MINISTRY OF FISHERIES OPENS WAIRARAPA OFFICE

25 September 2003

The Ministry of Fisheries Chief Executive, Warwick Tuck officially opens the Ministry's new Wairarapa office in Masterton today.

The Ministry has leased space in various buildings since first establishing a presence in Masterton in 1999, but the new office in Ngamutawa Road was the first dedicated building with the full range of office and storage facilities.

Two fisheries surveillance officers, Peter Himona and Tony McKenna are based in the new Masterton office from where they undertake fisheries patrols, inspections, enquiries and investigations in the wider Wairarapa area. The two officers also have a role in raising levels of compliance with fisheries laws through education and liaison with users of the fisheries resource and the general public.

The Wairarapa office is the Ministry's seventeenth; other compliance offices are at Kaitaia, Whangarei, Auckland, Mount Maunganui, Whitianga, Opotiki, Hamilton, Gisborne, Napier, New Plymouth, Petone, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill and the Chatham Islands. A further office is planned to open in Blenheim before the end of the year.

For further information please contact:
Ray McKay
District Compliance Manager
Tel. 021 462 315