rock lobster gear, 21% of entanglements involved set net gear, and 18% of entanglements involved either rope from an unknown gear type, or the gear involved in the entanglement was unknown.

Industry Council has been proactive in raising industry awareness to the risks of whale entanglements in practical advice and guidance to facilitate the avoidance and mitigation of those risks.

Lobster Industry Association implemented a WhaleSafe programme in 2012 to help and/or mitigate the risk of entanglements, updating the programme annually to

ensure that the best available information, guidance, and technology is being used. Initiatives to date include the compilation and distribution Manual, which has been recently updated and republished in a new edition.

The third edition comprises a booklet containing detailed information about whale movements and behaviour, a sequence of photos and illustrations to different cetacean species; and advice on how to set gear to avoid entanglements. The material in the booklet was commissioned from Dr Martin Cawthorn who is regarded internationally as an expert on cetacean biology and behaviour.

Dr Cawthorn has been a member of the

the International Whaling Commission since 1977, a Charter Member of the Society for Marine Mammalogy since 1984, a Survival Commission’s Specialist Groups on Whales and Seals, and recipient of the New Zealand Antarctic Society Conservation Award (1984) for work on Hooker’s sea lion and Antarctic minke whales. He was an instigator and co-author of the Marine Mammal Protection Act 1978. He was principal author of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority Code of Fishing Practice for the Southeast Trawl Fishery. His experience has included work in New and Polynesia, Eastern and South America, South Atlantic, Southern Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean/ Antarctic, Western North

Atlantic, Canadian Arctic, and the Norwegian Sea. Supplementary to the WhaleSafe Manual has been the development and an Android smartphone application that enables detailed observations of marine life to be reliably uploaded to an online database administered by initially not without technical challenges, the latest Android version of OceanSnap (<oceansnap. and demonstrated to be reliable.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) has trained personnel to respond to entangled whales. To assist their efforts, the NZ

Council has purchased and donated three GPS tracker buoys.

When an entangled whale and the Entanglement determine if they are able to attach a buoy to the whale. This will be impacted by weather, daylight hours, crew/vessels and if the vessel reporting the entanglement is able to stay with the whale until a crew arrives. Without

real-time tracking, locating or even maintaining contact with an entangled whale can be very challenging, as they are often not re-sighted after they are initially reported.

Coastal migrating whales face the greatest risk of entanglement when encountering vertical pot lines in their path, which have to be negotiated without contact. Gear

two basic aims; to reduce the number of vertical lines from at the surface and avoid entanglement of passing whales, while allowing continue.

These mitigation methods are considered minimal requirements for responsible

• Where possible avoid setting pots in tight clusters.

• Avoid excessive slack in be adjusted to a length appropriate to the depth and strength of tide being worked, especially inshore. Excess slack in pot ropes can be coiled

• Slack line should be limited to enough rope to allow for recovery and to commence hauling safely (dog bone/shanking).

• Do not leave pots in water for prolonged periods if be retained onboard or returned to shore if not

• practice. The DOC Disentanglement Teams have a greater chance of success if an entangled whale is quickly discovered.

Approaching an entangled whale is dangerous and

reporting ensures that DOC Teams have the best chance of disentangling a whale. Fishermen should monitor entanglement situations, with due regard for the safety of the vessel and the whale, until assistance teams arrive.

Industry Council WhaleSafe Manual is available to all

Happy hāpuka happenstance

Coming out of the estuary, we were pleased to see the forecast was right—it was a glass off. We pulled up to our spot, put down the anchor, threw in the berley and set out our comfortable camping chairs in preparation for a potentially long day of spiny dogs. Seeing all the boats around us moving from spot to spot we knew that, if we were patient enough, our berley trail might entice something worthwhile.

We started getting small nibbles, tiny snappers were the suspects. We kept rebaiting as the baby snapper stripped our hooks and left them bare. Suddenly, I looked over to my dad who was scrambling towards two rods, one of which had a large bend in it. He got a good grip on it and started hauling it in, but not without a struggle. He brought it to the surface and wouldn’t you believe it, a decent snapper! It looked to be around 14lb. I was pleasantly surprised, as my hopes of us getting a decent snapper had been low.

The snapper was quick to see a bed of ice and we

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raced to get our lines back into the water, hoping there would be a few more about.

Two hours later and we had caught nothing but small snapper and a few spiky dogs. I was losing patience and could feel my weekend bleeding away. For my last attempt, I cut the whole belly

been used for bait and put it on a stay line rig. While

had a good gut feeling that something big was going to take it.

Shortly after, I could see my line getting pulled out was snapper but something

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take it and run, so my second thought was a spiny dog (sluggish and slow).

As I pulled my rod to set the hook, I was instantly surprised by the weight

this point, I was sure it was a snapper because it was taking line and putting up a out and started gaining line. I could tell it was getting close, so I peeked over the side of the boat.

Immediately, I was shocked.

“It’s a F***ing hāpuku!!” I shouted.

I was in disbelief. I one would ever believe me.

“NET! NET! GET ME THE NET!”

Of course, the net was right next to me. I scrambled to grab it, then plunged it under the water and scooped the excitement and adrenaline

āpuku—and had one last outburst of energy but it was too late.

After I had calmed down,

got a photo before putting him on ice. Hāpuku are rarely caught at this depth in Nelson, especially this close to shore (less than 50m). I felt like the luckiest

After this year’s discontinuation of the Pulsar Trail, Pulsar’s current range is the Thermion, which incorporates Lynred’s highest grade uncooled thermal sensors, top-ofthe-line optics, extruded and machined body, and dual battery system. It is a

Pulsar Talion XQ38; European quality at an affordable price

high-end scope and which is offered at a premium price point. While the Thermion professional pest controllers and those that won’t settle for second-best, a simpler, lower spec model would suit most recreational hunters. Enter the Talion.

The Pulsar Talion XQ38 is a new platform, that is compact and lighter, while retaining Pulsar’s signature performance and features. It is also very competitive priced, which is amazing for a high quality European made product. This raises the question, why the low price? The answer lies in its design and key components.

Firstly, the cast and

machined magnesium alloy body is easy to manufacture whilst retaining high strength, waterproofness and excellent heat dissipation characteristics. It is sleek, attractive and very solid. One of the new innovations is a new battery compartment that is incorporated into the top of the tubular body, enabling rapid replacement of the high capacity APS5 battery. The Talion mounts on to a

Weaver style mount with multiple positioning options for ensuring correct eye relief.

Secondly, it has the same optical system and Lynred sensor as its predecessor, the highly popular Pulsar Trail XQ38. These components have a proven reputation for performance and reliability, which further enhances the new Pulsar Talion’s value-formoney.

Although there are many component and performance similarities between the Pulsar Trail and the Pulsar Talion, the Talion is considerably smaller and lighter. The smaller size of the Talion is suitable for Lynred’s 384x288 / 17µ sensor and the similar sized Lynred 640x480 / 12µ sensor. These two sensors are designated as XQ and XG

Two books worth the read

Not to tread on his toes but, for a ‘change of tides’, this column is about a couple of books.

Mate Kenny around the road knows of my penchant for piscatorial activities so he said, “Got a couple of books for yuh to read.”

that changed the world.’

I thought, how on earth can

Seems it was down to its popularity as a food source and sheer abundance of the various cods in the waters of the North Atlantic, North Sea, Norwegian waters and times it was a useful food source but it didn’t keep, so to sustain the populations, it had to be constantly caught. This was no problem as boats didn’t need to go far to

Changes came as demand

grew, with more and more vessels targeting cod, so with longer voyages required familiar? Along the line of

respectively, and are now incorporated into the Pulsar Axion 2 series of hand-held thermal imagers.

The Talion has a new user interface positioned on the ocular tube that is similar to the Thermion control, but with the addition of a rotating dial that is very easy and intuitive to use. The On/ Off/Calibration button is now

which is easily reached due to the shortness of the scope. Another welcome feature is the quick-focus lever that is precise and when set to the up position, pre-focuses the scope to 100m. Kudos to Pulsar’s design team for creating the control layout ergonomics.

As expected, image quality is excellent. The Talion also has the all the features of its higher-end stablemates, such as 10 reticle choices including FFP, full image brightness and contrast

50 programmable zeroing distances, video recording and streaming, HD AMOLED display, 9 colour pallets and

Demand is high, the Talion

want the best scope in its class, it’s worth the wait. For more info,

a mere day or two. Where went off after just a few days, now expeditions undertaken.

time, it was discovered cod would keep if salted and and importantly explorers to embark on voyages under sail, for weeks, instead of

Thus the New World became reachable and opened up to colonisation. Then things really developed with merchants building enterprises on the sale and supply of cod, it sustained people making expeditions into the hinterland and brought wealth to many. Pressure on the resource changed things yet again and the book details the cod wars that occurred throughout the centuries on both sides of the Atlantic. The premise that cod changed the world is very ably demonstrated by Mark Kurlansky and should you be able to access a copy of ‘Cod’ you’ll likely enjoy the read. To also please the epicureans amongst you, this fascinating hymn to the cod even contains some recipes both ‘ancient and modern’ in its ‘Six centuries of Cod

In my own book, ‘Fishing, a Thread:’ I wrote I don’t really know why I got

however in this next tome, I think that question is answered.

‘Fish, Fishing and the meaning of Life,’ is a skilfully produced anthology, selected and introduced by lofty title with shades of Monty Python but it’s not entirely frivolous. It will take you through prose and the odd verse from Pliny down through the ages, via English writers across centuries and on to the New World’s includes some very wry and funny writing.

the positives embodied in my understanding of this

with covering off, often humorously, the occasional

encountered in the quest descriptions of olden time streams and their environs. Above all, it allows the reader to identify with the passions of the angler writers across aeons, who have expressed their feelings and thoughts in such wonderful words. It’s not something you might sit down and read end to end, however you’ll love dipping into its waters and will be taken with the skills and understandings of both these two wonderful books.

Thermal Imaging Ri escope

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A precautionary approach to pāua fishing for industry in Kaikoura

Storm Stanley – Chairman, Paua Industry Council

On 1 December 2022, the Kaikoura pāua fishery was re-opened following a five-year closure, as a result of the impacts of the November 2016 earthquake. The re-opening process was initiated by the Ministry after a request by the Kaikōura Marine Guardians (KMG) in May 2021. This advised that the Minister should consider re-opening the fishery when specified biological criteria of pāua population recovery had been met and when appropriate management controls were in place to ensure sustainability. This was in line with Fisheries Act sustainable utilisation principles. While scientific surveys indicated su cient population recovery for a cautious approach to resuming fishing, the package of measures to ensure that recommended by the KMG was not fully implemented.

However in this shared fishery I just wanted to give an account of how the three month initial season went for the professional pāua divers there.

In the years prior to the re-opening, PauaMAC3 (the industry organisation for the Kaikoura region) developed a comprehensive suite of management measures that they thought would ensure that any re opening would be sustainable. These management initiatives were formalised in the Ministerially approved s.11A PAU3 Fisheries Plan. One of the key moves was to ask the Minister to sub divide the PAU3 Quota Management Area into two. Pau3 became PAU3A and PAU3B. This was done in recognition of the fact that there were now two separate fisheries, the earthquake a ected area to the north of Conway River, PAU3A, and the una ected area south of the Conway to the Waitaki River, PAU3B. Each had di erent management requirements. Strategies in the plan were based around principles of a precautionary approach to fishing with the re-opening, and an adaptive rebuild going forward.

Industry limit their catch

The first precautionary approach to commercial fishing was for the Minister to limit the TACC (the amount of commercial catch) to half the amount of pāua that had been historically harvested commercially from the pre earthquake area (PAU3A). Within this overarching control, PauaMAC3 has established finer scale management across defined fishing zones within PAU3A to further promote the rebuild of the fishery. They are also collecting high resolution fisheries dependent data to assist with future management decisions.

The PAU3A zones have been used to implement catch spreading arrangements to control the percentage of catch that comes out of specific areas. Catch caps for each zone were established, based on research survey data from the area over the last five years and historic catch trends. Caps were set to ensure that fishing e ort is not focused on the most productive areas, or areas that have been slower to recover after the earthquake. This ensures that

we don’t see any serial depletion of sub populations. Harvesters are able to monitor the amount of catch that has come from each zone through the season and decide where to fish accordingly through the pāua ‘dashboard system’, a digital tool which allows for real time visualisation of catch data through an online interface.

See figure 1

Industry introduces new harvest size limit

Another significant initiative has been the implementation of a minimum harvest size (MHS) for commercial harvesters larger than the Minimum Legal Size (MLS). Minimum Harvest Sizes are implemented in the commercial fishery around the country in recognition of variability in growth and length at maturity, and the need to fish at larger sizes in some regions

to ensure sustainability. In PAU3A, a MHS of 130mm and 135mm depending on the zone, have been implemented commercially. This is because best available information to us suggests

that the current minimum legal size of 125mm is likely to be too small in Kaikoura, and increasing harvest size provides a further layer of protection for the recovering fishery.

Fine scale commercial catch and e ort data is now collected through the Electronic Reporting and Global Positioning Reporting systems implemented by Fisheries New Zealand. These systems now allow for collection of GPS position data of vessels and diver activity, which allows for real time monitoring of fisheries health indicators through the dashboard system throughout the fishing season. The industry has also implemented a new system for monitoring the size of pāua that are coming out of the fishery using digital measuring boards, where harvesters are able to measure every pāua landed during a day’s fishing aboard their boat. This provides valuable information for stock assessment and longer term fishery monitoring. In the last season, more than 10,000 pāua were measured averaging almost 150mm, with corresponding location data for future monitoring.

See figure 2

Gumboot areas under pressure

Generally the feelings among commercial harvesters after the three month fishing season were very positive. A very high

abundance of pāua was observed through commercial grounds and this was reflected in a commercial catch per unit e ort (CPUE – an indicator of pāua abundance) higher than any other area in New Zealand this season. Local divers reported seeing what they always want to see, the next few years catch coming through and looking healthy. However, they do share concerns about the stock of pāua in some of the highly accessible shallow and wading depth “gumboot” areas that were subject to unusually high recreational pressure. These areas are not normally subject to commercial harvest, but they support important breeding populations that provides recruitment for the wider fishery. The narrow ribbon of intertidal and immediately sub tidal habitat is a key nursery area for pāua and is particularly vulnerable.

After five long years of the closure, the reopening last summer by Minister Parker was really welcomed. The Kaikoura and regionally based divers look forward to season two. But particularly, they look forward to seeing what the management of this amazing fishery to ensure that adaptive rebuild vision might look like. No pressure Minister!

Just having a feed of pāua

David Schiel—Professor, Marine Science, Canterbury University

While J.F. Kennedy was not well known for his interest in fishing, he did observe the public’s preparedness ‘to scramble to use the resource’. For him, fisheries presented problems that each generation must contend with anew, given changing circumstances, values, and information.

The pāua fishery along the Kaikoura coast (PAU3A) is a classic example. The circumstances changed abruptly in 2016 when the earthquake caused the seabed to rise one to two metres near the township and up to five metres to the north. The uplift destroyed many of the pāua beds and caused significant mortality. It also brought large-sized pāua from the deep to now easily accessible shallow pools. Shellfish harvesting was abruptly closed and the local community worked together to relocate stranded pāua below the new tidal zone.

The Kaikoura Marine Guardians and the commercial pāua fishers did everything possible to rebuild the fishery as the closure continued over the next five years. They took

The Kaikoura pāua opening – a recreational lolly scramble

a precautionary approach to planning for the fishery’s eventual reopening.

Commercial fishers opted to initially halve their total allowable commercial catch, and the Guardians advised Government o cials to implement a series of measures that would curtail the expected public demand and provide much needed information on the recreational harvest.

Caution ignored

The Guardians’ proposed limiting the opening to only three months, a larger minimum legal size, harvest limits per vehicle and vessel, along with a daily bag limit of three per person with an accumulation limit of six and a requirement that fishers report their catch.

Fish Mainland supported the Guardians’ measures and framed the management challenge in reopening the fishery as a variant of the 8020 rule; while the local community may take around 20 percent of the pāua harvest, 80 percent is taken by recreational fishers from outside that area, particularly those who transit through or relocate for

Randall Bess—Fish Mainland

periods of time, such as over the holidays.

It follows that the support by the local community for reopening the pāua fishery can and should have a significant impact on the behaviours of and opportunities for non-local fishers in the area.

Nonetheless, Minister Parker and his o cials sided with those who wanted no constraints on recreational fishing beyond a daily bag limit of five per person and an accumulation limit of ten.

However, these measures alone could not stem the tide of eager carloads and busloads of people coming to the area to harvest their lawful quantum of pāua.

Government sanctioned lolly scramble

On any given day, hundreds of people gathered their daily limits within minutes by wading in ankle- to knee-deep water; with over-sized abundance in wading depth, there was no need to dive. The recreational harvest can aptly be described as a government-sanctioned lolly scramble.

The downside was, the recreational harvest during the three-month opening exceeded the set allowance seven-fold; based on survey results, yet to be released to the public, while the recreational allowance was five tonnes, the estimated total harvest was 35 tonnes, which was more than the limits on commercial, recreational, and customary harvests combined. So, does this point to a management problem? Yes, because the management system failed in holding the recreational harvest to the five-tonne allowance. Stated another way, there would be howls of indignation if the total allowable commercial catch had been exceeded

seven-fold.

We put our trust in the Minister and his o cials to set enforceable harvest levels that ensure fisheries are sustainable. So, is the pāua fishery now at risk?

We don’t yet know.

Based on survey results, we do know there are at least 100,000 fewer spawning adult pāua due to recreational over-harvesting, along with added mortality by inappropriate handling of pāua when returning them to the sea.

The abundant large-sized pāua easily harvested in wading depth was due to the uplift, not so much the rebuild over the five-year closure. So, there may well be sustainability risk if this

added volume of spawning biomass is allowed to be harvested annually from the fishery.

What of the future?

What is clear is that the local community and nonlocals alike value the harvest of pāua in wading depth. Management measures must change to ensure this segment of the fishery remains sustainable.

Fish Mainland is working collaboratively with the Kaikoura community and Fisheries New Zealand to improve the management of this highly valued resource, given changing circumstances and the information on recreational over-harvest.

The Old Bag

anticipation. They do not pause as they enter boarzone, instead they grab an ear each and brace for battle.

I walk in the odd way of the near-hypothermic outdoorsman, slightly hunched with arms pressed against one’s torso but soon enough the sun will rise to warm the northern faces.

It’ll be one of these gnarly northern faces, which I’ll select and scale along with my two canine mates. After repetitive sub-zero mornings game animals will be hunkered down in beds of fern or under canopies of kanuka trees waiting patiently for warmth and light.

There is no sign to indicate a grunter in residence on the face I choose. It’s just a random rocky place with a ‘feel’ that calls to me. So, its onwards and upwards, accruing metres slowly. The rising sun is on my back as I is on another back too.

The boar is dozing, eyes closed, when the dogs catch his scent. Together they approach with speed and

I hear the meeting of friends and foe above meno bark, no squeal - there is only loud breathing as all three pull and struggle, paws and hooves spread wide, muscles quivering.

Hurriedly I continue gathering metres till the trio above begin to tire and descend. As we all draw level I shuck my gear and the boar presents his blunt end and grabbing a hold underfoot. Try as I might I cannot stop nor steer the combined weight of boar and dogs. There is no tree to anchor me, no stable ground to stomp my boots into and brace my bulk at let go and scurry back to my gear – I toss my camera bag, shoulders then stumble after my mates.

through broken ground I shuck my load again before grabbing the boar’s tail. Now, if only I could hold him still while I get my knife out. If only the bloody dogs

would stop pulling against me. If only I could I could get my knee up near the boar’s armpit and tip him. If only the bloody blackberry vine around my foot would break or let go. If only!

With a burst of energy the boar drags us all off our feet. Dogs and I hold on grimly readying for another skirmish. This time I win a pause but nothing else. Next up is a blackberry thicket where the boar ducks his head and digs in. The dogs hold fast, thorns shredding their nostrils, eyelids and ear tips. I let go, I am not as tough as them.

Through the blackberry thicket they tear, gaining momentum on the steepest of descents. I decide to go back for my gear. If the dogs weary and bail I will need them loose and breaks afar I will need my tracker.

Now, where did I drop my gear? Way back up there somewhere. I hurry because the dogs are getting battered and torn, dragged further and further away. Sweat is dripping off my eyebrows, my lungs are hurting, I rasp as I breathe. Where did I drop it? Was I this high? Was I higher? Was I lower?

dogs need me. I have to go now.

Irate and frustrated I arrive just as the boar burrows into another blackberry patch. I grab his departing heels, one in each hand, and drag him backwards. The weary dogs sense my mood and release on command. Free of foot tangles gravitational and opposing pull I manage to tip the boar and knife him. Then I make the killerclimb a third time over. I sweat. I swear. I stumble,

often.

Eventually I spot the green joy is short-lived. My camera bag is not there. Had it slid and bounced down the hill? Did it drop off my shoulder after I scooped it up earlier – in that case is it further uphill?

Sore and quiet, the exhausted dogs follow me as I search, up, down, around and around. The bag is orange for goodness sake, how can I not see it in this place of grey and brown?

Finally there it is!

After years of outdoor action, the hi-viz camera bag is worn and dull, not the bright and eye-catching thing it once was. Perhaps it’s time to end our partnership - yeah, nah - eye-catching packaging is well and good but it’s the contents within that are more important and worth working hard to keep a hold of. The old bag, familiar and capable, will stay by my side.

Become

Hospice nurses and volunteers working together can help patients remain in their own homes.

Nelson Tasman Hospice is seeking “Hunting Shooting Fishing” volunteers to join our patient support volunteer team .

Reef monsters dominate apparel line

After noticing a shortage of in apparel, he decided to put his creative hand towards

designs that have been Monster Designs has evolved

PISTOL SHOOTING

Brian Bishop

I

Our club and its reputation are very important, and we do a lot of work to keep our club, its members, and others safe beyond question. What this means for new members is a few emails and the odd phone call, just as an extra check to see what their last clubs thought

from an art hobby to a culture. In Leather’s own words ‘Some of the sayings are quite humorous so I’m just having fun with that’. As the name implies, predatory

of your favourite tropical brutes thrown in for good

GT’s, sharks and more. ‘I try to capture their powerful vibe in my work. Nowadays

getting a feed, but doubles as an opportunity for a bit of subject research’.

Ray's bream in smash and grab Pistol shoots a positive spin

of them. This is something we’ve have done for many years.

something that should be talked about every ‘once in a while’ or just when someone is watching. We all understand that even a small mistake can have huge consequences. As we primarily compete in IPSC pistol, and to a lesser extent 3Gun, we run to the international IPSC rule book like it’s gospel. This helps us keep it tight at our club and when we travel to away

a very close eye at these embarrassing.

Like all clubs, we are made up of volunteers and this can take up a lot of time and often falls on the same few people. Over the last few years, we have been lucky and gained some new people making our club a lot stronger. With the next wave of changes that the police will be enforcing on clubs

this is extremely important. Now, let me tell you what you can do to help at your own clubs. We all have different skills and demands on our time but if everyone does a little bit then it lightens the load for us all. Have a look next time you are at your club and see what needs a little TLC. Ask someone on the committee if there’s something you can do. Most importantly, talk to people. If you shoot, be it target or hunting, you can help get more and more people to understand that they have nothing to fear from the licensed holders.

Our problem is so many people don’t understand what we do and who we are. We are a very diverse group of people, who are honest and trustworthy.

for poor stories in the mainstream media. So, we need to step up and explain what we do and why we do it. Information and understanding are key.

Fishing was slow but Kris and I managed to tease a couple of bluenose from the depths—hardly record breaking stuff. Hoping to make our own luck, we went prospecting for more productive ground. We

had planned on going into shallower water but changed our minds and went deep— 330m. The sounder showed promising ground so we stopped for a drop. Almost immediately, our baits got smashed but we couldn’t hook up. Very frustrating. Finally, the line went tight but the feel was different to

way to the boat.

a revelation; I now knew what was smashing the baits and was stoked to have my dropped again and this time was rewarded with a double hook up, adding more sweet,

It turned out to be quite a successful day after all.

STRATHCOMA in STRIFE

Auckland) on her maiden voyage, loaded up with supplies for Fanning Island. In the middle of the night she too drove up hard upon a reef—this time on North

the crew were all able to get into the lifeboats and begin their adventure of survival in one of the world’s most remote and isolated locations.

Then in 1914 along came the brand new kauri vessel

in their lifeboats inside the reef, assessing their uncomfortable and cramped situation, it was decided that they would build a large raft

Poppa Mike

using the masts off their ship and shelter from the extreme heat under the sails. They also erected a rainwater system and rescued many of the supplies from Strathcoma

On the sixteenth day in these precarious conditions, with very little hope of rescue, it was decided that the ‘Captains boat’ would set out to try and reach help on an island somewhere.

Then on the 25th day on their raft the men spotted a vessel heading in their direction—the schooner Iris

the

At the same time, rescue was also on its way by those in the Captain’s boat, who had managed to charter an island trader.

Iris eventually returned them to Auckland, although most were in poor health and suffering from septic coral cuts and malnutrition.

Well charted, the Minerva and Strathcoma were not the only vessels to be snared by

on South Minerva with no the cutter Tuaikaepau ran aground and was wrecked within a few hours. The

Tongan crew pulled together and set about living on the reef where the majority of them managed to survive for 102 days, eventually building their own rescue boat.

Their full story can be found in the book ‘Minerva

Editor Note:

Last issue we ran the wrong photo with the article on the Windward. We in fact used the the photo of the Strathcoma as pictured above .

We apologise to our readers.

Time to get travelling again

A non-hunter’s alpine adventure

lake for around three hours before ascending up a steep, rocky stream to reach the bushline. At the top we took a break to glass the area for tahr, before ascending even further. Although we were walking for hours it felt like almost no time had passed at all; there was such an incredible amount of unique scenery to enjoy.

I consider myself a reasonably experienced hiker, having completed multiple overnight trips and many solo adventures, but this was unlike anything I had ever done before.

Travelling by helicopter, we were dropped off at Steffan

of Aoraki, Mount Cook

was a huge undertaking, as we sidled along the glacier

At the top, we spotted a chamois on a ridge-line over the far side, so we split up— three of us remaining here and the other two heading over to the animal. Keeping our binos ready, we watched the chamois and noticed a young tahr bull appear on a ridge directly opposite him.

The two animals watched each other, taking their time to decide who had crossed over into the others territory but, as the tahr turned to

run away, we heard a shot and the chamois was down! Courtney had secured a 10-inch buck. We stayed out until late in the day, continuing to keep watch for tahr and then sidling back along the lake, using the light from our headtorches. The next day was much that was ideal to sit and glass up into the bush only 10 minutes from the hut. Not long after arriving here, we spotted a group of tahr around 300 metres away, then noticed an older bull in the brush. He seemed pretty comfortable sitting amongst the bush, so we settled in and kept watch. When he

was ready to take the shot and placed one that looked to hit him right behind the shoulder, however, he ran quite some distance after searched everywhere but couldn’t recover him from the thick bush.

Our third day I found the most challenging, sidling uphill to the tussocks with really steep country all around us.

On reaching the top we sat down to glass and a over us, chasing away the tahr we had been intending to follow. The view was incredible from the tops

and my appreciation for the unique experience hunters have was only growing, despite feeling very tired and sore.

life changing this was, being able to witness both tahr and chamois in their natural environment and enjoy this alongside my Dad, who is so passionate about them. It pushed to the edge of both level but that just made it even more rewarding. I feel very grateful for this opportunity and hope that others get the chance to witness these incredible animals in their mountain home!

Twice dipped pāua pa ies with anchovy mayo

2 cups finely minced pāua

¾ cup dried breadcrumbs

½ cup cooked diced onion

1 egg

Salt & pepper to taste

Rice Bran oil or Canola

1 cup plain flour

1 egg Milk

COOKING with CRIMPY

Combine pāua, breadcrumbs, onion and egg in a bowl. Season with a good pinch of salt and a shake or two of white pepper. Form into patties and arrange on greaseproof paper on an oven tray. Chill in freezer for an hour to set.

Remove from freezer and coat each pattie in flour.

Whisk one egg with about half a cup of milk to make an egg wash.

Dip each pattie into egg wash and coat again with flour. Place on tray ready for cooking.

Cover a heavy-based saucepan with 1cm of oil and heat over a moderately hot element until just shimmering.

Shallow fry patties in batches until crispy on the outside – turning once. Serve with salad, roasties and anchovy mayo.

Anchovy Mayonnaise

2 free range egg yolks

1 cup Rice Bran oil

¼ tsp mild mustard

4 large anchovy fillets finely chopped

Squeeze of lemon juice

Gently whisk egg yolks with eggbeater, hand whisk or food processor.

Add mustard.

Continue whisking and gradually drizzle in oil, a few drops at a time to start with. Once a third of the oil has emulsified, pour the rest in at a steady pace while whisking. Too much too soon will cause the mayo to split.

Once a creamy thick consistency is achieved, squeeze in lemon juice and add anchovies.

Allow to stand for an hour at room temperature before serving.

HUNT AFRICA 2023

Smorgasbord of seafood prosecutions in Auckland – follow the rules and read the signs

How much would you pay for a seafood meal? These Auckland fishers paid hundreds of dollars in fines for illegally taking cockles, too much snapper and mussels.

“People really need to follow the rules. Our Fishery O cers work hard to protect fishing resources from being stripped, and we’ll continue to hold people to account. When an area is closed – it is closed for a reason, because it is not sustainable to fish there,” says  MPI Auckland Regional Manager Fisheries Compliance Andre Espinoza.

One of those areas is Eastern Beach which is closed to gathering cockles all year round and despite there being 17 Ministry for Primary

Industries signs making this very clear, prosecutions continue with more to come.

In May, a 30-year-old woman was fined $1500 for taking 884 cockles from Eastern Beach. The cockles were discovered in the boot of her car during an inspection by Fishery O cers in November 2021.

More recently at Eastern Beach, a 30-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman were each fined $2000 for taking 1,462 cockles. The pair were caught by Honorary Fishery O cers in August 2021.

“It’s extremely disappointing that greed and lack of consideration for the marine ecosystem is common among those we catch. We would

advise people to check whether an area is open to fishing, rather than assume it is. Areas are closed for a reason – to recover and rebuild,” Andre Espinoza says.

All the cockles were returned to the sea. In areas where gathering cockles is legal in the Auckland area –there is a 50 per person daily limit.

And four other people, all aged in their 20s who in October 2021 at Muriwai beach, were found in possession of 1,025 green lipped mussels which is over 10 times the daily limit each if divided, were fined $1,000 each in the Waitakere District Court.

“Protecting our precious marine resources is not just the responsibility of

Fishery O cers. Those resources belong to all New Zealanders and we all have a responsibility to act as kaitiaki/ guardians of those resources for future generations,” He says.

Meanwhile, Fishery O cers are regularly dealing with people who take excess snapper in Auckland when fishing recreationally. They’ve issued infringements and some people have also appeared before the court.

Earlier this month, a group of four Auckland men aged from 50 to early 60s who had been fishing aboard a boat in the Hauraki Gulf were fined nearly $4,000 for possession of both excess and undersize snapper. The men had 94 snapper despite the daily limit being 7 per person.

And in a separate case, a 56-year-old Auckland man was fined $875 for taking 34

snapper. He had been warned in 2019 for similar o ending.

“The rules are there for a reason – to protect the resource so that everyone can have a chance to put kaimoana on the table. When people take excess and undersize fish, they threaten sustainability,” Andre Espinoza says.

ou see suspicious fishing activity – call 0800 4 POACHER or email ncc@mpi. govt.nz.

Before going fishing or gathering seafood, brush up on the rules for the area and type of gathering you plan to do by checking the fishing rules in the local area.

email all your letters to

Dear Ed

I always look forward to reading your paper and especially Sinker to Smoker. The article in the March issue was particularly good as I visited the Mokihinui over Christmas and wondered

daily breakdown of his adventures was inspiring and informative. Thanks mate for the joy.

Mike Stoneley

Dear Ed,

caught while out with The Hunt Co Crew. He thought it was “pretty mean” to wind this big boy up. He’s itching to head out again soon. He now thinks he’s the new snapper catcher. He is a massive fan of and would be stoked to appear in print.

Nadine and Clayden

Cou a’s Cut: Jacindarella and her pumpkin-heads

get back onto my pet hate subject, which is bloody politicians. You will have no doubt heard about the of the cabinet, which is the elite group of trough suckers, some of whom were elected.

With what’s happening

country might just be a more affordable place to live. Perhaps even has a council who is more interested in its ratepayers’ welfare and not how much they can screw out of them each year to which will be as much use to residents as plastic-coated toilet paper would be.

Yep, again this month I’ll

I would imagine there were wild scenes of jubilation in every police station in the

Poto Williams was next to useless as police minister and gave her the heave-ho from the job. The only thing that would have caused a bigger celebration among our boys and girls in blue would have been if she had sacked the commissioner at the same time. I still can’t for the life of me work out

what Policing by Consent is. Perhaps the two Auckland gangs who have spent the last few weeks shooting at each other could explain it to me. On that subject I’m not sure whether it’s a good or bad thing they don’t seem to be able to hit anybody they’re aiming at.

what is great news for the police is probably the dead opposite for hunters and anglers. While it may be obvious, I’m not overly fond of the Labour government and next election will once again share my votes equally between McGillicuddy

Labradors Party. Kiri Allen did a more than decent job as Minister of Conservation.

She made the effort to speak women and showed a genuine interest in our way of life. She comes from an area where hunting and and shares our love for the outdoors.

So, who do we get to replace her? Yep, Poto Williams. The same Poto Williams who failed as the police minister. Her background is in welfare and the prevention of important, so why not put her where she can make a difference instead of where she probably has no idea. I don’t think I’d be wrong in assuming she’s never picked

would have been more than capable of handling conservation, as well as her

Following the mysterious disappearance of her parents, Daiyu’s grandmother cast the child adrift to live life as a boy, hopefully survive, and return when she knows the time to be right.

The 12-year-old, who bears the name of a tragic folk heroine, arrived in the Chinese city of Zhifu where fate delivered her to the hands of a Ccalligraphy master, who not only teaches her the skills of the ancient Chinese art but a philosophy that will shape her life.

Fate and the apparent curse of her name intervened again; kidnapped, she is smuggled to America buried in a coal scuttle and has to reinvent herself if she is to survive entombment in a San Francisco brothel.

Set against a backdrop of late nineteenth century anti Chinese sentiment in America, this historical

compelling read. It’s a bittersweet tale of loss, love, longing and injustice; bigotry, hate and malice. In this sweeping tale, Zhang conjures up a cast of characters that exude vulnerability, warmth, compassion and menace, against the stark reality

of one of America’s worst buried secrets.

It’s a double-barrel read: the awful reality of history

storyline with an engaging narrative that is rich in metaphor and steeped with culture. The story turns the full circle, but not in the way you would think.

of Night, was one of 2022’s most anticipated releases. However, after reading her young adult trilogy The Cruel Prince, the ending of which was a complete let down, I was in no rush to read this one. I can only say I wish I had read it sooner. Set in a world where our shadows can be harnessed

of Night follows Charlie, an ex-con trying to escape her past, as she is forced

new portfolio. Of course, the other big mover is Willie me.

and steal the infamous as straightforward as she initially thought when her past, present, and what she wants for her future become intertwined.

Set in an urban fantasy

England, the charm of this book lies in the unique system of magic and how it blends with the everyday. From celebrities to businesses and popular culture, each new explanation and concept draws and holds your attention, and with each new piece of information a bigger picture begins to unfold.

you read this book expecting and wanting it to be like

is little romance, and the relationships come preestablished. However, if you are like me and go in with zero or less expectation you might be pleasantly surprised by the environment, the magic, and the mystery.

into the bush. I’m sure Kiri Allen

Sinker to Smoker

Ron Prestage

Vijay on catching gurnard

For myself here in the found the gurnard tend to start showing their appearance in the colder

However some areas may differ. Matata and Thornton

“Gurnard have to be one of the most desirable targeted who will travel many also famously nicknamed, ‘’carrots’’ given their shape and length resembling a carrot.

however I feel it’s an extreme bonus if you do nab one as I will mainly target snapper from Matata and Thornton in hopes a gurnard may show up but they are not along these beaches in large numbers. However a 45 minute drive further east past Opotiki holds extremely nice grounds for this sought after delicacy.

Hawai, and Torere in the

colder months. The body takes a beating sitting out in the cold. The older I get the harder it becomes haha.

going. I will mainly catch all my gurnard during the night and mostly after midnight so it makes for a long night and a lot of coffee to keep me going. Once you catch one gurnard off the stoney beaches you’re on the money. You will most likely catch a few more. Their bite can be very subtle at times so it pays to pay a lot of attention to your rod behaviour as their bites can be very light pulls, not like a snapper hook up.

For instance one very, very cold night down the coast it was 2.00am and I was constantly getting very small bites every bait. I was thinking maybe small bait

down the coast they are along there in numbers so after a bit of frustration I decided to hold my rod and try to hook one of these little they are to behold. Once I put a bit of tension on and pulled back on my rod.

and to my surprise it was a

Recreational wreckage in Kaikōura

bloody whopper gurnard. I was stunned as I spent two hours watching these suckers just pulling my bait off. So I cast out again put one rod in the rod holder and I held my other rod. I felt a slight touch and a pull so I pulled back very lightly to feel the weight of my sinker. Next minute another carrot. I watched the second rod getting the same small pulls but no hook up. So they only way to hook them that night was to hold the rod and hold tension to my sinker. Maybe they were feeding different that night but that for me was the only way to beach them so sometimes it pays to change things up or try different methods. I think I ended up with six nice gurnard that night.

The rigs I use for targeting gurnard are no different

Simple running rig with a 30cm long trace, a 4/0 recurve hook and my traces usually consist of two green lumo beads for attraction. My choice of baits are anchovy and bonito. Gurnard love little oily baits Nga Mihi Nui.

Tight Lines. Vijay Nikora-

CRIMPTOON

the latest – the pillaging predicted. Guardians and the strong precautionary measures needed to be put in place to avoid this very outcome. after the seabed rose up to Guardians and the commercial sector submitted a raft of measures that they safeguard the rebuilding temporarily open to harvest.

With the exception of the three-month time period for all of those safeguards

The recommendation to increase the minimum size on vehicle and vessel limits. The recommendation to restrict the bag limit to

A recommendation to use an approved harvesting

Compulsory reporting of recreational catch? Not a chance.

have good reason to be livid about this.

an underestimate. Some surveyed. and commercial catch combined. The Guardians predicted this. The commercial

industry predicted this.

incentivised a free-for-all. It also incentivised people

from Christchurch than to the sea by the amateur survivability. ducks. required. By ignoring recommendations that

regulators did little more than ring the dinner bell. be listened to.