Hauraki Gulf

www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12004876

As Dr Everlyn Pinkerton pointed ,the Auckland Council is responsible for water quality,fish stock etc out to 10 miles from coast under their control.But obviously chosen not too and bowed down to the MPI as it will/would affect commercial fisherman.

I read a bunch of the Seachange stuff through. The goals are great, and even the process isn't that bad,  but like so many politically driven things in this country the end result looked more like a power struggle leaning towards a power grab. 

Tagit wrote: I read a bunch of the Seachange stuff through. The goals are great, and even the process isn't that bad,  but like so many politically driven things in this country the end result looked more like a power struggle leaning towards a power grab.  A lot of stuff we wouldn't like as rec anglers was probably due to the compromises needed to get any agreement at all amongst the competing parties but it looked like another situation where by far the largest stakeholders (rec angling) came last behind the minority commercial and specifically in this case Maori interests.  Read the document and there is a massive handover of control to what is predominantly Maori interests. It all reads fine if everyone plays straight and nice, but things never stay that way so I find it scary myself. From what I understand rec angling was badly under-represented (in numbers not the quality of people involved) and this is just another continuation of the government/councils willingness to sacrifice rec angling to achieve their own agendas better. Why do we have to accept that the interests of the vast majority should be deliberately undermined to better serve the much smaller interest groups? How about we have a public vote instead of the gov/council stacking the odds in the working groups to suit some political agenda.  For me, Seachange is more of a threat than an answer unless there is a whole lot of changes.

Its called "frog in a pot" as far as I'm concerned. Read about south Africa and what's happening there,and I'm not talking about the fishing either. Everything is swinging one way in small increments now....but it will get a lot worse. There was a nz documentary released a few years back called " 2050 what if?" Or similar. Enjoy your fishing while you can afford to,or find a percentage of Maori blood to lay claim to being able to enjoy it in the future,or take up another hobby....or in my case.....a way to feed your family,because "the times,they are a changing"

Funny thing is Steps they will talk about the fish being "theirs" even though most of them would not know what species they are or their habitat. Fish are probably, no they are the best free access to protein for a the public. That is just the basic view a lot of people take of fishing, other people enjoy all that goes with fishing like myself.

Funny thing is Steps they will talk about the fish being "theirs" even though most of them would not know what species they are or their habitat.

 They would not know how to bait a hook...let alone know what species used to be out the back of Rakino back in late 50s early 60s

 What is the genuine rec fisher?
 For that matter what is a comm fisher when it comes to the gulf... a trawler and crew or a one man band long liner?
 HUGE difference
 A rec fisher?
 The guy who heads out on on a charter every few months, gets a feed plus a little more for the family... good day out and  good company
The guy who fishes the rocks around the city, occasionally takes home a feed... just enjoys being out with bit nature ...
 The guy with little boat, heads out a handful of times a yr, most cases gets nothing or maybe a couple just legal fish for a feed
 The guy with little bigger boat, same as the above.
 Or same boat gets out as much as possible , once every 2 or 3 weeks... (GDOGC).. brings home a feed every time , more often than not several feeds for all 3 families. 3 to 5 good fish each.
 Then the guys who go wide, the big / trophy fish.. maybe stop pick up a quick feed of snapper (couple each) on the way home.
 Notice something?
 no mention of binning limits...
 To be honest in 6/7 yrs have brought home a limit.. 21 snaps once.. couple KY, just to say he have.
 I think most of the above covers most of our rec fishers (?)

 We catch far more than the ave rec fisher.. we are out more often , keep records, and while out catch more than most others.
 We are (GDOGC).. often we have our min requirement in the bin stil in sight of the ramp.. drop a line while setting up lines rods etc over bit foul before heading out to our spots.
 Min requirement = A feed for each family (usually 3)
 The rest of the day is Good company day on the water.. what goes in the bin is bonus for neighbours , smoker / freezer (if getting low)
 Anything over what we need goes back.. never need to upgrade the bin

 Cost each.. gas oil bait gear, about $55/60 each
 Fish each, not even reaching limit over , often well over $120 each.

 Get comms out beyond the 100m mark....
Lower rec limit to 5 fish.
Up the anti, hugely on illegal fishing.. in man power, rec and comms. Up the penalties.. hugely with Min penalties on any environmental infringement. (stops wet bus tickets)
 Cost of enforcement covered by fines. If and when ppl stop infringing, cost of enforcement decreases and visa versa.

 And thats where to start.

 The ave honest , true joe public rec fisher is NOT the problem and therefore should not be penalised by the bloody PC BS  empire building self interested do gooders.

I have resigned myself to the fact that Im part of the last generation that will be able to go out and get a feed, enjoy a day on the water and good company. I feel, sadly this is a privilege that my grandchildren will not have when they have their children...
 And the reason is the political  BS , the PC BS , the political agenda of our regulators and law makers (not comms at all) and what will tip it all over in the end the bloody dumb do gooders.
 I have had a good run..
late 50s thru to mid 70s
 Then  the last 7 yrs..