http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/10682587/Anglers-angry-at-claim-fish-stocks-healthy

Recreational anglers say anecdotal evidence from thousands of people over many years shows fish stocks are declining, regardless of what the Government's scientific assessments say.

A crowd of 350 people packed into the Hawke's Bay Sports Fishing Club on Wednesday evening to mark the launch of LegaSea Hawke's Bay, and to hear speakers spell out the issues and discuss possible solutions.

As well as drumming up financial support for the organisation to begin advocating for the local fishery, the meeting focused on the impact of commercial operations and the commercial catch limits set by the Ministry for Primary Industries.

Extreme fisherman and TV host Matt Watson noted the ministry had assured anglers that stocks in the area were healthy, but said he was sick of hearing experienced anglers' views so readily dismissed.

"It annoys me that even the word ‘anecdotal' and the way it's used is like it doesn't matter, like it's some fantasy and everyone in this room is making up s..., that it doesn't count. We're being treated like idiots. We're not.

"If we notice the decline is real, we're not making it up. To hear the statements from the ministry that there's no problem . . . I think that's really disgraceful."

Brian Firman, who has fished locally for 40 years, said a survey conducted by the club since 2006 attracted responses from 14,744 anglers and showed that the number of gurnard caught per person per day had fallen from 2.2 in 2006 to 1.5 now. "The trend line shows that we will be at zero by 2021 if nothing changes."

In 2006, anglers were catching just under one snapper per person per day but "on opening day this year, two weeks ago, we caught just 0.35 snapper per angler . . . We're in a serious decline here."

Firman said survey results from a local surfcasting club showed worse results.

But the ministry had maintained the gurnard fishery was "well above levels where sustainability is a concern" and that snapper abundance would continue to increase, he said.

"They're clearly on a different page than we are here in the Bay, or they just simply know very little about what's going on in our local area.

"If we do nothing, then nothing's going to change and our fishery's going downhill, just like those graphs are."

MPI director of fisheries management Dave Turner said ministry staff had attended the meeting and "MPI has and will continue to discuss these concerns".

Data and analysis were based on scientific assessment of the best available information.

"The biological populations of the fish that are of concern to the recreational sector often cover an area that is wider than just Hawke's Bay . . . The abundance of biological populations can vary in an area due to a variety of factors, not all of which are fishing-related . . . All of this illustrates that the concerns being raised are complex."

very true CA, when someone like Brian Firman gets involved a legend in his own right and with a handle on what is happening out at sea there is sure something fishy going on,
its either the Comms are not recording all of their catch, which has obviously been happening with MPI sticking it to a Fishing Company right at this very moment, still to be proven...
how many others are not playing the game? they are in a situation where MPI rely on them to record all their catch, but do they? we are seeing more and more being pushed to the limit to make a living and when you consider it too dam easy to slip a couple of tonne into the system with out paying or being caught how much is being ripped from the ocean undeclared?????   

I loved the new comms system of keeping accurate records........some dude with a pen and paper who takes a guess after he's done with his deck work!

Oh man shrekky how simple and true that is!

Recreational anglers say anecdotal evidence from thousands of people over many years shows fish stocks are declining, regardless of what the Government's scientific assessments say. ..........

......Matt Watson noted the ministry had assured anglers that stocks in the area were healthy, but said he was sick of hearing experienced anglers' views so readily dismissed.

Get bloody used to it.. we have an education system that pumps out degrees and PkDs like on a production line... its not hard to get one ifg u attend lectures, and write down what they like to hear...
No longer do we consider high education/ degrees a for those exceptional ppl talented in such a direction with deep forethought and basic common-sense...
The result now is poor research, by the left overs, who do so in such a manner to maintain the bureaucratic system in such a manner that provides them with a living.. while the ethical, ppl who SHOULD hold these degrees end up hooking up with organisations on the other side of the table... or  employed by  NASA or MiT
So often these ppl tend to confirm the  " anecdotal evidence " by the lesser but far more experienced  man in the street.....
THAT is the reality in this country.. oh and the reason why we have a shortage of good  experienced trades ppl ....a lack of professionalism.. and a huge student debit issue that not only effects individuals but the national debit...and why our fisheries , and a lot of conservation is crap.. and other stuff right across the board.

That is why We have chopped the heads of over 1000 pure breed, dease free (DNAed) NZ native, endangered kakariki parrots over the last .....but now its costing the NZ tax payer millions of dollars in research, establishing methods of doing so... because we dont have a PhD and our work of approx 2 decades.. for free is  anecdotal evidence
Strange thing thu..what we established as best practice in now exactly what we have been suggesting for yrs.

So unless something spectacular happens....then Even experienced fishers with high profiles are treated with contempt, even when they have back up of quailty PhDs....

"Spectaular" thats when fishers nationally get the balls to get off their backsides and say .. set a date, hit motorways over  say 1 hr... head to their local CBD, with rods on roofs, trailers on the back for a fun high profile day out....
And maybe do it once a month .. or 3 months
The aussies , sad to say have the balls... but it looks like Kiwis are simply prepare to attend meetings at most, let the resource decline, and fishing , becomes a memory for old age homes to tell great grand children about to wide eyed unbelieving children

bottom line.. we are letting it happen and simply passing the buck to the idiots in the bureaucratic corrupt deskjockies in government....
WE ARE THE BOTTOM LINE.....We the citizen let it happen..

We must be doing some really hi-tech head chopping by now.

I private breeder of NZ native animals will not be allowed to breed for release, regardless of the quality of the stock
But if a Zoo or organisation does so, and usually costs the taxpayer big bills, including the so called 'quaified expert hanger ons/ consultants , then such a program is ok.

you would be very surprised what happens in regards to re stocking of NZ forests of endangered animals... same beurocratic BS that goes on around city councils...its a generic mentality that has grown up right the way thru our administration of this country....
And yeah,, sharp pair scissors and throw in the garden bag.... cant even pass the feathers onto the guys who tie flys...
The cost at approx $10 per bird to raise and hold in flights to establish stable flocks to release, as against catching and shipping off the barrier, the helicopters plus the cost of isolation, vets etc before release....for 22 birds...and thats your tax money.