Northland Regional Recreational* Forum – Third Meeting

* Non-commercial? Amateur? – what is your preference?

27 May 2006

Venue: Settlers Hotel, Whangarei

Time: 9.30 am

Present:

• John Torr
• John Holdsworth
• Paul Batten
• Simon Howard
• Des Subritsky
• Doug McColl
• John Chibnall
• Richard Civil
• Lorraine Hill
• Geoff Stone
• Stephanie Hill
• Todd Sylvester
• Robin Connor

Apologies:

• Graeme Heapy
• Steve Radich
• Craig Worthington

Shared fisheries project: Members’ discussion (chair Simon Howard; recorder John Holdsworth)

Education

Recognition that fisheries management goals can be reached other ways than through regulation. E.g. by providing resources to foster a conservation ethic amongst recreational fishers. The government approach was seen to lack consistency between DOC and MFish, so a ‘watchdog’ is needed to have oversight about what messages are being given about fishstocks and conservation. At present MFish has limited success in getting information out to people (except in situations where people actively seek out info).

Forum members supported the basic principles of the QMS as a way of managing fishing pressure while allowing use. Further publicity about how the system works was seen as potentially influencing popular assumptions about the need for marine reserves.

Education strategies were seen as the responsibility of MFish, and there was debate about extent to which recreational groups needed to take responsibility for the image of fisheries management. However, some suggestions for education include:

• MFish visits to schools, to reach those who aren’t members of clubs;
• Regional ‘round-ups’ – info from MFish to be supplied to local papers;
• Education on better handling of fish; conservation ethic (including respect for the resource and for other users i.e. viewing every fish as a gift);
• Stands at boat shows
• Link in with regional councils’ education work, through environmental education officers;
• Environmental awards, grants, subsidies similar to Landcare etc for marine environment;
• Brochures more widely available e.g. at tackle stores etc.

Another area where education is required is in relation to customary tools – forum members generally supported customary tools, but felt many were uncertain about how they worked, when they could be applied, and what the implications are for non-Maori fishers.

Information

Recording catch seen as key to participation in fishery, by providing hard data for MFish to estimate recreational catches. Problems with self-reported data were also discussed though.

Links into education: perception that there is a lot of mis-information around. Need to look at both how MFish gets its info out into the public arena; and where MFish gets its info from – i.e. whether it is legitimate or biased. A role for the recreational forums was suggested in providing information or providing comment e.g. on drafts before circulation. At the other end of the process, it is very important to show people whether they have been listened to or not.

A glossary of terms is needed (to be updated over time).

Agreement for comments from other recreational forum about help to get involved with MFish processes e.g. help with submissions; size of IPP documents; more summary documents – if people are to get involved, the information has to be accessible.

Training needs to be provided for recreational leaders, similar to that now being provided for Kaitiaki.

Representation

Forum members noted there is no ‘recreational fishing team’. They felt recreational fisheries management needs ring-fenced funding, and possibly a ‘Pou Hononga’ equivalent for recreational fishers, in the interests of leveling the playing field for participation.

Charter boats

No support for separate management of the charter industry. Charter boats seen as legitimate part of the recreational fishery, and separate management not workable. Most charter boats have good enforcement of recreational rules. Switching to a more commercial footing for charter boats would increase the risk of blackmarket sale of fish caught on charters.

Buy back of commercial quota

This idea was tabled by Steve Radich. Other forum members did not see this idea as being workable.

TAC/C setting

Importance of setting take below the ‘maximum sustainable’ level e.g. for kingfish, because of the value for tourism of a fishery with higher biomass and more large fish. Also discussion about fisheries with TACCs set well above commercial catch levels, e.g. mullet, flounder, where TACC therefore does not provide a cap on catch.

Fishing methods

Discussion around ways of reducing wastage e.g. removal of MLS for bulk fishing methods, so everything has to be landed; looking at netting practices e.g. attendance at net (maybe not practical for commercial fishers, but could apply for recreational fishers – needs review).

Over-fishing of quota

Discussion about ways of dealing with this problem. Suggestions included taking overcatch off the next year’s TACC, although others considered deliberate overcatch was uneconomic in most situations, so deemed values may be effective if they are set at the appropriate level. Another suggestion was for money from deemed values paid to contribute to funding/supporting recreational fishing representation, on the basis that commercial overfishing takes the resource away from non-commercial fishers.

Relationships between stakeholder groups

Value seen in joint meetings, to get commercial and non-commercial fishers round the table together.

Shared fisheries project: feedback to Robin Connor (reported back by John Holdsworth)

Strong access right

The group considered recreational fishers currently have a strong access right, and want to maintain it. Some argued for this as a universal right, not just for those who chose to go fishing. i.e. the importance of maintaining the opportunity for everyone to go fishing as the starting point. Robin clarified the need to differentiate an access right from the right to a certain amount of fish.

Reasonable individual take

The right needs to be based on individual take, but a reasonable amount to allow for a family. John H suggested when allowing for recreational take, the starting point should be what a reasonable bag limit of fish would be, and work from there to set the allowance. A hard limit not seen as useful because of the need to account for population growth.

Information

Better information on non-commercial catches required.

Quality of non-commercial fishing

Rather than just overall biomass, the quality of amateur fishing is based on:

• size of fish
• breeding capacity (e.g. larger fish may be more successful breeders)
• condition of the fish (including impact of environmental factors e.g. pollution)
• catch rate

Local depletion

Could be caused by both commercial and non-commercial fishing. Management plans for specific areas needed, e.g. Hauraki Gulf, Bay of Islands, Kaipara, Hokianga. Especially in areas of conflict or local depletion. Better information at a local scale would be needed to monitor such a plan, e.g info on commercial and non-commercial catch rates. Need to be able to work with industry to get this information. Robin commented fish plans may be able to provide for this collaboration at a local level. Existing legislation e.g. s311 was not seen by forum members as very workable.

Education

There was general support for the QMS, and for educating the public about its strengths/how it works. Also support for more education about responsible fishing practices, e.g. through school visits; linking with environmental education that councils do. Seen as important that people have access to the right information. E.g. the MFish website could include a list of documents, so stakeholders could request copies to be sent to them directly from the website. MFish could also post on recreational fishing websites like fishing.net to direct people to new information up on the MFish website. MFish has to go to the people, rather than rely on them coming to it, e.g. by making info available at more venues such as sports retailers. Fishing.net reaches those who aren’t members of clubs.

Recreational management

Dedicated recreational fishing staff required within the Ministry, and ring-fenced funding for recreational management, to set and achieve goals for recreational fishing. One role of these staff would be to deal with misinformation, and focus on making the right information widely-accessible.

Communication

Better education and communication required between sectors.

Scope

Question about where fisheries like pilchards fit into the picture. They are not ‘shared’ fisheries, but their management does affect recreational fishers, because they are very important within an ecosystem context.

Recreational forum meeting commenced 1.15pm

Previous meeting

The meeting notes from the previous meeting were accepted.

Actions

The following actions from the previous meeting were discussed:

• Contact details for website: confirmation still needed about contact details they are comfortable with having on website (i.e. phone? Mobile? Email? Address?) from: Graeme Heapy, John Holdsworth, Steve Radich, John Chibnall, Richard Civil
• Garfish fishery: summary of this fishery in Northland presented. The commercial fishery is very small-scale. No information was available on effect of water quality etc on fish stocks.
• East coast snapper fishery: verbal update from Todd. Discussion about the tagging programme (based on internal tags that are retrieved only from commercial sheds).
• Hapuku fishery: summary of this fishery in Northland presented. Catches have declined since highs in the early eighties, and have been fairly stable for a while. There are difficulties in stock assessment because of the nature of the fish (clustered around reef areas, with patchy distribution), but catches are thought to be sustainable.
• Information available on the web: this will be discussed more at the next meeting, but some good sources of info are available for members to access.
• Fishing competitions (volume of catch, impact): Todd outlined that fishing competition catches are not that high compared to overall catch estimates coming from recent recreational harvest surveys (e.g. the aerial overflights of Hauraki Gulf and Northland).
• Sources of info on recreational catches (use of club records; what research is being done): this information was already emailed to members in March, so was only discussed again briefly.
• Information given to Des Subritsky on number of commercial fishers in the Kaipara harbour between 2000 and 2005 (numbers have remained stable). This conflicted with his information, so may need to follow up to find reasons for discrepancy.

Follow up actions

• Provide more information on how tagging programme works for snapper research.
• Work on glossary of terms used in the Ministry of Fisheries.
• Discuss commercial fishing on the Kaipara Harbour with Des.

Regional Update: Members

JT (Whangarei) Marine reserves due to be formally established in harbour in July – concerns about the impact round Passage Island.

During heavy rain recently sewerage has been discharged into the harbour – with what impact on fisheries?

Outboard boating club is booming, with lots of new members.

SH (Bay of Islands) His main interest is still water quality – he would like to invite councillors to a meeting to discuss water quality.

RC (Kerikeri) Positive reports for snapper, pilchards, mullet (late arriving but good season), and flounder.

DMcC (Doubtless Bay) Good snapper, reasonable size. Juvenile kahawai around. Lot of john dory round harbour. Used to have very good scallop beds, but they have disappeared and not come back. Todd explained how 1999/2000 had been a very bad year for scallops in Northland. Recent surveys show very good recovery in some areas, but generally from the Bay of Islands south. Scallop populations are naturally variable.

GS/JC (Bay of Islands) Plenty of bait around, especially koheru (thought more koheru because less kahawai?). Kingfish inside the bay. Lots of small fish on outside reefs, larger fish in bay. Tarakihi slow to move in. Hapuku very hard to fish because of strong currents.

DS (Kaipara) Saw mullet up the river as far as Titoki. Kaipara not fishing very well. Flatfish having a bad year and poor condition. Toheroa starting to re-establish on beaches.

JH (Whangarei) Gamefish fishery fairly slow for marlin, except round Bay of Islands. Concern about commercial fishing round the Three Kings.

PB (Mangawhai) 2 club events held since February, following strict rules. Size and number of fish caught down since the last 4-5 years. Rock lobster also down. Lack of trevally in Parengarenga harbour, but a 20lb snapper caught in a stream there.

Follow up actions

• Discuss with JT re information that MFish can provide for new club members.
• Look to invite regional council to future meeting to discuss water quality and impacts on fish.
• Commercial catch data over last 6 months for statistical areas 047 and 048; also 002 (reported purse seiner at Houhora for kahawai after Christmas). (for JH)
• Report back on most recent assessment for rock lobster.

Regional Update: MFish

Recreational review

The issues that have been identified for review in 2006 are:

1. Define “take” (e.g. in relation to tag and release, release of undersize fish, voluntary size limits);
2. Review the minimum legal size for gurnard, blue cod and trumpeter; and
3. Review the scallop season (suggested to shift start and delay finish by seven weeks).

Members concerned that fish thrown back should not be included in the daily bag limit; also some lack of support for changing scallop season (based on protecting scallops when they are fat to allow spawning).

Northern region iwi forums

Map presented to group showing boundaries of iwi forums that the Ministry’s northern inshore team works with.

PB discussed how he would like to send an invite out to iwi in the north to join the recreational forum. This also lead to discussion of the forum’s name – does “recreational” accurately describe the forum’s interests? (i.e. they are not just fishing ‘for fun’). Suggested alternatives: non-commercial, amateur.

Sustainability round

List of topics to be reviewed in sustainability round not yet finalised.

Fish plan update

Work continues on the Coromandel scallop fish plan (proof of concept).

Recreational research

Discussion about research on recreational harvest estimates, to be presented at a working group meeting in Auckland.

Question about whether any funding would be available under the forum budget to help members attend such meetings.

Suggestion that someone from NIWA could be invited to a future meeting to report on the project.

Shellfish surveys

Information on recent research projects for Northland scallops and toheroa presented. Discussion about whether traffic may be a problem for toheroa.

Follow up actions

• Send initial position papers on recreational regulations out to forum members.
• MFish to draft letter to be sent from forum members to invite iwi participation in the forum. The original funding bid was for 14 members, so there are 2 spaces available on the forum.
• Forum to decide on their preferred name (i.e. recreational, amateur, non-commercial, other?).
• Look into inviting someone from NIWA to report on recreational research project.

Next meeting

Suggested topics

• Pelagic management
• Snapper stock assessment/tagging programme
• Invite regional council to discuss water quality
• Invite NIWA to discuss recreational research
• Suggested topics need to be prioritised.

Actions

• Confirm date for next meeting. Suggested date: Thursday 27 July, 4 – 9.00 pm.
• Bring more copies of travel cost claim form.