Fishing Reports

 

Traditionally, right now, Bay of Islands fishermen should be in the midst of a snapper-fishing bonanza. But alas, alak, so far this year it just isn’t the case. We’ve just come out of a winter that one of the Bay’s most experienced and successful snapper fishermen reckons was the worst in living memory. Success stories are few and far between. A few larger fish have been landed on the Whale, Mita’s foul and Capstan. Further a-field, the Sisters and Cape Brett have been the setting of some further snapper successes. But these few successes have to be measured against the all-pervading sense of gloom reported by most fishos. Most are catching close to nothing at all. So what’s going on? First thing is that the season is very late. Water temperatures are well down for this time of the year. This is the case over much of the country. So it remains possible that we may yet have a memorable spawning run, perhaps well into December. So all is not lost. Keep heart. More ominously, there are those who hold the view that the inshore and offshore snapper fishery of the Bay has been wiped-out by a combination of fishing and ecological pressures. Not the least of these environmental pressures is the savage sound of our burgeoning fleet of high-speed cruisers. The offshore snapper fisheries are so tired that commercial boats are leaving the region. I well remember a few years back when snapper long-liners based in the Hauraki Gulf started to move north as the fishing in the Gulf dried up. Now they’re returning to the Gulf, having cleaned out our larder. If the offshore snapper fishery has been cleaned out, then where will the migrants come from? Inshore fishing pressures arise primarily from the charter sector. Some livelihoods are seriously at risk right now. To keep clients happy, many charter boats are leaving the Bay to fish further and further a-field. Some have moved right out of the Bay and are operating from harbours to the north. But, hey, who am I to shout about it? I’m as guilty as the next bloke. Find a good spot and the natural tendency is to return to the spot until it no longer works. Clearly it’s in everyone’s best interests to do a better job of managing the snapper situation; we all need a sustainable strategy. MoF is clearly sleeping on the job. So maybe things will get better soon. A fisherman is, by definition, an optimist. And if you’ve enjoyed this column over the years, you’ll find my book in the shops any day now. “A Fishing, Diving and Cruising Guide to the Bay of Islands” Enjoy! Tight lines!

 

From Steven Radich

Report type: Saltwater

Report date: 17 November 02