Marlborough Sounds Blue Cod

TASFISH
TASMAN AND SOUNDS RECREATIONAL FISHERS ASSN.

Advocate for recreational fishers, both individuals and groups, in the Tasman Bay / Marlborough Sounds area.

Aim - To promote a sustainable healthy fishery into the future.

www.tasfish.org.nz
TASMAN & SOUNDS RECREATIONAL FISHERS ASSOCIATION

PRESS RELEASE

The Minister of Fisheries Phil Heatley has released an Initial Position Paper (IPP) on measures to support the reopening of the closed portion of the inner Marlborough Sounds blue cod fishery. The measures proposed have been put together by the Blue Cod Management Group (BCMG) and consultation closes 4th October 2010.

TASFISH supports the need for a better management regime for the both the current closed area within Pelorus and Queen Charlotte Sounds and the larger existing MS management area which is the enclosed area of the Marlborough Sounds inside a line from Stephens Island across to Cape Koamaru.

MFish outlined in the IPP the BCMG were NOT unanimous on all of the measures contained in the BCMG plan put forward and TASFISH totally rejects the need for the MS management area to be extended to the Marlborough District Councils Boundary to include the Western side of D’Urville Island and Croiselles Harbour to Cape Soucis.

President of TASFISH Martyn Barlow was a member of the BCMG and says “there is no research showing blue cod depletion in the extended area to support an extension to the existing MS management area.

Furthermore this extension will see the reopening of the current closed area to then see after 5 months the whole extended management would then be closed.” Mr Barlow also says “this proposal has nothing to do with blue cod sustainability in fact the whole area change proposal is out side the BCMG scope in the Terms of Reference set by the Minister of Fisheries."

TASFISH supports other management measures contained in the IPP such as an increase in the minimum legal size to 33cm, a daily bag limit (DBL) of two, fishers limited to using a maximum of two hooks, a personal accumulation of two DBL’s and the requirement for fishers to land blue cod in a whole or gutted state within the existing MS area. These are sensible practical measures easy to understand that if adopted will assist in achieving the aim of reducing fishing harvest, protecting the spawning biomass and protecting juvenile and pre-recruits.

There are no proposals to limit any commercial fishing activity and Mr Barlow says “TASFISH find this unacceptable, there appears to be a lack of willingness on the part of the Minister to impose limits or restrictions on industry."

TASFISH will be making a substantial submission on behalf or recreational fishers and urges all individuals to read the IPP and make an individual submission, even if it is to support or oppose one point they feel strongly about.

ENDS