Cheers, Stu.

 

Subject:: Great Barrier Marine Reserve

The Ministry of Fisheries is just finalising its advice paper to the Minister in regards to giving his concurrence to the Aotea, Gt Barrier Island marine reserve.
MFish are offering a final opportunity to provide any new information before they complete their advice for the Minister of Fisheries to make his decision.  If you do have any additional information from that which you have provided in 2004 - such as changes in fishing practices in the area, economic value of the area, costs to your business etc, then I advise that you contact MFish directly.  They are intending to send a final recommendation report to the Minister in the next 2 weeks.

MFish Contact is: Jo Anderson, (04) 819-4772 ([email protected])

Unfortunately I am no longer comfortable what has transpired behind closed doors and with the potential outcomes from this process. I have a reservation that MFish might be selective with their advise as they are apt to do at times. If the advise follows their past track record they will give the Minister a number of options with a weighting of what they believe the Government will want to hear. Which will once again be counter productive to what we the extractive users wish.

We all know that DOC ran a consultative process that was quite deceitful. We equally know that the Minister of Conservation was less that generous with the truth. And we know that the eco-ites are very selective with the truth. We also know the Ministry has spoken with Maori. What we don�t know is if any deals have been offered or accepted.

This means we now have to make urgent last submissions adding only new information, which is hard in its self as we all have made substantial submissions. But if any one has any new information available please let me know ASAP.

While I am the eternal optimist and have a lot of respect for this Minister, Jim Anderton, I would be the last to try and second guess him in the hope that commonsense will prevail.

Having been caught before with the way these decisions are released and if we have not learnt anything else we should know that the current processes for creating marine reserves ignores the truth and any undue or adverse effect it might have on fishing. It ignores the cumulative effect. It ignores displacement effects and we only have to look at CRA3 to see those results. It fails to recognise other forms of marine protected areas or tools. It fails to acknowledge the wider public good. It fails to acknowledge the undue and adverse effects on fishing. And finally it fails to acknowledge the principles and requirements of the Hauraki Gulf Maritime parks Act and the recent KLC decision. But then Minister Carter is noted for his failings in these areas. But lets not be quick to tar Minister Jim with the same brush. DoC have consistently fails to consult and talk with us because we want to talk on subjects they don�t want to hear.

No we are not against marine reserves for the sake of it and for the record I repeat, the NZRFC was an applicant for one and supported twelve MR proposals.   We objected to five.  We lost several of those objections, notably Parininihi, Wellington South Coast and Tapuae but some objections are still very much alive including Aotea (Great Barrier Island).

Aotea is a destination not a way point on your way to somewhere else, unless you are heading to the Kermadec�s. The area proposed for 47,000ha or 47 square kilometres for a marine reserve is on the north east coast of the Barrier. The only protected sport fishing waters in our prevailing sou westers. It removes 70% of the rocky foreshore from the back of the Barrier. It erodes our access rights when the area is not at risk.
DoC have failed to acknowledge the large Navy no fishing, no anchoring sound range just adjacent on its sou-eastern boundary and they have failed to acknowledge the 100s of square kilometres of no fishing no anchoring cable protection area a bit further north passing the Mokes. The Department says that these areas do not count as the Minister has them as MPAs by default thankyou. He fails to acknowledge that the Barrier is protected by its isolation and therefore is not at risk. He fails to recognise other management tools available and that DoC cannot effect compliance and in his greed he only wants to lockup another 47,000 ha.. of public water space thus eroding the rights of the wider boating community. I will reserve any further comments.

This being the case we now need to prepare for the worse and that is the Minister of Fisheries under political pressure will give his concurrence because that is Government policy. A tough call for Jim and I do not envy him in his decision making process one bit. Because if he agrees there is no amount of political spin doctoring that will convince us he has made an impartial decision based on the best information before him.

Which will only leave one option open to us and that is to test this decision and the advice of both MFish and DoC in the Courts. The one consolation here is that I am confident that we will gain the commercial industry support.

Therefore I have opened up discussions with our respected lawyers who have a professional expertise in these matters with a view to reviewing our case and recommending a way forward. If the Minister was to make an adverse decision and we are to take the Minister to court and I hope we don�t, we will need to raise some serious money within a very short time frame and as such I am giving you all a heads up say to all fishers and boaties who value the back of the Barrier for what it is, think about it. As I may have to be asking you all to support the value you place on this part of the Barrier and front up. To this end I would ask for your comments and support by registering your interest with the NZRFC either by return email or our secretary Sheryl Hart email: [email protected]. Please put Aotea Gt Barrier in the subject box.

Just what we needed on top of shared fisheries, the marine protected areas classification and standards, Maui dolphins/set nets and Fisheries standards, IPPs, the KLC defence and a raft of other issues all of which have the potential to erode our access rights to a reasonable share. Do you see a pattern developing? Yes it could be all part of a cunning bureaucratic ploy of striking while we are distracted elsewhere. Am I being unkind? Maybe! I will let you decide.

Now don�t be bashful, please circulate this widely, be they green or otherwise, our intentions are honourable and clear. And yes the Minister will know our intent sooner than later. Not as a threat! But, because I am not the type to work behind peoples backs in a deceitful manner.

 

The only reason I can think of Lethal is that us recs haven't made enough noise as a united front. Option 4 are trying their best but really we need a lot more boats on board to make a big push. The convoy is a good idea, get on and start organising it!

 

This is supposed to be a democratic country afterall so its time the people made a big noise and put real pressure on the govt to give the public resource back to the public. Not just a few lawmakers lawbreakers and accountants.

 

I too lose heart when I see the very thing I love being wrecked by the people that govern the waters. As the worlds waters are quickly being emptied of fish surely �t is in everyones interests (including the comms) to ensure more fish in the water for future years. And surely that means knocking back the quotas..

 

There must be quite a few tourist dollars that come into NZ for its recreational fishing, in the future it could be a lot more than what it is today, as long as there is fish a plenty in the sea and easy access to them that is..

 

Reserves can be a good idea but the pattern is so obvious now, lock out areas to everyone and the comms can clean out the rest.

 

Im amazed more boating companies aren't making more of a noise. They have an interest also that we recs are out there reguarly catching fish.

 

 

We have had 2 reserves go in on our doorstep down here with overwhelming submissions against them. I feel the only way is through the courts, cause DoC (Department of Confiscation) will ignore the people and do what Uncle Helen wants.

 

Not sure if pi$$ing of the general public by further congesting the AKL roads is a good idea either. The general unwashed don't give a sh#t and if they do they have been brain washed by DoC propaganda.

 

But you have my support.

WHAT!!!!

Have it as a rec fishing council licence, all funds to that council. $25 a year for every angler, that will give millions a year in funding to the recfishing council,- who at the moment get the pathetic sum of around $50-60 grand from the govt- and this would quickly give US as anglers the funding to carry out media work, fund studies, and generally carry the fight to the government for our rights to fish.

Without this funding however, then you can be absolutely certain that no politician or high level bureaucrat will ever give a stuff about our opinions.

Oh, and I think the issue of Maori not needing licences coz of the waitangi thing is just a blind... it doesn't matter if they do not want to contribute, make buying the tickets a lottery for a new boat or two, and non-licence holders can go to pot.

The point is, even if only half of our fishermen buy a licence, then at long last there will be funding available for our rec fishing representatives to actually take on such issues, legally, politically and in the media to counter the very well funded and organised green movement.

Just my thoughts anyhow.

Cheers,

Stu.