Pete Hodgson will get one of his many ministry staff to prepare a "Ministerial" response to your letters.

He must respond.

Writing is a good idea.  We should make sure he understands that the whole of the sea is not productive, rec. fishos have small boats (generally) and 10% of the coastal water (on an area basis ) in marine reserve will likely remove all fishable water accessable to rec. fishos (as I reckon less than 10% of coastal water is worth fishing).  Marine reserves are great and I really like them IF the proposals recognise the realities of the sea and consider the needs of ALL, including rec. fishos.

Submissions on Oceans policy and the sounding process are our BEST opportunity for input, as our marine reserve applications.

I think Odin's on to something there with individual approaches to all ministers.

Make it snail mail and it'll work. The Greens will use it for conservation, The Christian Heritage will use it to show how corrupt this government is, National will use it for toilet paper, Labour will just give it to the spin doctors to spew out some fresh encouraging sounding stuff that means nothing, Winston Peters party will use it to keep "Aliens" out, Prebble wouldn't recognise it from any other letters, Then there's the 'under' ministers of departments who will get pissed off with all the paperwork generated and submit suggestions to the ministers to deal with the issue, and there you are. Democracy at work, eventually they'll deal to it because they'll be aware everybody has a copy. The pimple faced geek in the basement office will type out an official responce, and Labour will take credit for "looking into it".

Ross

Good on ya Bushie. your blood is worth bottling mate.

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