MPI proposals - More fish will die
Senseless waste and dumping of commercial catch has been in the spotlight since 2013. The wastage continues.
The Ministry for Primary Industries has issued new proposals that seek to remove minimum size limits for some commercially caught species, and increase commercial catch limits.
Your submission is due by March 17th.
Removing minimum size limits does not change the incentive for commercial fishers to sort and dump some catch for the best economic return.
A comprehensive review of fisheries management is required to identify and address many problems with the Quota Management System.
LegaSea stands by our parent organisation, the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council, in advocating that the problems with bottom trawling in our inshore waters will remain, and more small fish will die if the proposed measures are applied. Be heard. Read more
Fake news is fiction
Fake news is fiction no matter how it is spun in print, online or via television adverts telling us how great the commercial fishing industry is at restraining themselves.
At the same time, they are resisting cameras on boats because of privacy issues – yeah right.
In contrast, when it comes to knowing what the recreational catch is, we are about to get some high quality national and regional data that we can trust from the latest, 2017-18 harvest survey.
New Zealand’s harvest surveys are internationally recognised by experts for their robust methodology and high-quality results, so anyone spinning the chestnut of ‘we don’t know what recreational fishers catch’ is merely or conveniently sharing old news. Read more
Dear Debbie
LegaSea appreciates your willingness to stay abreast of the issues affecting our taonga, our marine treasures. This month we want to give you an insight into our latest work, and signal what's coming our way over the next few years.
The Ministry's latest proposals, the Fisheries Change Programme, has quota shareholders licking their lips in anticipation of fewer regulations, no minimum size limits for the fish they take, and quota increases.
We do not want more dead fish. In March we sent MPI a submission advocating that closing inshore areas to trawling and seining would be a good start. A closure would be simple to enforce and would help protect spawning and juvenile fish and habitats.
In addition, we encourage you to review the latest news from our FishCare team. Thanks also for your recent feedback, keep it coming.
You cannot be serious
In February the Ministry for Primary Industries proposed a range of measures including removing the minimum size limit for most species, paving the way for a land-all catch policy for commercial vessels and an increase in commercial quotas.
Given the state of our fisheries we must reduce fishing mortality not encourage it.
Small fish get caught and crushed in trawl nets, even if they are not the target species. If we remove bottom trawling from inshore waters it would go a long way to reducing the numbers of fish that are wasted.
LegaSea worked with a number of organisations to coordinate a comprehensive response to the Ministry's proposals. Read more.
Fatal flaws in MPI plans
MPI's proposed changes are being welcomed by large quota owners who clearly expect the Minister to increase catch limits.
LegaSea is adamant there must be no increase in commercial catch limits based on estimates of historic wasteful, illegal dumping of fish.
The proposals favour large companies. However, the changes will be another nail in the coffin for the small, independent commercial fishers who are already struggling to keep their heads above water. Read more
What can we do better?
In our March submission responding to the Ministry's most recent proposals we made 15 recommendations aimed at increasing abundance and diversity in our marine environment.
We repeated the call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into both the quota system and how our fisheries are managed.
We also need to phase out bulk harvesting methods such as bottom trawling to protect vulnerable habitats and juvenile fish.
World's best practice of managing fish stocks at higher levels and a good dose of common sense would go a long way too. Read more.
FishCare – Keep your fish fresh
Mandy Kupenga and Scott Macindoe guide us through the process of keeping our fish in tip top condition for eating and sharing.
Handy tips for making an ice slurry, how and where to iki a fish, and what to do with kahawai and tuna to make sure they taste the best when you get them home.
Scott shows us how to fully use the fish we catch. He also explains why it is important to use as much of the fish as possible, to give maximum respect to the fish we harvest, to the environment and the community we share our fish with.
This video is a must watch if you are getting stuck into the last of the summer fish that are fattening up prior to winter. Watch the video.
Still hanging out for more? Please....
All donations go towards the conservation and restoration of New Zealand's fisheries.
Regards
Trish & the LegaSea team
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