Meeting Notes: North Island-South East Regional Recreational Forum Saturday 10 November 2007, Napier

Attendees

Andy Warmbrunn (Chair-MFish)

Edward Beetham (Wairarapa Sports Fishing Club)

Wayne Bicknell (Hawkes Bay Sports Fishing Club)

Colin Murray (Hawkes Bay Sports Fishing Club)

Hilton Webb (Gisborne/Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club)

George Zander (Ngawi Sport Fishing Club)

Craig Petherick (MFish – attended for compliance session only)

Leigh Mitchell (MFish – attended from MFish Update onwards)

Apologies

James Parahi (Pania Surfcasting Club)

Jenny Hills (Mahia Boating Club)

Alain Jorion (Gisborne/Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club)

Simon Mills (Gisborne/Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club)

Meeting Introduction

Andy confirmed the agenda items. 

These items included an MFish update, a discussion with compliance (Napier), a discussion on the national meeting of regional recreational fishing forums, and a presentation on the MFish website.

Regional Updates

Hilton provided an update on the Gisborne area. At the last fishing competition in which 59 boats competed, half of the boats caught no fish. The heaviest tarakihi caught was 1.25 kg and the heaviest häpuka caught was 16.5 kg. Snapper caught were generally very small with the heaviest being 8.2kg and third and fourth around 4.8kg. Hilton also noted there has been a lot of discussion about the proposed increase in Tarakihi quota in TAR1.

George provided an update on the Ngawi area. The last 2 club days were cancelled due to bad weather. Some crays are now being caught with the commercial sector just beginning to catch commercial quantities. George noted that there were two new cray boats operating in the area with 150 pots each and some fishers from other areas were starting to fish in the Ngawi area.  George also commented that their have been some good sized blue cod caught, tarakihi are in good condition and of good size, there are some grouper around and there are good amounts of legal sized paua.

George observed that seals have also been seen in very high numbers. He asked if it was possible for someone from the Department of Conservation (DoC) to attend the next forum meeting to talk on this matter. Andy noted that he would attempt to contact DoC. George also commented that the MFish signs have not yet been erected at Ngawï. Andy noted that Craig would have an update on this issue in the compliance agenda item.

Edward informed the forum that due to a high amount of NW gales little fishing has occurred in the Castle Point area. Crayfish were very poor however paua were o.k. Edward reported that there have been good catches of gurnard and whitebait in the area, some reasonable catches of tarakihi, and a few grouper at around the 16mile line.

Edward complimented the MFish compliance work that has been done recently in the area, noting that it was good too see a compliance presence on the beaches in the area, and he felt that the 0800 POACHER number was being quite successful. Edward did add that no compliance effort has been seen at Akitio. Edward added to George’s previous comments on seals noting that there were too many seals in the area. He also added that a trawler had been operating close to shore in the Akitio area adjacent to the main reef.

Colin reiterated the problems clubs have been having with the strong winds over the previous 2 months and reported that the last club competition was cancelled due to bad weather. Colin added that the previous competition held did not catch many fish. Colin also reported to the forum research figures his club had compiled over the last year. He felt that these figures showed a depletion of some fish stocks in the area.

Wayne noted that Pania was producing good amounts of crayfish and that larger snapper were just starting to come into the area. Wayne informed the forum that his club was running a snapper competition that was happening as the meeting was taking place. He also requested that compliance be increased in the Porangahau area as there had been reports of poaching of paua in the area. 

Action: 1)  Andy to contact DoC regarding seals

MFish  Updates

-Napier Compliance

Craig informed the forum that the Napier Fisheries Compliance Team had erected new fisheries information signs at Kairakau and Pourerere. Andy showed photographs of the new signs and the forum commented that they looked good. George noted that no new signs had been erected at Ngawi. Craig replied that 10 smaller signs were currently being transported to the Masterton office. George informed the forum that he had permission from council and offered to help to erect the signs. Craig noted that he would follow this up with Adrian and Tony (Compliance officers in Masterton). George requested that some larger signs also be erected at the Ngawi and Castle Point launch ramp.

Craig then apprised the forum members of recent compliance operations and explained how infringement notices work for paua (usually issued for catches over 10 but under 30 paua per person (the limit being 10). He added that larger amounts (30+) are treated as serious non-commercial offences and that such offences are presented before the courts. Craig also clarified the process of how and why boats may be confiscated by MFish.

Craig informed the forum that a new Honorary Fisheries Officer (HFO) was currently being trained in Masterton and that this should increase the compliance effort in the area if the prospective HFO successfully completes the training. The forum members also discussed with Craig the possibility of compliance attending some club functions. Craig replied that compliance would be happy to ‘fly the flag’ at club functions, although he noted that prize giving nights were perhaps not the ideal time for this.

George noted that he had heard a report of some problems with the MFish plastic crayfish measures. Craig replied that the measure was the first one ever produced by the Ministry of Fisheries and that in the incident mentioned there was no fault with the measure. Edward added that he thought the plastic measure for paua was not ‘deep’ enough to allow for some paua shells. The forum also bought up the issue of fish catch limits as written in the MFish handbook. The forum thought that the combined bag limit was very confusing for recreational fishers.

Colin asked Craig about boats that are restricted by their survey or their skippers licence. He commented that some boats maybe going out further than they are legally allowed to. Craig noted that Maritime New Zealand, which used to be the MSA, controls these regulations and any concerns are best conveyed to the harbour master or Maritime NZ. Edward inquired about the use of VMS on boats. Craig replied that, in general, only larger vessels and scampi/hoki vessels have VMS as it is a statutory requirement to do so.

Action: 2) Craig to contact Adrian and Tony from Masterton compliance regarding signs. Andy to report back to George.

MFish Update – Napier Inshore Team

National Recreational Forum Meeting

Leigh made sure everyone had received a copy of the MFish update and commented that it will be produced quarterly but at times it may be produced more often, dependant on issues and current affairs in the area. The forum noted that they thought it was a good publication and requested that 50 copies be sent out to each forum member to be distributed to their respective clubs. Andy said that he would make the necessary copies and mail them out to members. The forum also agreed that the compliance section of the update should continue to be in each issue.

Leigh went through the MFish update and described the processes involved in a Mätaitai application. This was a two step process which firstly involved the applicants consulting with the general community. This information was then usually compiled by MFish and forwarded onto the applicants. The applicants finalize their application taking into account the submissions from the community. This application is then given to MFish who then go out and consult with the fisheries stakeholders. Leigh noted that it was at this stage that the recreational fishing sector could best comment on the application. George asked for information on which areas are gazetted by Tangata Whenua. Andy said he would send out a copy of the most recent map outlining all gazetted areas in FMA2.

Leigh then talked about the deemed values part of the MFish update. Colin noted that a one page explanation of the deemed values would help recreational fishers understand the process. Leigh and Andy commented that it was a quite complicated issue to put into one page but will look at attaching a double sided page to the next MFish update to explain deemed values.

Leigh updated the forum concerning the fisheries plans for FMA2. She informed the forum that her team will soon be beginning to kick off the Area2 Finfish Plan and made members aware of the process.

Leigh then discussed with the forum the issue of reviewing bag limits for groper. The members decided that 10 grouper per boat per day should be the limit. This decision was in response a discussion concerning charter boats doing two trips with different crews and taking large numbers of grouper from local fishing areas. Leigh then asked the forum members if they were prepared to decrease the individual bag limit of grouper. The members did not have a consensus view on the individual bag limit.

The forum members also discussed the use of media in reporting meetings. This issue was raised as a result of an article submitted by Alain Jorion and published in the most recent issue of New Zealand Fishing News. The members felt the article did not accurately represent the views, or the intention, of the discussion that occurred at the previous meeting. It was noted that any member wanting to release to the media information about the regional forum must firstly have it approved by all forum members. It was also decided that the forum would work with the Napier inshore team in the creation of press releases.

Leigh also raised the issue of how the forum should look at replacing members that retire. It was decided that the club members should nominate a replacement. 

Action: 3)  Andy to mail out 50 copies of the MFish update to each forum member and include the most recent map outlining areas in FMA2 gazetted by Tangata Whenua.

Action 4) Andy to report back to the Napier Inshore Team about assisting the forum in drafting press releases.

National Meeting of Recreational Forums

Andy informed the forum that the national meeting of the seven regional recreational fishing forums will be held on the 20-21st of November at the Mercure Hotel Wellington.  Andy outlined the agenda for the meeting and discussed the items with the forum. The forum reached consensus on key messages regarding the main agenda items and issues that the representatives would talk on at the National Meeting.  

Edward noted that he was disappointed that the agenda for the national meeting was only released during the current forum. He stated that the agenda should be released at least two weeks prior to the regional forum meeting so the regions have longer to research the items and facilitate better discussion of the topics.

Action 5) Edward and Colin to report to the forum about the outcomes of the National Meeting at the next forum..

MFish update on Website

Andy gave a brief presentation on the updated MFish website. He showed the members the new fish plans sites and highlighted the Current Information document. Andy also tried to show members how to find catch history for species but was unable to bring up the pages due to problems with the site.

Action 6) Andy to give a further presentation on the website at the next meeting.

Next meeting

The following agenda items are to be carried to the next forum meeting:

• Report on outcomes from the national meeting of recreational forums
• Discussion on seals on the East Coast.
• Update on MFish website.

Closing

Andy closed the meeting at 5.05 pm.