Richard Prosser MP

Spokesperson for Fisheries and Outdoor Recreation
9 September 2015

Fishing Families Miss Out As National Ignore Promise

National has deliberately forgotten its promise to set up “fishing parks” for Kiwis, says New Zealand First.

“Fishing zones for Kiwi families are a must- we all know that throwing out a line off the boat or the wharf is an essential summer pastime for kiwi families,” says New Zealand First Fisheries and Outdoor Recreation Spokesperson Richard Prosser.

“The government’s pre-election promise for recreational fishing parks seems to have been swallowed up by some post-election abyss.

“It’s been a year since the Election and we’re still waiting for the government to deliver on its promise of dedicated “fishing parks” in the Hauraki Gulf and Marlborough for all New Zealanders to use.

“We want to see this so-called promise by the government delivered and delivered soon. Being able to catch food from the wild is part of who we are as New Zealanders. A dedicated in-shore recreational fisheries zone which gives priority to customary and recreational fishers ahead of any commercial quota allocation, will allow New Zealanders to continue to do just that,” says Mr Prosser.

“New Zealand First believes our fisheries belong to the nation as a whole and the needs of the ordinary New Zealander must come first. This government seems to have forgotten that. New Zealand First hasn’t.

“Our policy and election promise remain. New Zealand First will create recreation fishing zones and we will determine the limits of these areas in consultation with the regions, and will most likely be to the 12 mile territory limit or in some places, a depth of 100m might be the determinate.

“These zones will be for all New Zealanders to continue with the Kiwi tradition of fishing with friends, families and communities.

“The government needs to deliver these recreational fishing parks, albeit if they are only a half-baked attempt to match New Zealand First’s policy, to prove it wasn’t just trying to grab votes.

“These parks need to be in place by the end of the year to prove to Kiwi’s this government is serious about what they promised during the Election.

“We would not even be having this discussion if New Zealand First was in government – we stand by our election promises,” says Mr Prosser.

ENDS

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