Dominion Article On Recreational Fishing Refuted

5 March 2001

An article in "Dominion" newspaper today (5 March) headed "Maori could manage recreational fishing" has been refuted by the Joint Working Group on Recreational Fishing.

"This claim is quite wrong," said the Joint Chair of the Working Group, and Deputy Chief Executive of the Ministry of Fisheries, Stan Crothers.

"We can state that our Group's report, which has only just been given to the Minister of Fisheries and has not been made public, does not make this recommendation. Nor does the submission to us from Te Ohu Kai Moana, which the public can see for themselves by visiting the web site www.tokm.co.nz."

Public consultation on the future management of recreational fisheries began in July last year, when the Joint Working Party released its discussion document, "Soundings", and called for submissions.

Submissions closed in December last year, and a total of 62,117 submissions were received. The Joint Working Party then considered the submissions and last week met to finalise its report to the Minister of Fisheries. The Minister of Fisheries, Hon Pete Hodgson, will now consider the report.

"Although it is unusual to comment on the contents of a report which has not been made public, the particular claim made in the Dominion article is sufficiently misleading as to require correction," said Mr Crothers.