HAURAKI GULF/BAY OF PLENTY REGIONAL RECREATIONAL FORUM

Date:  13 November 2007

Venue: MFish Auckland

Time: 3.30pm to 8.30pm

George Johnston, Peter Stevenson, John Friend, Anthony Olsen, Peter Hempleman, Geoff Manks, Don Glass, Kim Walshe, Peter Ellery, Richard Baker, Alan Moore (MFish), Ian Bright (MFish), Kaye van der Straten (MFish)

Rick Pollock

Draft Summary of Discussion

1. MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES 

Coromandel Scallops

Peter Stevenson has had reports of the scallops in the Tairua Pauanui area being depleted. Absence of both legal and undersized scallops. Much public conjecture about why. Unrest about the disparity in seasons for recreational and commercial fishers. A number of people have commented that they had observed dredge marks in recreational areas.

It was questioned if MFish had any information on recreational scallop take. Kim noted that he and John Holdsworth were undertaking a survey of recreational scallop fishers on the east coast of Coromandel Peninsula.

Action:

Alan to:

• Circulate an explanatory report produced by Murray Bruges (MFish) on the management of the Coromandel scallop fishery.
• Will enquire about having a presentation at the next Forum meeting on Coromandel scallop management, including presentation from NIWA scientists. (If the meeting is in Tauranga it may be the following meeting)
• Circulate the calendar of the Recreational Science Working Group. Members of the public can attend these meetings.

Kahawai Appeal

Members asked about progress with the appeal. It was noted that the case is to appear in court at the end of February 2008.

2. COMPLIANCE MATTERS

Mr Bright gave a general update on compliance matters in the region.

It was noted that the compliance section has had a number of staff changes recently.

With improving weather, increased attention is being paid to shellfish fisheries; cockles and scallops, in particular Clarke’s Beach. On a good tide Clarke’s Beach will attract 400 to 500 people. Compliance issues include excess take and undersized scallops.

Compliance recent apprehended a commercial fisher operating with an illegal set net within the inner Hauraki Gulf seasonal area closure. This control excludes most commercial fishing from October to March from the inner Hauraki Gulf (an area more or less to the west of a line joining the eastern sides of Kawau, Tiritiri, Waiheke Islands) but allows some restricted commercial fishing. The reason for the closure is to protect juvenile snapper and reduce spatial conflict with recreational fishers.

Recent successful prosecutions include illegal kina and paua trade as was reported in the New Zealand Herald. The master of the trawler Margaret Phillipa, was prosecuted for under-reporting and was convicted with the vessel being forfeit and a $5000 fine.

Mr Bright noted that at this time of the year there are often dumpings of fish and asked the members to spread the word about observing and reporting such incidents. Information needed includes; location, time and the names of any commercial vessels in the area. Any information about whether the incident is recent or old would be useful.

It was suggested that Ian contact aero-clubs, seeking members to report any incidents they may observe.

In response to questions about training for Fisheries Officers, Mr Bright commented that officers have a 12 week training programme. About 30% of compliance effort is spent on recreational work. That there are about 160 honorary officers nationally.

Don Glass asked for a map of restrictions in the Hauraki Gulf.

Action:

Circulate a map of regulations applying to the Hauraki Gulf and Bay of Plenty.

3. NATIONAL RECREATIONAL FORUM MEETING

Progress of Recreational Forums: successes and areas for improvement

The members felt that:

• The forum provides advice to MFish to assist it with fisheries management issues. For example the forums can provide advice on the best way to consult or engage with stakeholder. Forums are not just about information sharing.
• The forum is not there to disseminate information to stakeholders as the members are not resourced to undertake this task.
• The terms of reference do not reflect how the forum has evolved and need to be reviewed.
• The forums can assist MFish in a number of ways, but can provide a recreational in put into a number of MFish processes and actions.
• Over the last two years there has been good consultation. Some issues are unresolved and need addressing i.e. links with Amateur Fishing Ministerial Advisory Committee (AFMAC).
• Forums can be used to assist in a number of processes, marine protected areas etc. However, Forums are disjoint with other MFish processes.
• Could be links to a fisheries trust should one be developed and regional management.
• Need links between recreational forums, AFMAC and National Trust (should one be developed).
• A disjoint with the forum is that the forum is about local people and local issues. MFish is not locally focussed. It is focussed at the Fisheries Management Area or Quota Management Area scale.
• Need to think about the forum from a more strategic level. There is no set process for the forum to input into fisheries management processes. Need to create more linkages between the forum and MFish processes. Members are looking for ways to add value to MFish’s processes.
• If MFish wishes forums to be a long term entity, stronger relationship and a greater levels of purpose needs to be developed.

Recreational Sector Engagement

The members felt that:

• Through the Coromandel Scallop Plan process, MFish was too directive. MFish’s actions must support its processes (“walk the talk”).
• Generally, MFish consultation processes are good and transparent. The process work well for organisations and lobby groups, but felt that for many recreational fishers the process was daunting and they may choose not to participate. Accordingly, people on the street probably do not feel engaged. MFish processes have high transaction costs. Are there ways in which these processes can be made more efficient and effective?
• People are mainly interested in local issues. Due to its management regime, MFish is largely interested in broader scale issues – FMA, QMA. This separates people and MFish.
• MFish is not responsive to these issues.
• There is reluctance from people to participate in processes as they do not think MFish is a particularly good listener.
• Need better relationship between recreational, customary and commercial fishers.
• No or limited research into the value of recreational fishing. A better understanding of the value of the fishery may result in better recognition and participation.
• Commercial and recreational fishers want different outcomes. Perception is that many fisheries are being managed with more weight being given to commercial stakeholder needs/outcomes.
• MFish needs to undertake a survey of stakeholders, especially recreational fishers, to get reliable information on how fishers feel about MFish, fisheries generally and MFish processes, so that these issues can be addressed appropriately.
• The public have seen the Ministry propose a number of initiatives – Soundings, Shared fisheries, fish plans etc. A number of processes have struggled and fallen over. This has lowered people’s confidence in MFish. There is also perception that MFish does not have a proper plan or clear direction.

Shared Fisheries: update on project

Awaiting release of cabinet decision.

Charter Boats

• It was noted that many charter boat operators had self imposed restrictions that were more stringent than the Ministry’s regulations. Accordingly, the group did not think this was a big issue for the Hauraki Gulf or Bay of Plenty.
• Based on the concerns people had heard from other areas, the issue was not about charter boat management but about compliance. Overall, the Forum felt that the issue was one which had gained some press but was not worthy of significant debate.

Current Issues in Brief

The forum made the following comments:

Telson Clipping

• It was noted that previously commercial operators had trialled the use of tags on commercially caught crayfish. The commercial sector felt the trial had worked well, but it was not supported by MFish and was terminated.
• It was stated that MFish does not support telson clipping, however the reason for this opposition was not known.
• The forum felt that the issue was more of a commercial issue rather than a recreational issue. It was also noted that controls should only be implemented if they made sense from a management and/or compliance perspective. For such a proposal to work, it would require strong public support.
• Concern was expressed about recreational fishers forgetting to clip telsons and of commercial pots being sabotaged by having the telsons of caught crayfish clipped.
• It was noted that if telson clipping was introduced, recreational fishers could then take the moral high ground on illegal cray fishing. However it would require a high level of compliance input.

Boatman’s Bag Limit

• Generally the Forum considered that consistency needed to be applied to rules and that if a safety person was required for diving, then the safety persons bag limit should apply to all dive fisheries.

Research on Recreational Fishing

• The Forum supported the need for better information on recreational fishing. This included quantitative information (for example, numbers of fish caught), but also non quantitative research on value of recreational fishing and perspectives, views and opinions of recreational fishers. The forum felt these latter two issues were very important to understand the motives and value of recreational fishing, and whether MFish was meeting the needs of the recreational sector.
• The group discussed the need to explore the use of new technology – cell phones, texting etc and method of reporting/ survey.
• Noted that the use of service providers (non MFish) people was essential as fishers would be more cautious if approach by MFish.

Spatial Management Tools

• The Forum was of the opinion that tools such as taiapure and mätaitai offered recreational fishers local management options and hence some relief to concerns about QMA based fishery management. However, they felt that the public’s understanding of these tools was limited and this lack of understanding was likely to have a negative effect on their implementation.
• MFish needs to undertake a public awareness campaign on these tools to ensure proper and well considered debate occurs when proposals are put forward.
• It was suggested that Peter and Anthony may wish to provide a presentation to the Forum on spatial management tools.

Promoting Responsible Recreational Fishing

• The Forum felt this was an excellent topic and an important area of work for the Ministry. It was also thought that whilst the focus of the national hui was recreational fishing, the issue of ‘responsible fishing’ applied to all sectors – commercial, recreational and customary.

4. SUSTAINABILITY ROUND AND DEEMED VALUES

The members were provided copies of the Minister’s decisions on these matters.

5. FISH PLANS

The members were provided demonstration of the new fish plan website.
http://fpcs.fish.govt.nz/

6. CONSULTATIONS

Members were advised of the two consultations occurring:

• Seabird Mitigation Measures for Trawl and Longline Vessels. Submissions close 23 November 2007
• National Plan of Action – Sharks. Submissions close 1 February 2008

DATE FOR NEXT MEETING

To be set. Alan to investigate holding the meeting in Tauranga.