September 2019 Issue 168 The Fishing Paper by The Fishing Paper

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September 2019 Issue 168

Pete's prizewinner! Story Pg 10

NELSON-TASMAN-GOLDEN BAY FISHING GUIDE 2019 

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THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - SEPTEMBER 2019

No fruit flies in Fiordland Daryl Crimp

Guardians inspecting the site for Undaria and Sabella spallanzanii

Not all pests are created equal. The discovery of a single male fruit fly in Auckland invokes the rapid deployment of Biosecurity’s equivalent of the Armed Offenders Squad, in scenes reminiscent of Spielberg’s E.T. movie. Quite rightly, the threat to our horticulture industry elicits an immediate multi-pronged response to contain and eradicate such pests, and there is no apparent limit on the resources brought to bear. However, there is a distinct lack of parity between such terrestrial pests and marine villains, which can be equally as threatening to our marine and coastal resources. Marine pest management, particularly eradication, typically falls in the ‘too hard’ basket—a victim of the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ mentality. Paradoxically, at the opposite end of the country and spectrum, Fiordland, a giant amongst New Zealand’s natural resources, is under threat from a largely ‘invisible’ enemy—the highly invasive Asian sea kelp Undaria, which has been present in Breaksea Sound/ Te Puaitaha since 2010.

Undaria on mooring line Photo Credit K. Blakemore

It is the only marine pest known to be present in Fiordland and could prove to be the antithesis of a modern David and Goliath story if adequate resources are not directed at dealing with it. The Fiordland Marine Guardians (FMG) consider marine pests as one of the biggest threats to this unique primordial region and have advocated, alongside the agencies responsible for managing the fiords, to put several initiatives in place, including the marine pathways plan in 2017 and associated mandatory Clean Vessel Pass (CVP). Keeping marine pests out of Fiordland is the primary objective; every vessel entering Fiordland must hold a CVP and comply to the clean hull, clean gear, and residual seawater standards. Once established beyond a vessel, wharf piling, or other structure, eradication remains out of reach because the tools and technology to ‘search and destroy’ currently do not exist.

In January, a vessel with an expired CVP was intercepted in Fiordland and an inspection discovered suspected Mediterranean fanworm (Sabella spallanzanii) on the hull. The owners were directed immediately to Bluff for vessel cleaning, which curtailed

their planned voyage through Fiordland and around Rakiura and landed them with a bill for the response. The incident stands as a stark reminder of vessel operators’ responsibilities in keeping marine pests out of Fiordland. Pests, like Mediterranean fan worm, that exist in many ports around New Zealand, are only one boat ride away from getting a foothold on the Fiordland coastline.

and unique underwater environment of significant value to New Zealanders: as a national treasure and global rarity, surely it is priceless. The Guardians believe marine pest management urgently needs equal funding and resourcing as land-based projects. A greater sense of urgency is required to tackle marine pest incursions, more stringent response procedures supported, and new technologies developed. We need to move beyond containment to eradication.

Whilst Undaria does spread naturally by releasing spores into the water column, invasion is greatly exacerbated by the “The longer we wait to tackle pests’ ability to freeload and catch a lift to an incursion, the harder it will be other areas on vessels, via hulls, anchor to deal with in future,” say the lines, and pots. There are restrictions Guardians. “It is easier to keep the on the way that vessels operate within damn things out in the first place!” Breaksea Sound and the immediate surrounds is now classified as the ‘Breaksea Sound Undaria Exemption Area’ . These restrictions, along with intensive efforts underwater to maintain an Undaria-free ‘buffer zone’, aim to contain Undaria and prevent its spread into Acheron Passage and throughout the entire Dusky Sound/ Tamatea complex. Ongoing support of local council, government agencies, and cooperation of boaties is vital if Sabella spallanzanii this operation is to succeed. Photo credit G. Read NIWA Fiordland is a world-renowned

Let’s protect Fiordland Every visitor has a part to play in protecting this special part of Aotearoa NZ. As a group, we’re responsible for managing and caring for Fiordland’s precious marine environment. The Fiordland Management Area allows for both sustainable use and protection. Before you leave home, make sure you know and understand the rules around biosecurity, fishing, anchoring and marine protection. Connect with us at FMG.org.nz

Photo courtesy of Grant Thomas, for Descend Dive Milford Sound

Issue 168 3

Hook, line, and antiseptic

Dom tentatively considered live-baiting!

Dominik Berghamer Finally!

The bend in my rod indicated a good-sized specimen had taken interest in the Bottom Ship jig. While the kingies appeared abundant, the snapper were elusive. Maybe that was about to change? The fish fought stubbornly and took line, time after time, without a lot of head shakes, so I suspected

a kingfish or a fat trevally. After several minutes, it eventually breached the surface and, to my surprise, turned out to be a 15lb snapper. Awesome! Mike, Dawnbreaker’s Fishing Club president, netted the fish quickly and brought it on board. When I kneeled down to take care of my catch, Mike’s rod doubled over and his reel screamed. I looked up for a second and my

snapper made another attempt to escape. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my left hand and I felt myself attached to a very angry fish, which I knelt on to immobilise it while I called for help. Mike was busy fighting his fish so Stu grabbed a pair of pliers, cut the leader, and removed the other hook from the snapper’s mouth. It was knocked on the head and went unceremoniously into the bin.

A 15lb d'Urville snapper caught without a 'hitch'

I assessed the damage. I was impaled but, luckily, the tip of the hook had stayed fairly superficial and come out again a centimetre away. Then our favourite fishing gear dealer, angling nearby, decided we could do with a refreshment, or maybe we had drifted too close. He tilted his motor and revved it up; a remarkably well aimed water jet left me soaked to the bone. I expressed my gratitude with choice words and one handed gestures. I turned back to see the boys had found the bolt cutters, so the barb was quickly nipped off, hook removed, and wound washed and disinfected. I then got changed into dry clothes and kept on fishing. Luckily, the wound healed without any complications. Here are a few tips to help avoid similar accidents and injuries: - stay focussed on what you are doing.

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- pictures with the lure still attached to the fish look nice but can be dangerous. After the accident: - stay calm and remove the embedded hook from the rest of your gear. - if the hook has penetrated near the eye, a large blood vessel or a joint, seek immediate medical attention.

- there are two methods to remove hooks yourself, one involves pushing the tip and barb further until they exit the skin and can be cut off, or flatten the barb. The other one utilises a piece of fishing line tied around the bend of the hook, pull on the piece of line, while pushing down on the shaft of the hook. Both are not for the fainthearted and not always possible, if in doubt, visit your doctor.

- control your catch, a rag over the eyes helps to keep them calm.

- wash and disinfect the wound thoroughly; if there is lots of pain or swelling at any stage get medical help immediately.

- the more hooks the greater the risk of injury, avoid using trebles.

- check your tetanus shot is current.

THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - SEPTEMBER 2019

Hair of dog bites fat lady

Pat went walkabout to land this monster canal trout

Pat Noone

Peter Wells is by far the best taxidermist in the business. He mounted my 38lb brown, which is so lifelike it’s scary. So it was a privilege for me to guide Peter and his nine-year-old son Wilfie on the canals recently. I arrived to my hotel room late Friday night, which Peter had so kindly paid for, to find a bottle of very very good whisky waiting on my side table. I ‘taught’ this could end the fishing pretty damn quick but convinced Peter to leave it sealed until the fat lady sang. I knew The Carpet was going to be mayhem so avoided it and opted for a few secret spots instead. My plan paid off; 66 casts and we had landed four fish. Nothing over 10lb but I knew it was only a matter of time before we got a good one. Ultimately, we hooked into a goodie. Peter called Wilfie to take the rod and, quick as a flash, he had the rod bent into the fish. It took 10 minutes to turn its head and bring it to the surface. As it broached, I could see it was long and had a decent back on it.

“About a 20lb, mate—don’t lose her,” I said. Fair-play to him, he played the fish like a pro and never looked like losing it. Dad scooped it into the net, a cracking fish of 18lb. The look on his face was priceless and I don't think I've ever seen a prouder father. The wind picked up to the point it was impossible to fish so away to the pub we went. Peter couldn't stay out to late with Wilfie but I, on the other had, decided to ‘have one more’. “Don't have too many Pat,” Peter said, “ you don't want a hangover in the morning.” “Only having the one,” I replied. Three hours later I stumbled in the door thinking: “Ah, I'll be grand in the morning if I have a glass of water.” It didn't work. BANG BANG BANG. “Get up, were going fishing!” “Oh lord,” I ‘taught,’ “I'm going to have to pretend I'm fine.” I dragged myself down for brekky and pleaded ‘not hungry’ but they saw through the ruse and laughed. Wilfie and Peter finally in touch with a real fish

The weather was insane, with the wind and the cold that bad that Peter had to hold a portable gas heater to my hands just so I could tie the trace. The wind proved to be too much and only one small fish was landed. With time running out, I had to find shelter so fished a number of ‘undisclosed’ stretches that held fish. Straight away we hooked up but, again, nothing over 14lbs. I told Peter to follow me in the car in five minutes. “I'm going to do a long drift!” Bang—two minutes into the drag I was in. It felt very heavy but wasn't doing much; I ‘taught’ it’s either hooked in the tail or it's a monster. “God I hope Peter hurries with the net,” I muttered but, after 20 minutes of fighting, still no sign of him and my phone was in the car. The fish dragged me a kilometre

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down the canal where I finally saw someone with a net. I had still not seen the fish. A group of anglers gravitated to me, waiting in anticipation to see this fish. Peter saw them and finally made his way down. Wilfie took a hold of the net and said, “I'll net him for yea, Pat,” grabbing the net. I was reluctant because the fish had surfaced and it was massive, but I ‘taught’, if he's confident enough to want to do it, who am I to stop him. I coaxed the monster to the bank where Wilfie scooped the fish straight into the net; he didn't need any guidance whatsoever. It was very impressive to watch this young lad net a 30lb 7oz fish like it was nothing. It capped off an amazing weekend, so it was appropriate we took another cap off. The fat lady having sung, it was time for ‘a hair of the dog’.

Issue 168 5

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THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - SEPTEMBER 2019 October marks 33 years since the implementation of the New Zealand Quota Management System. The transition from open access to ‘output controlled’ fisheries was a difficult one, which perpetrated a massive industry restructure and significant reduction in vessel numbers. At the time, industry saw the implementation as a ‘social contract’ between them and Government—the substitution of unlimited fishing rights for a different right that, they believed, would enable a more secure and sustainable future. That expectation is still not being met. Daryl Sykes argues that fisheries management is less effective as a consequence, and that…

The devil is truly in the details

The QMS has been studied and externally reviewed repeatedly, and frequently quoted as a ‘model’ for fisheries elsewhere. The all too simplistic overviews of output controls, property rights, and sustainable catch limits may satisfy academic curiosity but, for those committed to being in the business of fishing in New Zealand, the well worn cliché is too evident—the devil is truly in the detail. Environmental groups and recreational fishing industry lobbyists argue the QMS should not be promoted as a model for other jurisdictions, but studied only as a lesson.

Entrepreneurial activities stifled Amongst the lessons learned by the fishing industry, the following are most relevant. Without sufficient attention being paid to the design of a rights-based regime; without the proper alignment of the public and private sectors; without the right relationships within the commercial sector; and without political champions or patronage, the growth, innovation, and entrepreneurial activities in fisheries will be stifled. It is an indictment on the current management regime that there is no explicit provision for any exploratory fisheries development—new species or innovation in technologies on existing species—which would, if successful, ultimately reward those willing to invest the time and money. The cultural elements of fishing communities that add colour, romance, and aesthetics to society also suffer, and the efficient and profitable delivery of healthy and sustainably harvested food products and economic growth locally, regionally, and nationally, compromised. Rock lobster stocks did not come in the QMS until 1990, after enough time had passed for lobster industry participants to critically review the initial QMS for finfish and shellfish. Initial forays into research and management by the rock lobster industry appeared to justify and endorse the ‘academic’ expectation of changes in behaviour, that should be evident if tradable property rights are allocated to natural resource users. Having previously been effective in this regard without individual transferable quotas, the lobster industry became even more motivated in the belief that quota rights provided more security and certainty.

Industry initiatives impeded However, the textbook potential for collective and collaborative initiatives by commercial rights holders was and is routinely confounded by politics, administrative bureaucracy, and changing economic incentives. The failure of successive Governments to properly utilise the fundamental characteristics of the QMS—tradeable property rights—other than for their own convenience, is turning the system into merely an allocative process for commercial fishing, further weakening Industry confidence. There are no examples of market-based mechanisms being used to broker adjustments to commercial fishing activities that may be required because of changing societal values—in particular, those in relation to marine mammal protection and/or recreational and cultural values. The Threat Management Plan released by DoC and MPI for public comment in August this year contains options that

will, if implemented, terminate large numbers of small scale owner-operator fishing businesses. There is no explicit consideration of managing such devastating social and economic impacts by way of opportunity adjustment, retraining and/or compensation for the losses. Nor is there any detailed consideration of the consequences of effort displacement across to areas in which set netting and trawling would still be permitted.

Political responses in respect of marine protection have been mainly at the expense of commercial fishing, because the QMS is not understood by politicians or the public to also be a conservation mechanism. Because of the strength of numbers of the recreational fishing community, and the businesses that supply and depend on it, this sector has considerable political influence. Government policy and agency operational policies since 1999, have instituted a priority for and/or preference to recreational fishing that undermines the confidence commercial rights holders might otherwise have in the QMS.

Command and control a kicker Unfortunately, a bureaucratic command and control philosophy is fostered by influential politicians across all parties, in part, because of an inherent bias against commercial fishing that pervades the media and state agencies. The bias exists because of a failing, of both Government and the commercial rights holders, to adequately promote the intention and potential of the QMS. Notions of effort and reward that are embodied in rights holders adopting a custodial nature towards the resource, in which they have implicit shares and substantial economic investment, are being routinely violated. Consequently, the true potential of the QMS is being stifled. Recent examples include Ministerial decisions that allocated increased stock abundance across to non-commercial interests and to illegal fishing when it was the constraints on and by commercial rights holders that enabled and consolidated the improved stock status. This has occurred in South Island lobster, paua, and snapper fisheries. In the Bay of Plenty (CRA 2), the current Minister slashed the commercial catch limit in April 2018 but still has not implemented the constraints on recreational and illegal removals that were agreed necessary to ensure the fishery’s rebuild. The CRA 2 industry is understandably annoyed and disappointed—their voluntary initiatives to rebuild that fishery date from 1996 and have been at significant financial cost. Why bother when they are the only ones penalized for what has been shown to be underlying management failures over that period? It need not be, but many fishery management decisions remain politicised and commercial rights holders increasingly marginalised in their ability and authority to co-manage, and/ or to improve productivity and profitability whilst ensuring sustainability. Given that commercial operators are in a unique position to monitor fisheries performance, are alert to seasonal

declines and other status indicators, and understand the need for constraint—whether by way of effort and/or catch reductions—they are now slower to respond unanimously to obvious signals, lest they voluntarily initiate a reallocation of catch across to non-commercial users.

Recreational reaps reward The lobster industry does not have confidence in commercial catch reductions being reinstated in future ministerial decisions. At times, Industry has chosen to pre-empt Government intervention by taking voluntary collective action because of political preference for resource protection and for recreational fishing.

The recreational sector is generally the first benefactor of increases in stock abundance arising from voluntary industry initiatives or TACC reductions imposed by ministers. The unfairness and inequity of this confounds commercial expectations of effort and reward, and further distances the potential cooperation between commercial and noncommercial interests that otherwise would benefit the resource, and all users. It is unacceptable to have commercial rights holders acting in accordance with a rights-based regime whilst politicians and bureaucrats act differently. Whether or not the disconnect is a wilful disregard or lack of institutional commitment to an innovative management approach, is hard to determine. However, what is obvious is that the resulting tension is depriving the industry and wider community from benefits that might otherwise be achieved if the principles of property rights and market mechanisms were properly upheld and applied. The decline of the QMS to an allocative system for commercial fishing could have and should have been averted. The lack of attention to detail by Government and commercial fishing interests has contributed to that decline, which cannot be reversed unless both parties revisit the intended purposes and principles of the QMS, and agree to cooperatively implement corrective action. The opportunities to do so are right there, right now. The South East Marine Protection Forum recently delivered a recommendation for a ‘Network 1’ marine protection option for the Otago coastline that will close extensive areas to recreational and commercial fishing and diving. The marine mammal 2019 Threat Management Plan could have an even more extensive impact on fishing. The tradeable property rights inherent to the QMS are in fact tools that can facilitate those interventions if they are deemed to be essential to the preservation of marine biodiversity. From 1996, those property rights were recognized by the Crown and Maori as being suitable and appropriate currency for settlement of Treaty claims for Maori fisheries rights and opportunities. The currency still exists but the Government inclination now seems to be that they should avoid the trade and exchange transactions in favour of outright theft of existing rights and opportunities.

Issue 168 7

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THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - SEPTEMBER 2019

White Men can’t jump Kim Swan

“What a load of bollocks,” I snorted, nostrils twitching and tendrils of smoke coming out my ears. I tossed the glossy hunting magazine contemptuously aside, muttering bollocks, ball-bags and bladders, along with other PC-rated B words. Talk about ‘b’ in my bonnet! I’m known to pack a tanty when so-called experts write articles another generation of hunters will take as gospel. I grew up fast, quickly recognising the majority of fact from fiction. Watermelon vines didn’t grow out my ears when I swallowed the seeds. It really didn’t matter if I swallowed my bubble-gum and Santa, humph. I sprung him in plain clothes and doing his business when I was a tot, his resemblance to my very own father was remarkable. Whoever said, “white men can’t jump,” never saw Neven MacEwan in action. Neven was a remarkable bloke and a remarkable All Black. He was also a spectacular lineout-jumper. At Nelson Boys College he set a record for sausage eating - downing 24 snarlers

in 30 minutes, followed by a 100 yard dash. Neven could eat, run and jump! Hell, even I can jump on special occasions. If I’m handy to a bailed boar in the tight shite and he gives me that look, you know the one, then he comes barreling my way, trust me I can jump alright. If I wasn’t white before he broke, then I certainly am several shades paler afterwards. Anyways, some people will have you believe pigs won’t run on a full bladder. Don’t know how that theory came about. Perhaps they think because humans can’t perform at their optimum when they’re busting for a leak, then a pig can’t either. Perhaps if a human was going to have pig dogs bite his backside, then chew his ears, then get shot or knifed, he’d manage to get a wriggle on. A bit of leakage has to be preferable to a life-ending episode surely! Time after time I’ve seen two of pig hunting’s biggest myths dispelled. I’ve seen pigs, both large and small run exceptionally well with full bladders. I’ve also

seen pigs run despite a dog nipping their nut-sack. Some might pause for thought, with a touch to their testes, others run further and faster despite a split scrotum and a bruised bottom. A week after reading the magazine article, I was hunting in the high country. I’d camped in a backcountry hut with many mod-cons but being mid-winter, it was freezing cold inside and out. Sleep didn’t come easy, just catnaps between shiver-spasms and looking at the clock. By dawn I was tired and scratchy. Actually I’m almost always tired and scratchy. When it was light enough, the dogs and I were out there amongst it. I was looking through my scope at a distant grunter but even 9x magnified I couldn’t decide whether he was worth the significant climb. Being entered in pig hunting competitions makes me especially selective. While I shuffled in the frost, hoisting my rifle to my shoulder and scope to my eye, the dogs got bored and cold. Without my realising

it, they had stealthed away behind me and found something to entertain themselves. They certainly got my attention when they barked in the fern 200 metres away. Pig on!

break Pearl’s tracking collar, dammit. He didn’t, at any stage, give his bladder any consideration.

Someone had let this pig in on a little secret or two. He didn’t believe in Santa and he didn’t believe he couldn’t run with a bladder filled to bursting. He did believe pig dogs bite and their owners intend to kill you. He ran for his life!

The following morning another bigger boar died too. He had big goolies, big tusks and a bladder like a party balloon. He was a gnarly and aged mountain warrior and I felt a twinge of guilt for dragging him from his snowcapped mountain range on the end of my piggin’ string. He was truly a spectacular old fellow and he deserved better than a bullet and to hang from a rack at a hunting competition.

When the pig had run and run, then run some more, he stopped in a defendable position and began to fight. He fought valiantly and well. He even managed to

The boar died. That part about gun-toting humans was certainly true.

Brothers’ battle ends with bluenose The forecast was for flat seas and no wind so the decision was easy to accompany my brother Jamie on a fishing trip off the Kaikoura coast, in his 7m McLay Hardtop.

over a favourite blue cod spot, where we caught more than enough for a good feed. We noted a huge number of commercial craypots in the area, with some pots as close as 10 metres to each other!

At 7.00am we met at the ramp and were soon powering south, full of anticipation. First drop was

As we both had electric reels on board, we thought we may as well head out for a drop in deeper water. We

As luck would have it the tusky old warrior was good enough to dispel another myth or two, myths sometimes heard coming from sexist sorta fellas, especially after they've imbibed a beer or two. Funnily enough I won a tracking collar, thank you Dogmaster, so now Pearl has a flash new necklace for her big days out. I also won a very odd spot prize. Who would believe one could walk away from a pig hunting competition with a single electric blanket? Well, I did, it’s true and I know the perfect place for it - at a hut in the high country, with a lot of mod-cons and a very, very, cold bed!

Malcolm Halstead

chose the 300m to 400m range and, as the drift was nonexistent, it was easy to get baits to the bottom and keep them there. The first drop produced a weird looking eel for me, which was duly released. The second drop produced the same result. Jamie, in the meantime, had a hookup, which lead to him landing a very respectable 15kg bluenose.

Jamie Halstead with a 15kg bluenose

We relocated and sent the baits back to the bottom. More bites and I had a solid hookup. Not a bluenose but a good size ling. Jamie landed another bluenose and ribbed me about not getting one. Time for another move and the final drop of the day. As usual, the bites were instantaneous. My rod had a healthy bend and the reel was struggling; could this finally be a bluenose? Just short of the surface, a big white belly appeared and the usual rush of bubbles as a bluenose broke the surface.

Malcolm with a nice ling

With more than enough fish on board, we headed for home on a sea that had remained calm all day. It was good to have a break from taking clients fishing on Top Catch Charters and to enjoy some fishing myself. We must do this more often over the winter on those calm crisp days.

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Issue 168 9

New survey measures recreational fishing Stuart Anderson— Fisheries New Zealand Director of Fisheries A Fisheries New Zealand national survey of recreational fishing has confirmed the ongoing importance of recreational fishing. The National Panel Survey— which is conducted every 5-6 years—provides a snapshot of recreational fishing activity around the country. This is added to a wide range of other information to help us understand what is happening in our fisheries and inform our decision making over the next few years. One of the top line results was confirmation of the ongoing popularity of recreational fishing. We estimate that 13 per cent of the country’s population over the age of 15 years went fishing at least once during 2017-2018. We also found that recreational fishers catch a large proportion of key recreational fish species such as snapper, kahawai, blue cod, and kingfish. There’s been little change in the proportion of these fish caught by recreational and commercial fishers since 2012. The survey contacted more than 30,000 people and about 7000 recreational fishers had their fishing outings recorded over a 12-month period from 01 October 2017 to 30 September 2018. The final results were confirmed by complementary comparing different surveys conducted by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA)

and the National Research Bureau (NRB). Other key findings include: • about half of all recreational fishing occurs around the northeast coast of the North Island along the coastline from the tip of Northland to East Cape • an estimated almost 2 million fishing trips were taken in 20172018 in 2017-2018, recreational fishers caught an estimated 7 million individual finfish and 3.9 million individual shellfish Southland is the only area in the country where recreational fisher numbers appears to be increasing, by about 14 percent Species of importance to recreational fishers are snapper, kahawai, blue cod, and kingfish. Recreational catches of these species have increased substantially since 1990. The average recreational snapper catch has almost tripled in the last 30 years, and the average recreational kahawai catch has more than quadrupled in the Hauraki Gulf. Interestingly, fishing activity by recreational fishers has decreased by about 15 percent over the last six years but catches are up. The decreasing number of recreational fishers (3%) seems to be in line with international trends but in the New Zealand context, lack of fish doesn’t appear to be one of the reasons.

13%

(600,000)

of New Zealanders go fishing Nationally, recreational fishers catch:

42% 43% 74%

of snapper of kahawai of kingfish

Southland is the only area in the country where the number of recreational fishers appears to be increasing, by about 14 percent.

88%

(4,100,000)

of New Zealanders eat fish at least once a month

Why are the findings for snapper/ Kaikoura/ scallops different than the previous survey?

The Kaikoura earthquake on 14 November 2016 caused unprecedented uplift and damage to large coastal areas which led to fisheries closures; these areas were previously renowned for abundant pāua and crayfish populations.

In April 2014, a bag limit reduction from nine to seven snapper per person per day was placed on waters from Northland to East Cape.

Scallop catch volumes were affected by the former partial closure and subsequent complete ban of scallop fishing in Golden Bay,

Tasman Bay, and the Marlborough Sounds. This ban is still in place until further notice. In addition, there can also be significant variations in catches from year to year due to a variety of reasons – which are frequently unrelated to the number of fish or fishers, including weather, wind, swell, water temperature, fish behaviour and fuel prices.

Rob caught the big one today.

Download the free NZ Fishing Rules App to get the rules. It’s important to check the rules because they change regularly and are different for each area. So, if you don’t want to catch a fine, make sure you download the App. These rules help protect our precious marine resources – for you, other fishers, and future generations.

MFI0018

www.fisheries.govt.nz/rules

Don’t be like Rob.

10 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - SEPTEMBER 2019

Rodney Rod Holder wins comp

Doug was played to near exhaustion by this kingie

Pete Connolly

It’s good when a plan comes together, albeit if the execution was a little random. The A-team of Doug, Ethan, Joey, and me was assembled with the sole intention of contesting the Big 4 at the Riwaka Hunting and Fishing Competition; deer, pig, and two fin fish. Doug’s team won last year so we tackled the weekend with a plan to give us a good chance of being in the money again. Joey was off hunting while I targeted snapper in my boat, and Doug and Ethan went after the kingies. The weather had been shit but a small window allowed us to bash a path to d’Urville where we overnighted on a mooring. At the crack of dawn, we were fishing over the deep snapper hole at Stephens, which accounted

for four snapper. I was fishing 15lb braid with 40lb fluorocarbon and Pink Shimano Rock Hopper slow jigs. The current was pumping so jigs up to 200g were necessary to get to the bottom and present well. We tracked out wide to try some foul and picked up some nice fish from 3—5kg, but were hoping for a monster. Once the tide turned, we went back to the snapper hole where we picked up a couple of small fish straight away. I changed to a Bottom Ship jig with a homemade skirt and dropped the rig over the side. As it hit the bottom, I gave a couple of cranks of the handle, placed the rod in the rod holder, and went inside make a drink. Tap tap!

“Look at that silly blue cod having a crack at my jig,” I said as I re-emerged from the cockpit. On the third tap, the rod thumped over and I realised it was no bluey. Eight minutes later, I had a good 10kg snapper on board—or rather, ‘Rod’ did.

He’s a canny fisher that ‘Rod’. It transpired that Doug had lucked out on the kingies so had snuck in, changed to light tackle, and was giving the snapper a nudge. He’d put a small snapper jig on with a red Octo’ skirt and left it bobbing away with Rod

Holder in charge. Bugger me, the rod thumped over and all hell broke loose, but it was a big snapper like mine. Tinny bugger had got himself attached to a 25kg kingfish. Well, he didn't know it was 25kg until an hour-and-a-half later; those big brutes take some

The ‘yak on mastering mega fish I recommend tiring the fish completely before attempting to land them, due to the danger a large fish poses to you on a small platform. Typically, I will go for a tail grab in order to secure them. Big snapper are one of the species on every kayak fisher’s list; they fight hard and are a great challenge from a small boat. I target them with a big slab of kahawai or skipjack on a strayline rig.

These guys will take a bait like a ‘freight train’ compared to a panny.

With a last-ditch effort... he's beaten My live-bait is panicking and my reel begins to scream. “Got to clear everything before the fish finds the rocks,” I say to myself for encouragement. “Quickly you can do it.” I turn up the drag and wind into whatever is now attached to the end, it’s not happy and the kayak is being towed towards the horizon. Big fish are a huge challenge from a kayak

because you have lots of limitations. Paddling out under arm power limits the distance you can cover quickly.

Fishing inshore is much more time efficient. Your drag setting must be set much lower to help your kayak balance, which also allows a fish to tow your weight to tire it out.

On a large fish you can be in for a longer fight compared to what you would on a trailer boat. Kingies are the toughest fighters to tackle on a kayak. I will fish for large kingfish using a live mackerel, an 8/0 circle hook and a 100lb leader. If your knots aren’t up to scratch, kingfish will break them. Once hooked up, I use the kayak to my advantage and let the fish tow my weight to tire them.

Turned out we both took out heaviest fish categories in the comp and only missed out on the Big 4 by 23 points. We’ve already asked ‘Rodney’ to be part of our team next year for the rematch.

Blair Whiting

Snapper don’t have the capacity to drag you for miles but will still put up a good account of themselves. When that fish pops up, make sure to get the net under it straight away. Albacore tuna are only available in certain parts of the country to kayakers. Taranaki is the premier fishery, with deep blue water close to the coast in summer. Since we are unable to reach the boat speed of outboard engines, we resort to vibration in the lure for a tuna attractant. Bibbed minnows vibrate fast, even when your boat

Big snapper are on every kayak fisher's list

muscling on light gear.

speed is relatively low. This is the best option for catching tuna on a kayak. Any lure that has UV reflection works very well. Albacore are notorious for shaking hooks near the end of a fight, so wait for their final few runs at the boat before sliding them into the net. With land disappearing fast, I set to work on hauling the greenback to the surface. Before I know it, he’s spraying me with a shower of water as he powers away on his last dash. With a lastditch effort, I grab his yellow tail and he is beaten.

NELSON-TASMAN-GOLDEN BAY FISHING GUIDE 2019

by Slow Do Ji ug gg Cli ing fto Sp n ot

Photo Credit - Wildcat Fishing Charters visit www.fishgoldenbay.co.nz

Honorary Fishery Officers – Expression of Interest • Do you have a passion for protecting our fisheries for future generations? • Would you like to work alongside full-time fishery oﬃcers to educate recreational fishers and help them understand the rules and regulations in place? • Are you reasonably fit? The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) are seeking self-motivated, confident, and disciplined people to assist the Ministry’s Compliance team as Honorary Fishery Officers (HFO). Honorary Fishery Officers are warranted officers working in a rewarding unpaid voluntary role providing an important community service in patrolling New Zealand’s coastline and helping preserve our fisheries for everyone. We are currently recruiting in the top of the South Island in Havelock, Nelson, Motueka and Golden Bay areas. Email HFO@MPI.govt.nz to apply. Please make sure you put the area you are applying for in your email. HFO Duties are a mix of education and compliance. As an HFO you will: • Educate people about fishing rules and encourage voluntary compliance • Investigate suspicious behaviour and gather information on people breaking fishing rules and regulations • Patrol and check fishers to ensure they are following the rules • Be involved in the detection of offending against Fisheries legislation. • Assist full time Fishery staff in other duties as required. HFOs are the face of fisheries compliance and are integral to our education and voluntary compliance programmes. They are invaluable in protecting our fisheries, and are passionate, professional, good communicators and possess excellent local knowledge.

Email HFO@MPI.govt.nz to apply.

NELSON-TASMAN-GOLDEN BAY FISHING GUIDE 2019

PORT NELSON “Sourced from Land Information New Zealand data. Crown Copyright Reserved.”

Legend

1 2

Fishing Spot

Kayak Spot

18 17 Dive Spot

Boat Launch

8 10

Landbased

NEW G GIN JIG OT SP

12 13

1 & 2 Akersten Street

Snapper, trevally, kahawai and yellow-eyed mullet in spring and summer.

3 Wharf – Tee Jetty

An easily accessible family fishing spot all year round, with good results in summer. Kahawai, yellow-eyed mullet, mackerel, school snapper. Cast a lure and try your luck for a kingfish that like to hang around the wharf structures.

4 Haven Channels

Fish the incoming and outgoing tides for kahawai, snapper, yellow-eyed mullet. A good set net spot for flounder.

5 Inside Boulder Bank Channels

Incoming tide tends to bring snapper, trevally, kahawai and kingfish.

6 Boulder Bank Back Eddy Kingfish lurk in here on the turning tide. Cast poppers, stick baits or livebaits under balloon.

7 & 9 Northern and Southern Cut

From late spring for trevally, snapper with kingfish making an appearance in summer through to late autumn.

8 Haulashore Hole

Good sized snapper have been landed here along with the usual suspects of yelloweyed mullet, mackerel and trevally.

10 Southern Edge of Shipping Lane Popular kayak fishing spot for snapper and kahawai.

11 End of Richardson Street Cast toward hole which lies about 50 metres from shore to target snapper, yellow-eyed mullet and kahawai.

13 & 14 Fifeshire Rock Channels

16 Back of Haulashore Island

15 Bolton Hole

17 The G Spot

Cruising kingfish are known to frequent these channels on the incoming and outgoing tide. A very popular spot from early spring to late autumn for snapper and kahawai. Flasher rigs and strayline: use a variety of baits.

Snapper, trevally, kahawai and yellow-eyed mullet. Anchor, berley, strayline and flasher rigs. This is where the Port Nelson’s dredge dumps its tailings. A good spot for snapper and kahawai. Run setline through it also.

18 Seaward Boulder Bank

From late spring this is a good night fishing spot for snapper. Best fished between 11.00pm and 2.00am on a half tide, use a variety of baits.

19 Oﬀ the Lighthouse

From half way either side of high tide fish the change of light for snapper, trevally, kahawai, yellow-eyed mullet, mackerel and cruising kingfish.

12 Connolly’s Quay Fishing Platform Cast toward deeper water slightly to the north west of the platform for snapper, trevally, yellow-eyed mullet and kahawai.

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Go Further

NELSON-TASMAN-GOLDEN BAY FISHING GUIDE 2019 1 Fisherman Island

3 Six Foot Rock

Off the green navigation symbol to the south east of the island there is excellent snapper fishing during summer. Snorkelling around the rocks is very scenic. This area offers good spear fishing opportunities with the occasional crayfish.

This rock just north of Adele Island, fishes well year round for tarakihi and the occasional blue cod. Fish late summer for snapper and good results for gurnard have been had further out from the rock over the sand from February onwards.

2 Adele Island

A good free diving spot for crayfish all round the coastline and reefs offshore. It’s worth targeting tarakihi off the north of the island where snapper are also found in summer.

4 Hapuku Reef

Situated at the start of what the locals call the Mad Mile, and for very good reason. The currents through here can be quite strong and when the nor’wester comes in it cuts up.

ABEL TASMAN 16

The reef drops quickly onto a muddy bottom and fishing close in will produce snapper and a variety of other species.

5 Pitt Head

Moderate fishing from the beach late in the evening, but good light tackle fishing from around the rocks. On the main coastline, small blue cod are occasionally caught. Late summer target cruising kingfish. Free diving for crayfish around coastal margin.

Coastal Waters Between 5 and 6

This stretch of coast is good for kahawai in late summer and early autumn. It’s also proven setline territory for snapper. This area is also well worth checking out for free diving for crayfish and moki. Any of the headlands or dropoffs with currents are known to hold populations of cruising kingfish from spring through to mid autumn. The area also provides great opportunities for the thrill of spear fishing kingfish.

6 Bark Bay

Access for land based again via the coastal track. Limited rock fishing, so mainly suited to boat access. Borders the marine reserve and produces snapper, kahawai, tarakihi and a few blue moki. Kingfish patrol these waters from mid-

10 9 8 7

summer and are best taken on heavy tackle with medium to large live baits or trolling lures. Paddle crabs are plentiful at low tide.

9 Rocks Oﬀshore From Goat Bay

TONGA ISLAND MARINE RESERVE – No fishing zone. Ensure you make yourself aware of the exact boundaries of the marine reserve, which stretches from Bark Bay in the south to Awaroa Head in the north. This is one of the country’s most spectacular dive sites, both snorkelling and scuba diving. Try scuba diving the rock that lies just north of Tonga Island where you’re likely to see masses of crayfish in excess of 10lb.

Tinnies can be launched from the beach and there is access to some reasonable land based fishing. Change of light, berley and a light tackle approach are what is required here. Paddle crabs are also plentiful. Set lining over the sandy bottom during late spring then again in early autumn has provided good results for snapper and gurnard. These fish are also known to inhabit the drop-off areas.

Note: If you are intending to dive in the marine reserve, ensure you have no fish, including shellfish or crayfish, aboard your boat. Fishery officers regularly patrol this area.

7 Awaroa Bay Access is boat only and this shallow sandy bottom coast is dotted with small reefs worthy of a cast or two. In the estuary you’ll find flounder and paddle crabs. In summer surfcast from the beach for kahawai.

8 Ratakura Point Snapper and the occasional tarakihi are found around areas of foul. A good spot for free diving for moki and crayfish.

14 Separation Point

A very popular fishing spot that experiences moderate to heavy pressure through the summer months. Some blue moki can be taken in close, but the area is popular for its blue cod fishery. Target snapper late in the spring and again mid-autumn. A standard ledger rig with heavy sinker is the most commonly used terminal tackle for this area. Mechanical slow jigging for kingfish late in the summer. Trevally are also caught here in late spring and again in late autumn: flasher rigs with mix of bait or slow jigs.

A good site for summer snapper.

10 Totaranui

15 Separation Point Oﬀshore

11 Outer Rock South oﬀ Totaranui Reef

Blue cod are common here year round but a better winter fishing area. Troll for albacore tuna in mid to late summer.

A good summer through to mid autumn snapper, tarakihi and kahawai spot. Flasher rigs have been successful in targeting trevally around rocks with kingfish also known to lurk in areas of current. This is also a popular free dive spot for crayfish and moki.

16 Separation Point West

Spring snapper and again in autumn. Kingfish are found around rocky outcrops and areas of current. Live baiting or trolling surface lures is effective. Kahawai, sea perch and trevally are caught in late spring and again in early autumn. Use slow jigs, softbait or flasher rigs. It’s also a good free diving spear fishing site. Make sure you check out the shallower margins before heading into the deeper water.

12 The Brick

Search for the two pinnacles where you’ll find snapper during summer and blue cod year round. Drift with slow jigs, softbaits or flasher rigs.

13 South Anatakapua Bay

17 Separation Point Mid Range

Fish early spring and later in summer for snapper. Target gurnard over the sandy bottom areas in late summer and autumn. Kahawai and kingfish are common around rocky areas in late summer.

Slow jigs work well here for snapper late spring to early NEW G summer GIN JIG OT 80-100g

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“Sourced from Land Information New Zealand data. Crown Copyright Reserved.”

Nelson

st Fir e e b Unit 6/1 Koru Place on ht g Ph mig ivin S t o k e N e l s o n P h 5 4 5 7 2 2 2 I td ( n ex t t o P l a c e m a ke r s o f f S a x t o n R o a d ) ou

NELSON-TASMAN-GOLDEN BAY FISHING GUIDE 2019

TASMAN BAY

1 Sandy Bay Beach

This is a very tidal area with good flounder fishing on the incoming evening tide. Paddle crabs are also plentiful with snapper cruising the area at the top of the tide.

2 Split Apple Rock

Land based access from the Kaiteriteri road via Stephens Bay. Beach and rock fishing onto a sandy bottom. Snapper and kahawai are the main species taken. Use ledger and flasher rigs with a variety of bait.

Spring and again late summer through to autumn for snapper, kahawai, spiny dogfish and greyboys. Look for gutters where shellfish exist and fish incoming tide. Good electric kontiki spot. Large rays are also common off the beach.

Some land based fishing is possible but it is largely boat access. Fish in close, with light tackle for tarakihi, kahawai and snapper. Berley essential.

3 Anawera Point

17 Rabbit Island – surfcasting

18 Rabbit Island – boat fishing

A popular snapper spot from spring until mid December. Fish the change of light in the morning in 6-8m at anchor, with good berley trail and strayline and variety of baits. Gurnard and kahawai are also common along here – take slow jigs or flasher rigs while drifting. December can bring plagues of juvenile school sharks, so don’t berley if they are present.

7 8

4 Kaka Island

At the mouth of Kaiteriteri Bay is a set of rocks and the small island. Fishing these areas early in the spring and again later in autumn can produce snapper of reasonable size.

19 Oyster Island

All the back channels offer school snapper in late spring then again from

7 Riwaka River Outflow and Estuary The estuary is ideal for flounder set netting and evening spear fishing. Paddle crabs are abundant and

This is one of Nelson’s premier surfcasting spots fishing for snapper, rig, kahawai and yellow-eyed mullet. The incoming tide produces the best results, however the back tide is also worth trying. This is a highly popular early morning fishing spot, however a half tide at the change of light in the evening also a good time.

20 Monaco Tidal Flats

A good set net area for flounder late autumn – mid winter. Pannie snapper spring through to late autumn.

21 Tasman Bay

37 44

Cast to the channel. Good site for school snapper in spring then again in late summer to mid autumn. Kahawai and small trevally are also caught here. Best time is the incoming tide, fishing through top and on back of tide.

A good snapper spot from early spring through to early summer. Historically some large fish have been landed here.

G D IN ITE SH B FI HI O PR

common here. Good kayak fishing 300m from shore for gurnard and school snapper. 26C – Landbased from the Boulder Bank. Access from Boulder Bank Drive. This is an extremely rocky bottom so be prepared to lose some gear. Try using spoon shaped sinkers that are easier to jiggle free from between rocks. Big eagle rays are often caught here. It’s also worth spinning for kahawai and kingfish.

27 Marybank

Flounder on edges of main channel. Use either set nets or spearfishing with light at night.

26c

8 Oyster Beds

Use short tows when dredging because in close there are a lot of stones that can foul your dredge. Good snapper area.

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26a

26 Boulder Bank

19 plenty of cockles can be found around here too. It’s no deeper than a metre at low tide.

28 & 29 Radio Mast to The Glen

26b

9 The Kumeras

Surfcasting for snapper late summer to autumn. Year round for kahawai and flounder.

10 The 20 Metre Line

This is good in early to late spring where large snapper are often caught on setlines. Gurnard, greyboy, rig and kahawai in late spring and early summer. A lot of spiny dogfish and carpet sharks so avoid berley, but drift using straylines and slow jigs. Pink and white Jitterbugs a good spring choice. At times, red cod are abundant late winter through spring. Albacore tuna over summer and autumn when water temperature high – troll albacore lures 6-8kts. Will take Rapalas and long jigs. Black Magic albie lures hot choice.

23 22

11 Port Motueka

Great spot for catching baitfish like yellow-eyed mullet before moving down the coast to target snapper. Pacific oysters are also plentiful along this coast.

12 Moutere Bluff – inshore

Snapper in shallow water from September then again from mid summer and on to autumn. A lot of pannies but big snapper also.

12a. Moutere Inlet

Spearing flounder in channels low tide through winter.

13 Kina Beach

This beautiful stretch of beach is quite secluded and easy access is offered from the Coastal Highway.

25 Atawhai Drive and QE II Drive Intersection.

Snapper, kahawai, trevally, yellow-eyed mullet and mackerel.

22 Mussel Beds Off Airport

fishing the change of light at dusk – then again mid to late autumn. Fish the edge of the foul using stray lines, slow jigs or flasher rigs. This is good kingfish country in late spring then again in mid to late summer.

36 & 37 Whangamoa Head to Grahams Point

24 Outflow Pipe

Large area of foul where dredge dumps waste is for good spring and summer school snapper, kahawai, yellow-eyed mullet, and greyboy, plus occasional rig. Gurnard are caught here year round.

MAIN SPRING/AUTUMN SNAPPER TERRITORY 12a

ALBACORE TUNA Albacore tuna often come into Tasman Bay over summer and early autumn when water temperatures are high and food is abundant. Look for current lines around 20m – 30m and troll albie lures at 6-8 knots. Look for areas of baitfish, fish activity, birds working and blue water. Tuna tend to rise to surface feed with the sun, so mid-morning onwards can be productive.

23 Back Beach

6 Spat Farm

A prime kingfish spot through spring and again from late summer into autumn. Snapper are also caught at these times. Year round species include kahawai, mackerel, mullet and gurnard. Kingfish Hint – cruise outside of the farm and cast a subsurface lure or stick baits, then make a quick retrieve. Will also take Jitterbugs cast and retrieved. After a while the fish may become lure shy so use the lure to tease them toward the boat, then switch to speed jigging. Kingfish are very curious and an old paint tin with a few nuts and bolts, shaken beneath the water surface may also bring them over for a look.

midsummer through until autumn. Kahawai, yellow-eyed mullet and mackerel are also often caught here. Strayline on shallow banks on incoming tide - sunrise.

5 Stephens Bay

Surfcasting for kahawai, yelloweyed mullet, mackerel and in spring and late summer snapper. Good spot for dinghy fishing – strayline evening & early morning. Flasher rigs good with shellfish bait.

NELSON-TASMAN-GOLDEN BAY FISHING GUIDE 2019

26A – Closer in to the Boulder Bank in shallow water use plenty of berley and try straylining and flasher rigs on incoming and outgoing tide. Best fishing time tends to be at mid tide at the An ideal picnic area, Kina Beach provides easy surfcasting conditions. change of light at dawn or dusk. Use a variety of baits for snapper Fish through the top of the tide for and try drop-shotting soft baits. kahawai, snapper and rig. Fishes Expect snapper, kahawai, best on a mid-tide approaching dusk. trevally, blue cod, kingfish, barracouta, spiny dogfish, 14 Moutere Bluffs - offshore thresher sharks and carpet On the 10 metre line. Fishes well in sharks. Troll for kingies mid to spring then again in early autumn for snapper. During October and November expect rig and year round for gurnard.

late spring and early autumn. Popular spearfishing and kayak destination. 26B – Offshore from the Boulder Bank in deeper water around the 20 metre mark. Anchor up and use plenty of berley. Use stray lines, ledgers and soft baits targeting snapper and trevally. If spiny dogs become a problem move into shallower water or drift fish using Jitterbugs or other slow jigs. This is also a prime setline spot in early spring for large snapper. Rig are also

15 Ruby Bay Early spring through summer for snapper fishing the change of light in the morning. In close, they go off the bite at daybreak. Mainly school snapper.

Deeper water creates different current patterns meaning this area fishes best on an incoming tide and has excellent results at the change of light. Fish the edge of the dropoff for snapper, trevally, blue cod, yellow-eyed mullet, mackerel and kingfish. Kingfish are often taken from here on live bait and lures. Drift fish or kayak up to 300m offshore for snapper, kahawai and gurnard.

30 Cable Bay

Surfcasting for snapper and kahawai, if you can get access to the shore. Popular kayak spot – fish around Pepin Island or paddle out near Marine Reserve for snapper, kahawai

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Big snapper in shallow!

31 Pepin Island

A popular kayak fishing area where in late summer through to autumn you can expect snapper and the occasional tarakihi. Boat fishing good with anchor and berley, strayline, flashers, softbaits and slow jigs cast close to rocks. Troll close for kingfish.

32 Pier Cove

38 Cape Soucis

Blue cod all year round with snapper from spring through to late autumn. Kahawai and kingfish can also be found in spring and autumn. Good kayak fishing. Trolling from here to 30m mark in summer may pick up albacore tuna.

39 Croisilles Harbour Banks

Any of the banks sloping into the main channel produce great gurnard fishing in autumn and winter. Good kayak fishing.

40 Squally Cove

From spring until late autumn all bays and coves around mussel farms produce snapper, kahawai and trevally. North of the cable is a limited oyster bed. Good kayak fishing.

Situated at the back of Pepin Island, this spot provides sheltered fishing during sou’westerlies. An area of shallow reef runs onto a sandy bottom. Fish in close for snapper and kingfish, or over the sand for gurnard.

41 Moncrieff Reserve

33 West Delaware Bay

Land based summer fishing for snapper and kahawai.

Late summer for snapper, gurnard, kahawai, mullet and mackerel. A good spot for set lining for gurnard particularly in late winter.

34 Delaware Bay

Drift fishing for gurnard, particularly good in winter, but you’ll also pick up the occasional large snapper in summer. Try ledger rig or slow retrieve of soft bait or lure from the bottom. Rig caught in spring.

Both land based and boat fishing for spring and autumn snapper, with kahawai in late autumn.

42 Old Wharf

43 Main Beach Okiwi Bay

A tidal area where land based fishing during summer can result in catches of snapper, mullet and kahawai.

44 Tarapunga Wreck Early season fishing spot Sept - Nov, JD, kingfish, snapper, tarakihi, 80g slow jig

35 East Delaware Bay

Late spring for large snapper by

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16 Mapua Channel The old wharf offers safe fishing for youngsters, but currents can be strong so heavy running rigs are advised. Boat fishing for kahawai, and in spring and again from late summer this is a good snapper spot.

and gurnard. Good setlining area. A number of large snapper taken by kayakers here.

Blue cod, tarakihi off reefs and foul areas year round. Snapper and gurnard in spring to autumn in more open water. Fish the 30-metre mark in spring for large snapper and gurnard. This is also a popular set line area. Drift using straylines and slow jigs.

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NELSON-TASMAN-GOLDEN BAY FISHING GUIDE 2019

GOLDEN BAY 11

12 14

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FISHING

Scallopers: NOTE ALL AREAS CLOSED 2019-2020

9 8

7 Go Anywhere

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Watch Everything

SUMMER ALBACORE TUNA. Troll albie lures along current lines: huge masses of big kahawai and rat kingies between 20m and 40m.

5 4

1 Wainui Bay

3 Pohara Beach

Good sized snapper and trevally in spring and again in late summer through until mid summer are regularly caught around the mussel farms. Paddle crabs and flounder are prolific in the estuary. Ledger rigs, flasher rigs, softbaits and slow jigs.

At low tide it’s possible to walk out and survey the channels and pools for the small fish that get caught on the out going tide and toward high tide. The bay is deep enough for the snapper to come in and feed, making it a reasonable surfcasting spot.

2 Port Tarakohe The breakwater for the marina allows you to cast into the bay. There are one or two places on the rocks that allow you to get down to the water’s edge without too much difficulty, but most people go off the point. Fish summer through to early autumn for snapper along with yellow-eyed mullet, black rays, dogfish, gurnard and kahawai. It is best to fish the change of light either in the early morning or late evening. On the mussel farms west of Tarakohe you’ll find snapper. From spring through to mid summer kingfish like to play around the mussel farms with live bait, trolling and surface lures all proving successful.

2 – 3 Between Tarakohe and Pohara This is a popular area for setlining, evening drift fishing and flounder netting from boats.

4 Golden Bay Scallop Beds CLOSED for 2019/20

5 Patons Rock Good fishing from boats, or fish off the rocks at both low and high tides. Fishing the change of light and even after dark will reward you. Check out the rocks at low tide so you know where you can cast your lines without losing gear on rocks. Good snapper fishing.

6 Onekaka (including near the old wharf) Snapper and other fish can be caught along this stretch. A small boat ramp is available. Fish can be caught quite close in, particularly in the late evening. Along the reef slightly offshore from here is a proven school snapper spot in early spring and fishes particularly well in early morning. Further out on the 20 to 30

“Sourced from Land Information New Zealand data. Crown Copyright Reserved.”

1 2

metre line setlining has been highly successful during early to late spring for large snapper. Check out this area for summer albacore.

7 Collingwood, Aorere River Mouth Always a good spot to catch kahawai or sea-run trout. Use a lure or bait and fish the incoming tide at the back of the Collingwood Motor Camp. Snapper can also be caught off this spot. This is also a good winter flounder spearing area.

8 Aorere River - for the trout ﬁshing enthusiast This has good quantities of brown trout. There are several places you can access the river by bridges, but don’t be afraid to ask a farmer. Most will let you cross their land.

9 Mussel Farms

Particularly good snapper fishing from December to March early morning and again in the evening. Launch your boat at the Collingwood boat ramp. Remember to pay your boat ramp fee. Tie up to the mussel farms, but keep out of the mussel farmers’ way when they are working. Collingwood boat ramp is very tidal, launching access is only for two and a half hours either side of high tide.

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10 Pakawau Beach A good place for surfcasting. Fishing during the day can bring results, but it is better fishing on dark or after dark. Remember the paddle crabs take your bait during daylight hours. After dark they leave your bait alone. You can also set a crab pot here for a feed of paddle crabs.

11 Wharariki Beach A spectacularly scenic surfcasting beach for big snapper and rig. Free diving for paua when conditions allow.

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A 20 minute walk from the base of Farewell Spit car park. Surfcast off the beach or rocky outcrops. Kahawai, sharks and other fish can be caught. Change of light and after dark is best. Beware of the large waves and dangerous undertow of the sea. A lovely place to watch the sunset.

13 Outside Farewell Spit Early spring target snapper, trevally, gurnard and rig. Further offshore beyond the 40 metre mark fish for albacore tuna and mako sharks.

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NELSON-TASMAN-GOLDEN BAY FISHING GUIDE 2019

GOLDEN BAY WEST COAST

Westhaven Inlet

9 See enlargement

8 6 5

All beaches along this coast from the Patarau River south are good for snorkelling, with 2 Find the hole which drops plenty of paua. to about 13 metres where 6 Patarau Shoals snapper tend to lurk early This is a very exposed coastline summer through to late and is often subject to some autumn. heavy weather from the north 3 Flounder throughout the tidal sandflats but spear fishing only.

and west. These shoals produce good catches of snapper and blue cod and are a popular dive site for crayfish. Big tarakihi 4 All bridges on the Westhaven Road are good have been taken from here spots for surfcasting from for along with the occasional trumpeter and trevally. snapper.

7 Kahurangi Shoals

Westhaven Inlet 1 2 4

A diverse range of species Note: Be aware of the is caught here including Westhaven Te Tai Tapu groper, blue cod, snapper Marine Reserve. and trumpeter with kingfish in The reserve covers 536 hectares and includes all the summer. tidal sandflats and channels Crayfish are plentiful for scuba divers. south of a straight line between Melbourne Point (Pah Point) and the closest 8 Patarau Banks Albacore tuna in autumn and headland of Westhaven early spring. Shoaling trevally Scenic Reserve. It also includes all the tidal areas and kahawai are also known to inhabit these waters. Blue upstream of causeways along Dry Road, southwest cod can be found here year of and including the Wairoa round with perch, snapper and a few groper. River. An area around the Mangarakau wharf is not 9 The 102 Metre Line included in either reserve. A consistent groper spot when fishing the deeper margins.

3 FISHING PROHIBITED

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“Sourced from Land Information New Zealand data. Crown Copyright Reserved.”

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5 Western Coastline

1 Snapper are prolific from early summer through until autumn.

10 The Western Wreck An all year round spot for mulitiple species. Great for slow jigging (150g) and/or speed jigging (300g). Highly weather dependent.

DO YOU KNOW YOUR RADIO CHANNELS

FOR MARLBOROUGH AND NELSON Channel 01 – Mt. Stokes. Coverage from Cape Farewell in the south to Cape Egmont in the north, and the east from Cape Palliser to Cape Campbell. Most of the Marlborough Sounds, Golden Bay, Tasman Bay , Wellington and Cook Strait. At times. This channel may be workable outside these perimeters. Channel 04 – Drumduan. Covers Tasman Bay and the western d’Urville area. Permanently linked to both channels 60 and 65. This means that any transmission made on channel 04 is heard simultaneously on both channels 60 and 65 and vice versa. Channel 60 – Mt. Burnett. Covers Kahurangi Point in the west, all of Golden Bay and the western side of d’Urville Island. Channel 60 is permanently linked to channel 04 (and subsequently to channel 65) so any transmission made on channel 04 is heard on channel 04, 60, and 65 as well.

Channel 63 – Mt. Kahikatea. Covers Queen Charlotte Sound, Port Underwood, Cook Strait, south to Cape Campbell, Kapiti and Mana and also parts of Kenepuru and Pelorus Sounds. This Channel is good for Wellington approaches but not good within Wellington Harbour. (Mariners are advised to cancel Trip Reports at Barrets Reef buoy). Channel 65 – Paradise Reserve. Covers Kenepuru and Pelorus Sounds, Havelock, d’Urville, western Cook Strait, parts of Tasman Bay, Golden Bay and large sections of Queen Charlotte Sound. Channel 66 – Mt. Stokes. Coverage area is similar to Channel 01. This repeater is for Commercial users only and is not Operator monitored. Channels 01 and 63 are linked for the marine forecasts only and one operator monitors both channels.

Channels are monitored 0700 hrs to 2200 hrs all year round.

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NELSON-TASMAN-GOLDEN BAY FISHING GUIDE 2019

No bait more fish

Doug Clifton uses slow jigs to good effect

T. P. McPhee

distance casting, while overhead reels are easier to control when dropping vertically, and they do keep you in touch with the lure so you can detect bites on the way down.

While traditional rigs such as flashers, ledger, and straylines still catch fish in Tasman Bay, the revolution in new technology spawning new techniques has seen many anglers go bait free by switching to lure and jig fishing—with impressive results. More so than the softbait revolution of a decade ago.

Slow jigging and micro jigging are ideal shallow water techniques for the shallow waters of Tasman Bay and they will catch all popular target species: snapper, cod, gurnard, john dory, tarakihi, kahawai and kingfish. While the type and colour of lure is important, more critical is the gear used to fish them; sensitivity, action, and control all important aspects of lure presentation. A light action rod with power in the base and a soft tip work best for some, while others prefer a parabolic curve if fishing deeper water. Reels come down to preference and ability: spin allow easier

Braid has surpassed nylon; its thinner, stronger, and cuts through water better so you fish with less line angle—the more angle the less effective the jig. Braid of 8lb—20lb for the mainline and use fluorocarbon trace, 30lb-40lb. In shallow water, drifting while jigging is preferred and you can control speed and angle by using a drogue or sea anchor; useful on windy days. However, you can still jig at anchor by working your lures through the berley trail zone. Slow jigging uses Lucanus-style jigs (Kohga sliders, jitterbugs, inchikus, kabura, and the like) dropped to the bottom and very slowly retrieved 10— 15m up, then dropped and repeated. Once a fish bites, don’t strike but keep winding until the rod bends and loads.

are designed to ‘flutter’ down. Fish will often strike these on the way down. This technique can be used in very shallow water 9m out to 50m, so ideal for Tasman Bay. Once on the bottom, alternate between long slow lifts and quick jerking action as you bring it through the water column. For more information, pop into your local fishing specialist. It really is an effective way to put fish in the boat.

Your perfect fishing partner

Micro jigging uses tiny jigs from 21—50g to imitate distressed baitfish. Some jigs drop straight to the bottom while others

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Issue 168 19

Captain’s Log: Beam me up spotty

CRIMPTOON

One day from 85 Imagine a giant tape measure marked in five unit intervals from zero to 85: zero being when you are born and 85 being a realistic life expectancy. Walk along the tape measure and stop on your age as of today. Now look over your shoulder and then back at the end of the tape. That is how much life you have lived, followed by how

behind you than it is in front—time to reassess. It’s not a morbid thought but many of us have much to still achieve and experience, but limited time to fit it in. Time to start ‘doing’ rather

much you have left to live.

than dreaming. “One day

If you are young, it is not

I want to…” may suddenly

daunting. However, if the

end up one day away from

tape measure is way longer

85.

Operation Tidy Fox

John Knowler— Hunting & Fishing Invercargill

Joining countless others in the tidy up of the Fox River was an awesome experience given my son and me by Gerald (the boss) McRae; we work at Hunting and Fishing Invercargill. Gerald had us drive up in the work ute and put in two solid days of clean up. I had to put aside my anti 1080 opinions to work with DoC, who did an excellent job and have to be commended on the organisation of accommodation and food etcetera for the whole exercise. We were pleased to be able to help in our small way; the Army (NZDF) were great delivering us to

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and from the clean up zones each day in the six wheel drive Pinzgauer (HighMobility All-Terrain Vehicle), a highlight for both Josh and me. Over 400 large fadges of rubbish were collected from the 21 km of river and 64 km of coastline affected

by the rubbish spill, up to the time we were there. Unfortunately, some rubbish will remain buried below the riverbed, and rubbish that has already entered the sea will wash up on the beaches in the future.

downstream of the Fox Glacier landfill was well organised and a credit to DOC and the Army involved. My son and I personally would like to commend them and all of the volunteers involved for a job well done.

However the clean-up of the riverbed and coast

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20 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - SEPTEMBER 2019

Coutta’s Cut:

Lynne the Ruthless now an accountant Coutta Out in my toy shed I have all the bits and pieces that make up my fishing arsenal like soft baits, hard baits, big jigs, small jigs, fast jigs and slow jigs. I’ve got the rods and reels for all of these plus quite a few ‘Lynne the Ruthless’ doesn’t know about. To be honest I’ve really got no idea what they are for. I got them because all the experts, who I’ve covered before, have them. To get out to where my quarry is, I also have a pretty good six metre boat with a must have, well, that’s what I told ‘Lynne the Ruthless,’ four-stroke motor bolted to the back. Just for good measure when I’m fishing in harbours, or in close, I’ve got a 14ft tinny with a soon-to-have brand new electric start outboard. Lynne was surprisingly easy to talk into this new motor as the old one has a pull start and she didn’t like the way I spoke to it in quite a loud voice when it didn’t fire on the twenty-second pull, especially at crowded boat ramps. Just recently, the dishwasher ‘shit’ itself. We’ve just been in and bought a new one. With Lynne getting a new dishwasher I don’t feel in the least bit guilty about the motor. It's often suggested by ‘Lynne the Ruthless’ I don’t need and will probably never use all of the gear I’ve got. She reminds me when we were in the Northern Territory I had an old badly bent de Havilland 12ft punt with a 15 HP Mariner and my fishing equipment consisted of a six foot glass bait caster, an Abu reel, which admittedly was the ‘duck nuts’ back then, and half a dozen six inch Nils Master lures in various colours. As she says, we caught a shit load of barramundi back then. When we came back to Auckland, I did a lot of fishing in the Tamaki Estuary, again in a 12ft tinny. OK, it wasn’t bent and had a newer 15 HP motor. My fishing gear was made up of a Penn Seaboy and a Penn 66 Longbeach my father bought me for my 12th birthday. A four-ounce ball sinker behind a 20ft trace and a hunk of mullet was the method. Caught a lot of good fish then too. A week or so ago, we went out of Tauranga for a fish. Middle of winter, cold, it was bloody hard fishing and no matter what hard bait, soft bait, slow or fast jigs I tried, I didn’t get as much as a touch. Time to do something radical. A couple of normal rods and star drag reels loaded with 20lb mono got pulled out. A one-ounce ball sinker behind a hook with a piece of skippy went over the side. Eight good snapper and a two kilo trevally came back in. Makes you wonder about what you spend doesn’t it? ‘Lynne the Ruthless’ wonders, I assure you.

k-2

The gnarly ginger boar On a cold winter morning in July, I took the day off school to hunt a good boar for the Havelock pig hunt. We collared up all the dogs, Blaze, Ruby, and Mazz, and headed down the road in the ute. When we got to our destination we adhered to the rule of no slamming doors—wouldn’t wanna scare them hogs. We made our way up the ridge and, with a good breeze blowing, the dogs were winding hard. Blaze and Ruby took off down the face and Mazz went the other way; must have been a few hogs about. Blaze and Ruby went out to 330 metres on the GPS, while Mazz went 150 looking for them other hogs. Five minutes later, Mazz came back. It wasn't until Blaze let out the first bark, Mazz pricked her ears up to Blaze bailing hard, then shot down the ridge. Mazz was half-way on her run down to the pig and it started to break up hill. The pig actually came closer to us at 150 metres now and the dogs stopped it there. Blaze was bailing hard; she is only a 13-month-old pup. Ruby and Mazz had an ear each. It was time for the business end. The dogs had the pig down—it had some nasty rippers on it. I pulled my knife out and stuck it. I was so proud of the dogs. We checked the dogs over for pokes or rips. Mazz had a little poke but it didn’t look too bad, “She’ll be right.” We gutted the pig and carried it down to the road.

The next morning we went for another hunt. I let Blaze and Ruby

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out of their kennels, only to find Ruby couldn’t move or walk on her back legs. The hog had definitely given the dogs a tickle up. Back to the vet again. Ruby had temporary paralysed back legs because of the hog’s beating. All they both need is rest. On the good side of things I finished fourth at the Havelock pig hunt in juniors, with that toey 75lb ginger boar. That’s pig hunting for ya!

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Issue 168 21

Optically Speaking We began supplying night vision optics in 2011 after a grueling boat trip to the outer Marlborough Sounds. A lot of surface debris including some sizable tree logs had washed down into the sea following a heavy storm a few days earlier. We fished until dusk then slowly and arduously crept back to

Ant Corke

our mooring in darkness. A night vision optic would have been ideal to aid our navigation as partially submerged logs would have been easier to spot. Thermal imagers are ideal for marine emergencies such finding people in water, but can be less useful if a log is the

Night vision and thermal imaging optics for better safety and enjoyment same temperature as the water. Thermal imagers tend to be more widely used for hunting and pest control, not only for spotting targets but for positive target identification and background safety. Most accidental shootings occur at close quarters in forest where only part of the target and its movement can be seen, leading to errors of judgment. A thermal imager can see through foliage at the distances that accidents occur, aiding the hunter to firmly establish target identity.

The third safety related topic is security at night. It is far safer to investigate a suspicious noise from a distance with a night vision or thermal imaging optic than to investigate with a torch. Observing without being observed gains precious time to call the police, whilst walking into a dark area where someone could be hiding is dangerous. The following is a small selection of our products that offer a safer and more enjoyable outdoor experience:

Navigating in darkness requires care. A Pulsar night vision optic helps identify hazards.

Pulsar Challenger GS 1x20 night vision head-mounted monocular

This is excellent for use at night for walking and navigating a boat. It has an inbuilt short range IR illuminator that enables the user to see with comfort up to 50 metres, and is also supplied with a Sternelle infrared torch that produces a longer viewing distance when required.

Pulsar Edge GS 1x20 night vision head-mounted goggle With a Pulsar thermal imager, a hunter is more able to identify their target.

This is the binocular version of the Pulsar Challenger GS 1x20. Having two tubes provides the user with better spacial awareness for judging distance. With the aid of the supplied Sternhelle torch, it is more useable whilst moving. Another feature is that its inbuilt IR illuminator is adjustable for power output making it ideal for performing tricky manual tasks in darkness. The Pulsar Edge GS is also available as a 3.5x50 night vision binocular.

Yukon Signal RT 4.5x40 night vision video recorder

This unit has the ability to record and stream video to a mobile device or the internet, and to take photographs in complete darkness. It is fitted with a 940nm IR illuminator that has no visible source making it ideal for security observation and whilst observing spooky animals. Very easy to use and great value.

Pulsar Axion Key XM30 thermal imager

This is the lowest specification thermal imager manufactured by Pulsar, and represents excellent value. It is waterproof, very light and compact, has many viewing modes, fully focusable optics, and interchangeable batteries. It can see through foliage as well as spot humans, game and stock at extreme distance. Though all of our products are useful for these three safety situations, some are better than others for specific tasks. We recommend that you discuss your requirements with a dealer or visit our website for the latest information. www.yukonoptics.co.nz

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22 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - SEPTEMBER 2019

From Sinker to Smoker Ron Prestage

Snapper, snapper everywhere

Part One

Unfortunately for today’s surfcasters, I am talking about the good old/bad old days on the West Coast, between Charleston in the south and the Heaphy River in the north. Good because snapper were easily caught all along the coast and bad because ‘conservation’ and ‘sustainability’ were not in our word or brain banks in the 1950’s.

In the Charleston area, the Cod Rocks and adjoining

promontories were popular fishing spots. Royce Smith of Westport recalls fishing there with Eddie Scarlett and Tom Rossiter in the late 1950’s. They caught plenty of snapper, gurnard, and sharks but never felt safe there, with unpredictable swells, and slippery rocks and seaweed to contend with. After the Laurie Hale and Bill Powell tragedy, where both got washed off the rock and Bill drowned, Royce

Photo and map supplied by Royce Smith.

never fished there again. He found safer rock spots or fished off the beach. Nelson’s Allan Moseley and Lindsay Stuart recall fishing the Cod Rocks with their fathers and supplementing the snapper catch with crayfish caught in the deep crevices by using a baited pot net, which was raised quickly off the bottom once the crays had started feeding. Mel Sheldon of European Hotel fame was another to exploit this crayfish resource in the good old days.

Mussels were also collected from the rocks at the end of the Nine Mile beach by the Stuarts. They helped the Lowe family empty the net they ingeniously slung across the Nile River on number eight wire to catch the large yellow-eyed mullet that came up the river on the high tide. Lindsay also recalls his grandfather Skipper Powell fishing the Cod Rocks area with a hand-line and pulling up plenty of snapper from close in with this rig.

Issue 168 23

PISTOL SHOOTING Brian Bishop

Pistol popularity on rise Well it is September which means that our shoot calendar is about to step up as it goes from slow to full on. This year we have our IPSC Nationals in September which is a change from November, there was a swap around due to the Australasians which are being run in the Philippines of which we have our biggest ever team going (37x Male and 5x Ladies) so, as we would only have just got back before the booked dates, we will now be holding the Norths in November. For me it is full on with Pistol New Zealand’s AGM and 50th Celebrations which is an awesome achievement and shows the strength of our sport. While things have changed greatly over the years, we continue to have a steady increase in membership every year, which is

impressive as most sports are losing membership. This is proof that we are doing things right especially in the safety on our ranges around the country which is outstanding. To me this is no surprise as we have many teams of well-trained instructors and range officers (referees), to say nothing about other club members that understand what we do, range safety never stops and constant retraining is what we are all about. Add to this shooting sports are a fun change from the more traditional sports like rugby/ cricket or netball. The weekend after that we have a Wild Bunch Match at the Nelson Pistol Club, which is a spin off from Cowboy shooting and uses the guns from the movie Wild Bunch. Using Single stack 45cal 1911 instead of single action revolvers. On the Sunday we held an

Interclub with members from the different Top of the South clubs competing— Motueka the host. This gave the locals a taste of what a match is like and at the same time for those of us going to the National’s, some much needed match practice.

Travels

The Nationals is our premier event, with three days of shooting. This year it is in Wanganui and promises to be a good event, going by past matches. It is popular and well supported, with over 200 entered to date. With competitors coming from a number of different countries this is a truly international event. More on this next time. Contact a club, or me directly, if you are interested in trying pistol shooting; with nine different styles to choose from, we’ll find one or more that matches you.

Speed steel is an exciting discipline

Paper has Nordic flavour David Sorenson, a descendant from the Viking God of motorhomes Østen A-Fortë, spends his retirement tracing his Danish ancestors’ migrations, which has taken him to far corners of the planet: Scottish Hebrides, Shelanti, and Taupo. Dave says it is fascinating tracing family roots because it has given him a sense of who he is—confused. He is seen here in Alaska wondering how early vikings ever survived their harsh lifestyles without The

Fishing Paper to cheer them up. “My great great great great great great grandfather Finwith Atäill and his family used to come to Ninilchick Alaska every Friday because it was ‘Fish ’n’ Ship’ night,” David told The Fishing Paper. While following in Grandpappy Finwith’s footsteps, David kept with family tradition and ordered the halibut fillets… he’s still eating and is due home in early November.

At Worldtravellers Motueka we’re passionate about travel and are avid travellers ourselves. If there’s somewhere in the world you’d like to go, chances are one of our team has been there and can share their knowledge and personal experience with you – making the world of difference when it comes to booking your next holiday.

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Alaska a must do destination A

laska… the mere name evokes images of raw wilderness and abundant wildlife. Huge, endless mountain chains, glaciers that caterpillar rivers of ice miles wide, vast tundra, wild salmon that run like whitebait… and Alaska’s Big Five: grizzly bear, moose, caribou, Dall sheep, and wolves.

Daryl Crimp’s Alaska by Land and Sea is the ultimate Alaskan Adventure, taking in the history, the breathtaking scenery, the arctic wildlife, and the amazing culture of this absorbing region. What more fitting way to start our adventure than from Vancouver Canada, the once rough and tumble trading post and sawmilling town, now a throbbing metropolis and hub for outdoor adventurists. We then fly direct to Whitehorse in the Yukon, the frontier post of the Klondike Gold Rush era, and follow the route of the

Klondike gold stampeders to the famous Dawson City, home of Bonanza Creek where stampeders pried $500 million in gold from the frozen ground. Highlights include Jack London Museum, and Diamond Tooth Gertie’s Gambling Hall. From here we fly to Fairbanks where we experience a cruise on the only remaining authentic Alaskan sternwheeler, see a demonstration of a winning Iditarod dog sled team, and visit the old Chena Indian Village. Other highlights include a trappers cabin,

gold dredge, and demonstration of a fish wheel in action—these were used to catch salmon to feed dog teams in the pioneer days. Alaska is not complete without a visit to the tundra and Denali is a definite highpoint of this journey; the vistas and wildlife are awe-inspiring. This is capped off a spectacular train journey to Anchorage, where you can take in the Northern Lights— the aurora borealis—on a clear dark night.

This is just a taste because this trip has it all: what better way to cement all those amazing memories than with a luxury sea cruise, departing Seward and navigating the Inside Passage, where you take in amazing glaciers, ice-studded fjords, see bald eagles skim the water’s surface, and watch humpback and killer whales feed on the abundant fish life. En route we stop off and explore iconic and colourful townships like Juneau and Ketchikan.

It really is a dream destination, holiday of a lifetime, and one you really should do now. Enquire now for the full itinerary and to register your spot.

Daryl Crimp's

Alaska

21 day hosted tour June 2020 email darylcrimp@gmail.com for the full itinerary

24 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - SEPTEMBER 2019

Pāua tourism – what’s the plan? Storm Stanley - Chairman, Pāua Industry Council I was recently sent an interesting article that had been posted on the Chinese social media and messaging app WeChat. The article is an account of the opportunities available to all – whether New Zealander or overseas visitor – to enjoy catching and eating pāua. With a bit of (occasionally humorous) help from Google Translate, I read a detailed description of where and when to catch pāua around Invercargill, particularly Bluff, what the rules are and so on. Tourists were

encouraged to visit the local Fisheries New Zealand office is to pick up a rule book and a ‘pāua weapon’ issued by the New Zealand Government for free. Personally, I like to see people experiencing the joy of catching fish and the satisfaction of eating their catch as part of a social occasion. However there are bigger issues at stake which make me think that there’s an urgent need for a wider conversation about managing the potential impacts of increased visitor numbers on New Zealand’s pāua fisheries. This is not a new concern. In the early to mid-2000s Fisheries Officers carried out a series of busts, one of which involved tour groups taking large quantities of pāua back to their country as excess baggage. When this was eventually detected visitors shifted to sending 10kg polybins out by mail, on such a scale that one operator was found to have spent $80,000 or so in postage costs.

More recently, Kaikōura locals have told of increasing numbers of guided tour groups arriving by bus from Christchurch and gathering their legal limits of pāua at low tide.

Crimpy’s Creamed Paua 4 paua shelled, cleaned and minced 1 onion finely diced ¾ cup fish or chicken stock 100ml Philadelphia light cooking cream Salt & pepper 2 tbsp cooking oil Knob of butter Heat oil over a moderate heat and melt in butter. Add onions and cooking until soft. Add paua and stir in with onions. Add fish stock and simmer gently until the liquid has almost gone. Season with salt & pepper. Add cream and stir until it thickens. Serve with sourdough, hot buttered toast, or toasted ciabatta bread

These pāua safaris were reportedly becoming a problem until the November 2016 earthquake resulted in the closure of the fishery. The tour groups were sufficiently well briefed on New Zealand law to know that each person is entitled to take 10 blackfoot and 10 yellow foot pāua per day – quite a feed! This is not something you can do in other parts of the world. For example, after attending an Abalone Conference in Hobart recently I found that in Tasmania you must get a licence to catch abalone recreationally. The licence specifies daily bag and possession limits and, importantly, dictates that you cannot catch recreational abalone for another person. Many other countries have similar restrictions and requirements. But in New Zealand, anyone from anywhere in the world can go sea fishing anytime anywhere, with no need to account for their activity, as long as they stick to the rules. The WeChat story calls our pāua ‘delicious black gold abalone’ and observes ‘such sea carrying activities (sic) are difficult to experience in China.’ No wonder tourists see New Zealand as a great opportunity to catch fish they cannot find in their own country. On the positive side, the tour groups are doing nothing illegal, and their fishing experience no doubt enhances their enjoyment of our country. But in earlier articles we have described just

how vulnerable inshore pāua populations are to overfishing. It will be a concern for us all if unconstrained tourist and visitor pāua harvesting in accessible areas starts to get out of hand.

Pāua are not the only resources at risk from the pressures of tourism. The Government’s Tourism Strategy states New Zealand has 3.9 million overseas visitors a year at present, an increase of 35% in the past five years. Numbers are predicted to grow to a massive 5.1 million by 2025. When Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage released the Tourism Strategy earlier this year, she noted that ‘New Zealand’s natural and cultural heritage is at the core of our tourism industry and our national identity. We must

build a sustainable visitor industry that protects and cherishes this heritage for future generations’. However, the Tourism Strategy doesn’t mention fisheries and doesn’t contain any concrete measures to address fisheries sustainability risks. In July the Government introduced a $35 visitor levy on incoming tourists. The levy revenue is split between the tourism and conservation sectors to help manage some of the challenges associated with the expansion of tourism – but no funds are earmarked for fisheries. With the predicted escalation of growth in visitor arrivals,

it would be timely to have a broader discussion about tourism and fisheries before a real problem arises.

COOKING with CRIMPY

Issue 168 25

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