Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Trout Federation Backs Freshwater Policy But Wants Urgency

Trout Federation Backs Freshwater Policy But Wants Urgency


The NZ Federation of Freshwater Anglers (NZFFA) , which represents the interests of all freshwater anglers who fish in New Zealand, has backed the need for a national policy statement of freshwater management but wants greater urgency.

In its submission recently made to government, NZFFA president David Haynes of Nelson , said the federation supported the fundamental need for a National Policy Statement (NPS) on Freshwater Management. “It is a standard well overdue given the primacy of fresh water to our environment, economy, society and most importantly – life. We have been advocating for standards to protect both quality and quantity of water for many decades,” he said. “However, the proposals fall well short of improving the ability of our fresh water to sustain life.”

David Haynes said several key areas were of concern. National bottom lines for
ecosystem health and human health were far too low while time scales for mplementation were far too long.

There was also a serious flaw in that NPS only applies to new activities or to changes to existing activities, not to those existing activities he said.

Ecosystem health was a critical measure of freshwater health but the measures proposed are neither extensive nor stringent enough.

“Our scientists suggest the bottom lines for ecosystem health are too low to sustain life. Why are some attributes proposed applicable to rivers but not lakes, temperature being the most obvious example? We recommend that the ecosystem health attributes are applied equally to all fresh water.”

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

Those attributes that do have numbers applied to them - the national bottom lines – are far too low to sustain fish life and fly in the face of extensive scientific research completed over the last thirty years.

“Water quality and quantity management should be a priority for the government
– without it our fresh water may no longer be so,” said David Haynes. “The fact that New Zealand has only 4.3 million people, under the size of Sydney, yet suffers from water quality and flow problems underlines the fact that this matter is of extreme urgency”.

A copy of the NZFFA submission can be found at http://www.nzfishingclubs.co.nz/index.htm

ends

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.