Call for review of the whitebait fishery
An open call to undertake an interdepartmental review of the whitebait fishery and associated issues
Hon Eugenie Sage,
Minister of Conservation
Hon David Parker, Minister for
the Environment
Hon Stuart Nash, Minister of
Fisheries
Dear Ministers
The Canterbury Aoraki
Conservation Board wishes to convey our deep concern about
the status of whitebait Inanga in New Zealand. As you may
already know, Inanga is made up of five species, three of
which are in decline and one is threatened. Massey
University's Kyleisha Foote and Pierce McNie have stated
that without immediate action, one of the five whitebait
species could be extinct within three years with all five
extinct by 2034.
Our particular concerns
include:
The indiscriminate nature of some types of whitebait nets and the by-catch they produce
The length of the whitebait seasons
The existence of three differing sets of whitebait regulations
The lack of recreational quota and/or licencing
The quasi-commercial nature of some recreational white baiters.
In this open letter we wish to call upon the government to undertake an interdepartmental review of the whitebait fishery and associated issues. Given the government’s renewed focus on biodiversity management, it is an opportune time for the Department of Conservation, Ministry for the Environment, and Ministry for Primary Industries, to work together on an integrated approach.
The Canterbury Aoraki Conservation is not alone in its concern and interest in inanga management, with support for this call from a number of Conservation Boards.
The Board looks forward to supporting the government’s efforts, on behalf of all New Zealanders, to ensure the long term sustainability of these important species.
Mick Abbott
Chairperson, Canterbury Aoraki Conservation Board