16 July 2013

Horan: snapper catch to be cut to two a day?

Independent MP Brendan Horan slammed fisheries minister Nathan Guy today for his plans to limit recreational fishers to as little as two snapper a day.

“It’s outrageous that the Government are gutting the allowable take of snapper yet giving New Zealanders less than six weeks to comment,” said Brendan Horan.

Once again they are rushing through bad legislation with no thought for proper democratic process.

You have to wonder if Nathan Guy learned anything from the debacle of the “Soundings” discussion document released a decade ago by the Ministry of Fisheries. That generated massive opposition led by the Option4 team, ended up with a victory for fishers in the Supreme Court, and took some ten years to resolve.

The Government would do well to learn from history and embark on proper and appropriate consultation. Instead they have chosen to present “options” totally biased against recreational fishers.

A more viable option would be to leave the maximum catch alone, extend the minimum size to 30cm, increase minimum mesh sizes, focus on dumping, and properly enforce regulations applying to foreign fishing vessels in New Zealand waters.

“I will champion the cause of people who want to put a meal on the family table,” said Brendan Horan MP. “Anybody unhappy with the Government’s changes can contact me to put a stop to this madness.”

ENDS

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