Deadline For 'Soundings' Submissions Extended

20 November 2000

The NZ Recreational Fishing Council's calls for an extension to the deadline for submissions on the "Soundings" public consultation on how recreational fishing will managed in the future, have been listened to, and the deadline has now been extended to 20 December 2000.

The original deadline for the consultation was the end of this month (30 November). However the NZ Recreational Fishing Council has asked for extension because the public has indicated that more time is needed to prepare submissions. The Council and Ministry of Fisheries make up the Joint Working Party which is holding the public consultation.

Joint Chair of the Working Party, Steve Penn, said he was keen to encourage everyone with an interest in recreational fishing to send in their ideas. All submissions will be properly analysed leading to a report back to Cabinet by 30 March 2001.

Even with the extended submission deadline the report back date will still be met, but Mr Penn said that he would appreciate people giving the Working Party an indication by the end of the month if they were planning to make a submission.

Submissions should be sent to Freepost 67219, Ministry of Fisheries, PO Box 1020, Wellington. Further information is available on the Ministry website www.fish.govt.nz under Recreational Fishing.