Phil Heatley MP
National Party Fisheries Spokesman

4 April 2007

Fish thieves left off the hook for Easter?

National Party Fisheries spokesman Phil Heatley is calling for an assurance that fisheries patrolling staff will be on the job over the Easter break.

Information obtained by Mr Heatley shows the Ministry of Fisheries pulled patrolling staff off the beaches and water during the summer.

Those dates included: 25th, 26th, 27th, and 28th December 2006 and the 1st and 2nd of January 2007.

"Public holiday periods are a time when most of the recreational fishing public is out on the water," says Mr Heatley. "It stands to reason that fisheries officers need a presence to both educate the public on fishing regulations and to nail poachers."

Annual report figures show the ministry has also gutted recreational fishing inspections from 45,525 in 2004/05 to only 14,873 last year.

"The ministry is also unable to accurately predict how many fish were taken by customary fishers, and states up front that the catch quantity is 'unknown'.

"The number of honorary fisheries officers has been slashed and now the paid officers are being withdrawn from service on long holiday weekends.

"If Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton was really serious, he would be making sure our coastline was properly patrolled during what are the busiest times of the year.

"But instead, fish takes are not being monitored and poachers are being given easy access to ravage our fish and shellfish stocks.

"Given this slack compliance approach is it any wonder that honest recreational, customary and commercial fishers are all frustrated by the knowledge that 20% of the high value crayfish catch and half of all paua collected is taken illegally."

ENDS

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