TOS Regional Recreational Forum - 17 AUGUST 2006

Open Meeting & Apologies

Meeting chair, Nathan Glassey (MFish), opened the meeting and welcomed attendees. Apologies from Betty McNabb and Leigh Mitchell.

Attendees

Martin Barlow

John Duncan

Charlie Boulton

Greg Goodall

Ron Prestage

Mark Roden

John Waugh

John Williams

Nathan Glassey

Nikki Pindur

Paul Creswell (joined at 7pm)

Introductions

Nathan introduced Nikki Pindur to the Forum.

Corresp.

Incoming Correspondence:

Nathan received incoming correspondence from most forum members over the draft media statement he prepared for the Fishing Paper.

Nathan received a letter from Betty McNabb about consideration of the dispute resolution process.

Outgoing correspondence:

• A mail out (July) containing:
• MFish update and proposed meeting dates
• A letter (From Wellington) containing:
• Recreation Regulations review
• Various emails and phone calls to confirm the meeting date of 17 August

Meeting notes

Nathan apologised that the meeting notes had not been posted out prior to the meeting and re-iterated that the meeting notes are not a verbatim record of the meetings. The meeting notes capture main points and actions of the meeting.

A few points were raised in discussion as we went through the meeting notes. The snapper MLS has been raised as a priority issue for discussion as some people consider 25 cm is too small. This was added to general business.

Members considered the dispute resolution process cumbersome (to deal with localised depletion problems) and asked if this can be added to the agenda as a priority issue.

Action: John Duncan and Ron Adams requested information referred to in the 2 May meeting notes – Industry’s Benthic Protected Areas.

Regional Update

Members provided an update on recreational fishing in their local areas. A form was submitted by most members. In summary:

• Blue cod-mixed catch rates and mixed sizes. Ok numbers in the outer sounds (readily available in outer sounds at 30 cm), and the top of Durville is also good. Good size being caught but numbers are still low. Very few people are catching their limit.
• Snapper-out of season
• Flats-Being heavily fished by trawlers. Good catches in Westhaven inlet. Does not seem to be a lot around. On the West Coast SI, a few around, starting to show following the bait.
• Paua-varied reports, some said available when wanted, others said no-one can get their limit. Need to be diving to find them.
• Crayfish-good numbers
• Kina-lots around. Causing problems with weed depletion. Divers say there is less weed around which seems to be reducing the amount of butterfish that is around.
• Scallops- No scallops in Tasman Bay in the Mapua/Motueka beds, (2004-5 scallops were plentiful). Golden Bay scallops are in good condition. Large numbers of undersize scallop close into shore.
• Other species- A lot of spiny dogfish in Tasman Bay.
• Marine mammals-Seals are prolific in Tasman Bay, seems to be an increase. Lots of dolphins, with common dolphins being seen most weeks.
• Other comments-Cod pots in Stephens passage, questions were raised about what controls are there on this operation.
• Compliance- only minor infringements; there has been a lot of compliance work around the Havelock boat ramps.
• Pelorus boat club are going to give out 40 survey packs to gather information from members on finfish and scallops to generate some statistics and useful information.

Action: Nathan to compile local update reports into a database.

MFish Update

Nathan gave the Forum an overview of the Information Principles from the Fisheries Act 1996 (the Act).

Nathan noted the Challenger Rig Fish plan has been approved by the Minister.

Charlie pointed put that on the West Coast there is a lot of rig being caught (recreational target set nets). Members commented that there it is getting difficult to catch rig and that catches have decreased in some areas.

Question: Is there a TAC for garfish, what is it? Garfish are not in the sounds like they used to be.

Nathan noted that the Shared Fisheries project was not yet available for discussion but MFish would call a special meeting with the Forum once it was available. The Forum agreed to call a special meeting to discuss the Shared Fisheries Project.

Nathan advised the next stage of consultation for the mätaitai reserve application for Tory Channel has yet to start. Once the next process starts Michelle Pawson will contact members.

John Waugh advised there are two proposals that iwi have nearly completed for mätaitai reserves which will be on the top of the South Island on the West Coast (above Kahurangi Point).

Concerns were expressed around the amount of time it has taken for meeting notes and media statements to be released after meetings.

It was agreed:

• Meeting notes will be completed and emailed out within 10 working days of the meeting
• Media statement will be emailed out within 8 working days following the meeting.

The Forum agreed to roll the Draft “top of the South Island fisheries management report” over to the next meeting.

Action: Nathan to include flatfish in the Draft report as they have certain biological characteristics that affect management.

Action: Send to Johnny Williams the “Recreational Fisher’s handbook.

Regional Issue 1: Scallop fishery management

Paul Creswell, (MFish) provided a map and details of the areas that are closed to commercial scallop fishers this year. There is still discussion around Ketu Bay, and there is a proposal before Challenger to limit the tonnage that commercial fishers are allowed to take out of Ketu Bay. Paul noted that all of the scallop boats this season will have Vessel Locating Reporting Systems operating on them so vessel activity in relation to areas can be monitored.

There was discussion amongst the group about why there are not good quality or numbers of scallops growing in Tasman Bay. It is suspected there is a link to food availability but there is no scientific evidence that has determined what the problem is.

Questions were raised about funding research. Paul informed members that MFish may look at research addressing the decrease in scallop numbers and quality through the research round process.

Concerns were expressed that as fishing pressure changes dredges damage the beds of the sounds.

Regional Issue 2:

Recreational regulations review

Change in the Recreational Scallop Season:

Members considered the review of the recreational scallop season but did not support a change because they were concerned about the affect dredging would have on settling larvae in late summer and because they considered scallops in good enough condition at the beginning of the current season. Recreational fishers also enjoy access to scallops prior to the commercial season beginning.

Members considered the proposal might be relevant to North Island fisheries, but not South Island ones.

Some members were concerned that there might be a proposal to increase the SCA size limit, although some members noted they didn’t harvest scallops until they reached 100mm anyway.

Change in fish MLS:

Some forum members didn't support the proposal to reduce the minimum legal blue cod size in the North Island from 33cm to 30cm like it is in the top of the South. Some members believe the MLS sound be increased to 33cm in the Top of South because it creates more breeding opportunities. There was some concern that a decrease in the MLS to 30cm in the North will increase the opportunity for Wellington fishers to travel to the Marlborough Sounds and harvest more than the bag limit (3 per person) to take home to Wellington where the bag limit is higher.

Issues relating to the definition of “take”

Forum members were unanimous in supporting the proposal to change the regulations so that only legal sized fish actually retained count towards the daily bag limit, and not fish released back in the sea.

Members were unanimous the definition of “take” should be retained but thought that “immediate return” should included in the regulations.

Members said that tag and release recreational fishing doesn’t generally happen at the top of the South Island.

Nikki described good practice for making submissions and gave handouts to members.

Action: Nathan to express the Forums views on the proposals to the team managing the consultation process.

Action: Forum representatives to encourage their clubs to submit on the proposals.

Action: Nikki to e-mail Forum members the submission guidelines.

Regional Issue 3: Set netting and localised depletion

The letter from Betty McNabb was tabled and there was discussion around the problem of localized depletion of flatfish in the sounds. This has been an issue for 15 years. Nathan explained that adjusting the TAC will not address the problem due to the biological characteristics of flounder. There is not a sustainability problem with flounder but there is a localized depletion problem. Nathan went on to explain the TAC/TACC is a blunt tool, that doesn’t deal with local and spatial depletion but instead deals with controlling harvest levels. Nathan explained that any reduction in TACs is done based on concerns to sustainability of stocks across the entire quota management area, therefore localized depletion does not meet this criteria.

Different ideas were discussed about the best way to continue with this problem. The options are to re-look at the code of practice or look at the disputes resolution process.

Members consider there are not enough resources within the group to use the disputes resolution process at this time as it is a very detailed and time consuming.

It was agreed that MFish will approach Challenger Finfish about the code of practice and concerns regarding localized depletion.

Action: MFish to engage with the Challenger Finfisheries Management Company Limited about the Set Net Code of Practice on behalf of the Forum.

General Business

Ron Adams handed out a proposal from the Marlborough Combined Divers Assn. Inc. Blenheim, to discuss at the next meeting.

All other items have been deferred until the next meeting.

Closing

Meeting closed at 9.45pm.

Tabled documents

MFish

• Review of the Top 10 recreational Concerns, -Summary
• Map of the closed and open areas for commercial scallop harvesting (produced by Challenger)

Members:

• Marlborough Combined Divers Assn. Inc Blenheim. Proposal to lessen effect of commercial dredging in Marlborough Sounds
• Betty McNabb. Marlborough Rec. Fishers Assn. Letter Regarding Set Netting and Local Depletion