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Aquacultures dirty little secret bottom line for the aquacultural effect on a natural landscape, what it didn’t say was, it’s not ok just because you want to employ people and make money for yourself.

Mussel farmers around NZ are quick to point out the good stuff from their marine farms like recreational fishing and cheap seafood in the supermarket. But at the moment at least the mussel farmers have their own code of practice on bethnic bottom fouling, visual pollution, rubbish on the beach, and noise pollution, but are they adhering to this?

Just like the salmon farmers many of the locals who live in these areas of high-intensity marine farming don’t agree the level of responsibility the marine farmers set themselves is high enough.

Everywhere you put a stationary structure in a marine environment where there previously wasn’t one has an effect and in the case of Most of us fishers see mussel farming as a positive influence in our fishery,

SEE INSIDE Page 8-

DoC disregarding the Law

Page 11 - Mussel Farmers a necessary evil?

Page 13 - Biased TV programme should be banned Page 14 - NZ First cannot be trusted use your party vote wisely Page 15 - Seafood Industry attacks Rec Fishing catch Page 18 - Lake Taupo Under Threat

we are encouraged to tie up to the floats as long as we don’t damage the mussel lines. But do we really know what’s going on beneath the surface?

When the mussel barges are harvesting they attract huge schools of large snapper, which also attract many recreational fishers intent on scoring some of the bounty.

Aquaculture in NZ is a growing industry and the most sustainable seafood suppliers for not only local trade but our exporters as well.

These pioneers of the Aquaculture industry are farmers of seafood and the industry has set about breeding their own spat in an attempt to take less from the wild biomass.

The industry hopes to be totally self-sustaining and less at the mercy of the unreliable and quoted natural spatial biomass currently harvested from Northland beaches.

New innovation was shown recently on TV One’s Sunday programme where King Salmon NZ had a shed that was for all intent and purposes a Salmon egg hatchery for its Salmon farms in the Marlborough Sounds.

The new innovations of shore-based

seafood spatial hatcheries will give aquaculture the possibility of endless growth potential with the reliability of climate control to produce spatial supply ready and waiting for the on water fish or shellfish farms as soon as harvest has been completed.

Part of the aquaculture plan now is expansion and is supported by the MPI as a primary exporter with growth potential. Where and at what intensity that growth accrues is a question that environmentalists hot under the collar took all the way to the Supreme Court for answers.

The Supreme Court recently ruled in favour of the environmentalists that there is a bottom line on the numbers of marine farms in areas with outstanding natural landscape.

The entire Great Barrier Island is an outstanding natural landscape.

The aquaculture farmer over there would argue he was running a business supplying sustainable seafood to the world and employing people. The two sides are very different and in this case the Supreme Court got the ruling correct.

The Court ruling means there is a

high-intensity aquaculture that effect could be tenfold to any previous natural event. Mussel farmers blame the silt in the water for catching on these structures whereas it wouldn’t if the structures weren’t there.

Grant Rosswarne CEO of King Salmon tried to have us believe that the 2.5 million salmon in the Marlborough Sounds farms had the same environmental impact as if they were swimming wild in the ocean because that’s what fish do.

But 2.5 million wild fish of any description don’t stay stationary in one spot by choice ever because they would be eaten by predators really quick. The mussel farms have vastly more mussels than could ever grow naturally on the seabed of the same area that they lease. This does have an effect on the environment and the people who live around the growing industry.

If you have worked all your life and retire to a nice quiet bay with 15

Cover Story Continued Page 4...

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houses in it how would you react to 4 or 5 marine farms being put into that bay that start work under lights at 03.30 am in the morning so they can meet a trucking timetable, is that fair?

It is conceivable that any stationary marine structure that is in one place for 10 years has a regeneration programme for the sea floor under the farm to remove silt and mussel farm man made rubbish from the licence?

As it stands there are marine farms that have been in one place for more than 30 years and the current leaseholders have done nothing for regeneration and fully don’t intend to.

We believe it is now time for the public to get more involved in the code of practice surrounding marine structure and start to oppose some of the resource consents that have a right of renewal attached to them.

Most defiantly at this stage to avoid marine farmers developing any new

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Fishing and Outdoors PO Box 10580, Te Rapa, Hamilton 3240 Ph 07 8551833

How to Cook Venison Ribs Add herbs and spices, whole peppercorns, mustard seeds, fresh or dried thyme, oregano and rosemary, to flavour the brine to your specific taste. Chill the brine in the refrigerator. You can also add some apple cider vinegar, orange juice or lime juice.

Editor Graham Carter mail@fishingoutdoors.co.nz 021 02600437 Advertising Sales Marc Bradstreet 0275 498844

Photography: Sandi Tuan

Cover the venison ribs in the brine.

Soak in the refrigerator overnight.

Remove the ribs from the brine and drain off the mixture. Pat them dry with paper towels.

Regular Writers: Graham Carter James Speedy Ben Hope Frank Henry Dick Featherstone Tony Orman Rhys Smith John McNab

The ribs then went go into the smoker at 225F for four hours uncovered, then one hour wrapped in foil with a splash of red wine to make sure they’re nice and tender.

The other option is to place them in a steamer for an hour to make them tender and then grill them for half an hour to put the colour back in.

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Deer ribs often get discarded because hunters don’t know how to cook them or use them as the ribs are usually large and have a lot of connective tissue.

Venison ribs are not something you come across every day but if you treat them like mini beef ribs you won’t be too far from the mark.

The ribs are also very lean, but brining or marinating them adds needed moisture and flavour.

Venison is a good source of niacin, iron, vitamins B12, B6 and riboflavin. It is also lower in fat than beef and has higher levels of healthy omega-3 fats.

Marinating the Ribs Trim the ribs of fat and membranes. Slice through the ribs with a hacksaw, cutting them into 3 strips of ribs. Cut each strip into pieces of three or four ribs each.

Prepare a brine using 1 cup each of sugar and salt per 1 gallon of water. Heat the water until the salt and sugar dissolve.

Oven Roasting Place the ribs in a roasting pan.

Season them with salt and pepper to taste and rub them with vegetable oil or melted butter. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover the ribs with the roaster lid or tinfoil.

Bake the ribs for 4 hours, basting every 30 minutes with pan juices or melted butter.

Increase the heat to 400 F and remove the lid or foil when the ribs are tender. Grill until nicely browned, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Like most ribs there is a membrane on the back you need to peel off. Slide a butter knife under there to loosen it up a little then peel it off.

Ribs in the smoker The ribs come out an absolute treat, like little teeny tiny beef ribs but with a gamey depth of fla-

vour that beef doesn’t quite get.

Coro Seafood Festival roaring success

Nearly 3000 people attended the Coromandel Seafood Festival held at the Coromandel School on May 6th, on a typical beautiful sunny Coromandel day.

Everyone appeared to have an awesome day as they participated in the various fun activities especially the children who had a host of children’s train rides and merry go rounds to play on.

The marquee set up to host the cook off between local restaurants saw packed crowds watching the event while other activities were held in the exhibitor’s areas.

Derek the Chef entertained everyone with his culinary expertise in his wonderfully creative way along with the continuous live entertainment throughout the day.

Displays included a celebration of all things Coromandel from the infamous Greenshell mussels to Coromandel oysters, showcasing local fishing charters and associated businesses, the Coromandel Seafood Fest was

something for everyone with a Cook Off demonstration between local restaurants which was a highlight along with oyster shucking, mussel opening, and an impressive array of food stalls There was a full range of seafood’s available for tasting from Smoked fish pies, creamy Mussel pies, and Steak bacon and Oyster pies, with a selection of mini pies including scallop mornay. Seafood chowder with fresh bread, and cupcakes for dessert was available on one stand along with a great selection of seafood paella, mussel fritters and many other nourishing food items.

The kids loved the rides and fishing comp where many got a spot prize!

The Gold Ridge Marine Farm Junior Fishing Competition saw a great number of children entering with fishing off a boat or off the shore.

Prizes for Mystery weight Snapper and Kahawai winners were Hawaiiki Povey, Pheobe Bromwich, Luke McCauley, Ruby Bromwich.

Like them on their Facebook page: Coromandel Seafood Fest and keep up to date with next years event.

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Cover Story Continued...

structure with the same bad practice all new resources should be opposed in Court if necessary to stop a marine farmer selling or walking away from his responsibility or cleaning up the toxic mess under the marine structure from the sea floor that actually belongs to the public of NZ. So while our economy could do with the cash injection is this a good idea for our ocean environment?

There is growing evidence of adverse effects on marine animals which are in direct competition for space in the most of our productive coastal waters. Mussel farms deplete phyto-

plankton and zooplankton; modify the benthic environment, species assemblages, and local hydrodynamics; increase marine litter; and facilitate the spread of unwanted organisms.

In other words they bugger up what’s underneath the farms and in some cases pollute the sea floor up to 200 metres around each farm. The mess is spread wider out from the farms in fast current areas compared to the mess which drops straight down in the slower current harbour farms when the mussels are harvested along with all the mussel farm rubbish.

We have been informed, that some harbour farms have such bad

pollution they are toxic and unable to produce quality mussels.

Therefore it is likely that the establishment of mussel farms may lead to loss and degradation of wildlife habitat, either by exclusion or as a consequence of changes to the ecosystem.

There are no excuses for this and they require better management and better practices that are adequately and correctly audited.

So we need to look at what the Councils are doing to ensure that the Resource Consents are complied with.

Is carrying out the audits sufficient if they are not done adequately?

MPI turned its back on Maui dolphin There’s a simple way to save the Māui dolphin – and the government is ignoring it.

These wonderful could easily be turned into a magnificent tourist attraction to show the world we care, but the MPI has turned its back on New Zealanders opinion.

Kiwi, kakapo, Māui dolphins and white sharks all feature on a list of 150 priority species Launched in a new draft Threatened Species Strategy by Maggie Barry.

The draft strategy lists Māui dolphins as “nationally critical” and says they’re “in urgent need”. That makes total sense as DoC estimated last year that only

63 adult Māui dolphins have survived.

So if Māui dolphins are a Threatened Species priority, why won’t the government act to stop their extinction?

Why is the Nathan Guy, MPI refusing to take action to stop their extinction?

Commercial fishing using trawling and gill netting is to blame for most of the Māui dolphin deaths involving human activity.

Current fishing restrictions cover less than one third of Māui dolphins’ habitat. Set nets are restricted in less than 30% of the habitat, and our government has protected fewer than 10% of the habitat from both set netting and trawling.

Recent polling shows that Nathan Guy is out of step with public opinion on protecting the critically endangered Māui dolphin – 75% of New Zealanders think the government should financially assist fishing people and communities to switch to dolphin-safe fishing methods in Māui dolphin habitat.

The government has announced $178 million of new money for upgrading and developing tourist facilities. Just one sixth of that could save Māui dolphins from extinction. So what’s stopping Nathan Guy from saving the Māui dolphin?

Collusion with commercial fishers?

$30.5m boost to fisheries a con job A significant boost of $30.5 million will upgrade and modernize the fisheries management system, including transparency, the roll-out of cameras, monitoring, and electronic reporting on all commercial vessels, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy says.

Is this another con job by the MPI? What is the point of spending $30 million of taxpayers money on this so-called world leading camera system when commercial fishers can

drop their catch into a hold out of sight of the cameras as portrayed on Country Calendar recently.

This means that every fishing vessel can be monitored at all times, no matter where they are, and any illegal activity dealt with. Which considering Guy’s track record is another joke. Does he really believe that kiwi rec fishers will be sucked in by this?

Our fisheries management is no longer recognised as world-leading,

due to the incompetence and deliberate mis-management of the fishery

by Gut and his cronies in their neoliberal approach, so any investment in the latest technology is wasted as unless the MPI have a clean-out from the top down and stop the corruption they will never get their world-leading high quality management of the fishery status back.

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Catching some king snapper

We were in Coromandel for the Seafood Festival and having been flat out talking to customers and readers for the Saturday we were only too happy to accept an invite to have a play around the mussel farms.

According to the rumours there were some good sized snapper being caught and the skipper Jason said that on the last few charters they had binned out within an hour and a half, with some very pleased anglers on board.

The two skippers Jordan and Jason know the area well and the seasonal habits of the fish, so we went straight to some of the Coromandel’s prime fishing spots where the fish were.

We had several Chinese visitors on board that had never held a rod before so it was great to get alongside these girls and show them how to bait up, and handle the fish they caught.

This is where a good crewman comes into his own as Chris ensured that they were doing things right and ultimately gave them a trip of a lifetime as he put his experience to work.

Both the Ruben Jack and Joint Venture are a 51foot West Coaster boats powered by 600hp engines and can carry from 10 to 22 people for fishing and up to 32 people for scenic cruises or functions.

On board you will find a BBQ that passengers are free to use, and a conventional toilet, kitchen, inside and outside seating with tables and partial shelter on the deck to protect you from the sun.

Their fishing charters are suitable for everyone and anyone, experienced or novice and both the Joint Venture and Ruben Jack are well equipped and wellappointed for charter operations that cater for wheel chair fishos with little difficulty. They would like to encourage all wheelies and families with younger children to come aboard.

So contact them for any special needs that you may require as they will endeavour to provide any services that you may need.

Just a quick phone call will see your fishing party booked to enjoy one of Coromandel’s prime fishing charters and they would be happy to answer any questions.

Coromandel Fishing Charters work in unison with Salty Towers Bait and Tackle shop who offer a fish filleting service along with salt-ice, bait and tackle

supplies and they have fresh mussels available to take home as well.

Some fishers don’t fully understand the importance of placing your catch on ice immediately it is ikied, as the fish stays fresher, last longer, is easier to fillet and tastes fresh even after a few hours.

Coromandel Fishing Charters offer more than a fishing experience as there is a lot more to the Hauraki Gulf than people imagine.

To Book your Charter call Tom or Lorraine on 0800 267624 or 027 8668001 or the office at 07 8668928.

Email: corofishing@gmail.com

6

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Letter to editor Bag Limits shot

ministers but has proved a failure.

A recent survey by Horizon Research showed 83% New Zealanders felt the current quota management system was average or failed to limit fish kill and to rebuild fish stocks to sustainable levels. Thus Randall Bess gives no confidence.

In summary, all four political appointees by Minister Nathan Guy give no confidence I wonder at the IQ of Ministry It’s been a few years now but public servants who think then my pond on the Whangamarino public will not see through debucket line at Mercer was full of ception and devious moves. water this year. Myself and neigh- J. R Reading bour Terry Reeves shot our lim- Nelson its for the first three days which was a good start for the season.

From all accounts most if not DoC an utter disgrace to NZ all shooters on the big Piako Dear Sir swamp south of Ngatea had a My concerns are not alleviated. killing for the first three days. When you drop 1080 above the The best they have had for bush line you are not targeting posmany years which is great news. sums and rats. There is no beech to My mate Kevin Bond, a Ngatea drop beech mast above the bush shooter and I both agreed that line. You are targeting deer. It is utlast year was the best breed- terly dishonest to claim otherwise. ing season we had seen in many You know, or you certainly should, years and we were right for once, that 1080 was developed as an inlet’s hope next year is even better. secticide but proved too dangerDick Featherstone ous to use. It kills vertebrates with extreme cruelty. It is banned enThames tirely, or almost entirely, throughout the civilized world. It is an Devious Licence Moves utter disgrace than NZ continues Your paper continues to keep us pleb- to use it despite the lethal effects iscites aware of moves by arrogant on everything than crawls, walks government and devious MPI bu- or flies in our native forests. That reaucrats. Thank you dear editor. Your which crawls is eaten by that which paper serves a very valuable purpose. flies, our native birds. Some birds, It was concerned when my eyes wekas for example, will feed on caught the title “Rec Licensing” carrion, mammals that have died and the narrative which followed. from 1080 poison. Then they die.

Your article (I note by yourself ) re- You are dropping, almost randomly, vealed the devious goings-on of a lethal toxin that can be picked MPI in foisting a recreational licence up by any terrorist or sympathizer, onto the public. It would seem to used in New Zealand or exported me to be a devious move to suction for terrorism elsewhere. Would into the Quota Management Sec- you care to justify that to the New tion, the recreational fishing public. Zealand population or that of a This must be resisted with the ut- friendly country, the loss by excrumost vigour by the million New Zea- ciatingly painful death, of a number landers who participate as of right from that society? No, you would and heritage in recreational fishing. try and weasel you way out of it When I read of MPI’s ministerial ap- as did some Nazis at Nuremburg. pointed delegation, I lost further con- What you should be doing, if actfidence in of those I know of, Graeme ing in a responsible manner with Sinclair has long championed the the welfare of this country in mind, commercial industry although he would be making use of the unemhosted a recreational fishing TV pro- ployed to cut tracks through the gramme. Geoff Rowling was presi- forest to allow the access for tourdent of the NZ Recreational Fishing ists (benefiting the tourist industry), Council but failed to deliver so much access for possum, rat, feral cat and so, the NZRFC has languished into stoat trappers and access for large obscurity and possible extinction. game shooters. You should be buildMr Rowling was instrumental in ing huts for the use of these people. approving the contentious and ut- You should be paying a bonus for terly unjustified recreational blue possum skins, rat and stoat tails. You cod ban for Marlborough Sounds should make it worthwhile for the without communicating with the currently underemployed to rid the public, particularly in Marlborough. forest, as far as possible, from small So I have little or no confidence pest animals. That way you kill many in those two appointees. Then birds with one stone; you reduce there is a commercial person Mr the number of small pests, you give Helson who I know nothing of, employment to the under employed but by his commercial connec- giving them a sense of self-worth tions, is almost certainly somewhat and reducing welfare payments prejudiced against recreational? to them, you greatly improve the The leader of the MPI delegation is image of this country worldwide, Randall Bess of NZ Initiative. I went you improve the experience of the searching and discovered the NZ tourists, you make access easier for Initiative is none other than the New Zealanders to keep the deer old disreputable Business Round- and pigs under control and you table who strongly supported the do not make poisonous a popular privatization policies of the 4th La- food source for, in particular, central bour government and introduced North Island Maoris. You could, acthe Quota Management System. tually, do something useful for this The privatization process of the country. At the moment you do not.

QMS was lauded by government Roger Dewhurst

Dear Sir

Jessie Read This!

National Radio afternoon radio host and TV 3’s “The Project” presenter Jessie Mulligan on TV 3’s recently wished the Department of Conservation a “Happy 30th Birthday”.

He said “DoC started in 1987 as a big, inspiring idea but I want to talk about the fact that DoC in 2017 is horribly underfunded.

We should be proud of what DOC does, but we should be embarrassed about how it’s been treated.”

Then he went into a spin on ‘threatened species”.

“New Zealand has 1000 species currently threatened with extinction.

One thousand! Another 3000 are “at risk”. Eighty percent of birds are on the verge of disappearing forever, but the birds are the least of our worries because at least they’re cute.”

Then he complained “DoC (with) just a few million dollars to try and protect our 4000 species that are vulnerable. The upside is this is an election year, while our native animals are being eaten, starved and choked out of existence you at least get to cast a vote on their behalf. “Well Jessie Mulligan’s rhetoric might be laughable to anyone with a smattering of understanding of the bush and its cycles such as beech mast years. Then tonight as I write this Jessie referred obliquely to a beech mast year, which in Conservation Minister’s mind as she announced a multi-million dollar ramp-up of 1080 to save the birds.

I give up on Minister Maggie Barry.

She needs to go back to school and do a 5th form biology course and then get out in the bush. But I think Jessie Mulligan is relatively intelligent. Jessie Mulligan could be a good laugh except his ignorant views are going out to thousands of radio listeners and TV viewers. He has a responsibility as a journalist.

Jessie, if you chance to read this, think on these aspects. I could write to Jessie but he may not read this. Or he may. In anyway, others will read it.

1. Cyclic beech mast years (seeding) have been happening for millions of years.

2. Nature operates in cycles.

3. Native birds were abundant through most of the 20th century, i.e. 1900-2000. Rats have been here since 1350, stoats since 1880’s. Everything settled into sync.

4. Birds were okay, then started to decline in the 1990’s and more particularly since 2000. Why? 5. The reason is 1080 is a broad killing ecosystem poison. In 1927 it was developed as an insecticide then scientists discovered it killed anything and everything that breathes oxygen.

6. DoC’s 1080 drops therefore kill insects, worms (kiwi food), freshwater crayfish, birds, animals. If it doesn’t kill birds it will kill their food (e.g. worms for kiwi) and insects for a host of species such as robins, tomtits, fantails. No food means a decline in bird numbers. Simple.

7. 1080 is a slow, cruel killer. Any ailing creatures be it insects or birds will be seized by an opportunistic predator, e.g. robins eat a toxic writhing insect, a falcon seizes a distressed dying tui. 1080 leaves a carcass toxic so robins, falcons and other similar cases get a lethal dose of 1080.

They are a few facts to think about for Jessie and in the forlorn hope Ms Barry might comprehend, perhaps she should ponder too?

The point is in Mr Mulligan’s case he has a responsibility to be factual and not in the fantasy world spun by DoC and Forest and Bird.

In closing, I suggest Jessie read Bill Benfield’s two books exposing the myths around 1080. One is “The Third Wave” and the other “At War with Nature” published by Tross Publishing.

A. Bushman Hawkes Bay

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very powerful forces to do battle with as they try to secure the inshore fishery from the greedy clutches of the fishery exporters.

Our only hope of achieving this goal is public and consumer support for a clean green fishery.

The commercial fishery has countered our efforts through the hiring of Graham Sinclair. Sinclair has just finished making an 11 week TV series based on commercial fishing in an attempt to gain back public opinion towards the hard working heroes of our seafood industry.

This will give us a platform to remind the public that these commercial fishing heroes are the same people who for the past 50 years or so have killed and destroyed our fishery at will and without conscience or with very little consequence.

Some of these commercial fishermen are generational and have been taught by their fathers and their fathers before them how to only bring in high-value product and discard overboard everything else.

I think on mass everything Graham Sinclair puts his name to should be boycotted by the recreational fishers and that includes his sponsors.

Rhys Smith Thames

Lead shot Minister, (Smith)

Who advised you that lead shot should not be permitted on clay target ranges?

Or was it, more probably I suspect a brainfart entirely of your own making?

Grouse have been shot over butts in Scotland since shotguns were first invented. In the heyday of grouse shooting one gun might fire each day up to 1000 cartridges each containing an ounce or so of lead. Of course there were many guns each day and many days in each shooting season. There is a veritable lead mine in front of each of those butts. No lead poisoning of grouse or sheep has ever been detected. Please seek some proper advice before letting what passes for your brain off its chain and off into the wild blue yonder.

Roger Dewhurst

Nathan Guy commodity approach

Dear Sir It is sometimes said that “We are not short of the water that flows via our waterways and in fact the oft quoted ‘we only use 2%’ could well be correct The key issues are WHEN it’s taken (season) and WHERE from.

This is where the problems occur.”

I beg to differ, but at a fundamental level. This is what I call the ‘Nathan Guy commodity approach’ to water.

You think of it as a commodity, you describe it as a commodity, and so the only thing left to do is argue about who gets which bit. What this approach ignores is that water has an intrinsic value of its own, rather than just the value we place on it when we use it. It is also there to support the aquatic ecosystems we all value, and anything we take out to ‘use’ diminishes that capability. So the only real question is - how much stress to the aquatic ecosystems are you prepared to live with? Oh, and perhaps one more, - ‘should the amount of stress you are prepared to live with be acceptable if it is greater than the amount of stress I am prepared to live with?’

And for the financial purists; if water has its own intrinsic value, part of which is supporting aquatic ecosystems and part of which is the recreational enjoyment and industries it sustains, where is that factored into any decisions on its ‘use’? Because I have never seen it. Maybe this is where the problems occur.

Ken Sims

NZ Aquaculture – bad news Dear Sir

Farming fish rather than harvesting wild fish stock is what the world needs.

But the ecological disasters Killing the fishery - without with fish farms built in Bays and Sounds all over the world are conscience there on Google for anyone to see.

Dear Sir The recreational fishers have some We should have land-based fish

farms where salt water is pumped in and filtered out back to the sea like the one at Marsden Point.

Theexcessoffishnutrientsfromthefilters ​would be the ultimate in organic fertilizer. It will cost the investors’ money to do this but if they grow a high-value product that should not be a problem.

At the moment Aquaculture is cutting corners by building their stationary structure in marine areas that must cause pollution solely because of the unnatural stocking rate of the shellfish or fin fish that cannot move.

Areas of high current flow simply take longer to foul up a larger area of the seafloor and are equally detrimental to the environment.

There are three simple realistic options that Aquaculture must fall into if the industry is to have a long-term financial and ecological future on the planet.

All aquaculture licences must be either​ moveable, cleanable or land based.

The truth is that big business has the ability to protect itself using limited liability companies from the liability of cleanup should the cost cut into investor profit margins.

MPI has a goal of $1 billion from aquaculture by 2025 and as such is hell bent on helping big business cut the ecological corners and safeguards of the RMA by declaring it is in the national interest to do so.

Some politician is going to inherit a mess but ultimately the tax payer will fit the bill while the investors in aquaculture head off to Hawaii and live on Obama Street or John Key Crescent.

Rhys Smith Thames

Ocean Bounty

– AND IN DUE COURSE YOU WILL BE CALLED ON TO GIVE EVIDENCE. The closing dates to oppose a claim varies from early May through to the end of June for those that have specified the date on their ads.

While for those THAT DID NOT SPECIFY A CLOSING DATE BUT USED THE WORDING “Any notice of intention in support or opposition to this application must be filed… by not less than 20 working days after the first public notice advertisement…”, THERE IS NO CLOSING DATE. 2) Crown Engagement. Under this process, claimants negotiate directly with the Minister, Chris Finlayson, and THERE IS NO PUBLIC OBJECTION PROCESS. These claims can be read here: https://www.justice.govt.nz/…/ marine-and-coas…/applications/ Mark Eliott Whitianga.

Screaming Drama Queens Dear Sir,

Why do these presenters of TV fishing show invariably squeal and scream as though they’ve just been castrated when they hook or catch a fish on screen?

The other Saturday I watched a programme “Grand Slam Fishing” during which the main character behaved like a drama queen. I turned it off.

Others invariably do the same with a couple of exceptions, Ados Addiction with Nicky Sinden is pretty good, so is “Big Angry Fish” hosted by Milan Radonich and Nathan O’Hearn.

Matt Watson who should know better can have a screaming fit at times. I once wrote to Matt politely complaining. I got no reply.

I would not fish with any chap who behaved like a screaming idiot.

Unfortunately the squealing hebejeebies seems to be contagious.

“Fishing and Outdoors” is a great newspaper with the emphasis on “news”.

It alerts anglers to the real issues and in a forthright way. It serves a real purpose. One tires of repetitive stories on how some bloke caught a big snapper or trout.

Dear Sir Ocean Bounty - Last nights, Sunday 6pm TV advertorial for the combined NZ commercial fishing industry showed the NZ public many spectacular images of a NZ boat fishing in iceberg country, Sandwich Island, Ross Sound, catching lots of large species, doing Orca “research” and talking endlessly about fish abundance.

Whale numbers were on the increase, the general message was that “she’ll “Fish Head” be right mate” full steam ahead for commercial fishing. .......Capt. Bennett the skipper of the Sanford’s boat was asked near the end of the show what he thought about the fish stocks in the NZ inshore waters and he replied I was walking down the street when that everything was fine and this was I was accosted by a particularly dirty due to the QMS that had proven its and shabby-looking homeless man value and was considered the envy of who asked me for a couple of dollars other countries with fishing resources! for dinner. .......at the conclusion of the disguised I took out my wallet, extracted ten advertorial the credits/sponsors were dollars and asked, rolled through-----> Talleys, Vela, San“If I give you this money, will you buy ford’s, Moana, Aotearoa.....Seafood NZ some beer with it instead of dinner?” all of the NZ fishing cartels who are “No, I had to stop drinking years ago,” STRIPPING our fishing resources to the homeless man replied. shreds. This TV “show” is a great exam“Will you use it to go fishing instead ple of NZ business falsifying informaof buying food?” I asked. tion and feeding it to the NZ public.

“No, I don’t waste time fishing,” the Winston Coromandel

Offshore & Seabed Claims

Dear Sir The Offshore & Seabed Claims recently lodged by Maori Iwi are of a major concern. This process must be stopped.

Have a read of clause 2).

CLARIFYING FORESHORE & SEABED CLAIMS. Opportunist tribes can CHOOSE ONE OF TWO AVENUES to claim Customary Marine Title or Protected Customary Rights.

1) High Court. The High Court claims have been advertised in newspapers over the last fortnight.

TO OPPOSE A HIGH COURT CLAIM, YOU NEED TO REGISTER AS AN ‘INTERESTED PARTY’ – THIS COSTS $110

homeless man said, “I need to spend all my time trying to stay alive.”

“Will you spend this on hunting equipment?” I asked.

“Are you NUTS!” replied the homeless man. “I haven’t gone hunting in 20 years!”

“Well,” I said, “I’m not going to give you money. Instead, I’m going to take you home for a shower and a terrific dinner cooked by my wife.”

The homeless man was astounded.

“Won’t your wife be furious with you for doing that?

I replied, “Don’t worry about that. It’s important for her to see what a man looks like after he has given up drinking, fishing and hunting.”

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1080 THE NEVER ENDING STORY Driving up the coast from Thames on a regular basis gives me plenty of time to think about on a sign in someone’s front yard: 1080 Target the Pest Not the Whole Darned Ecosystem BAN 1080. These words pretty well sum up the 1080 story. They also raise a much more important political question.

Should the Government through the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) be seeking to eliminate the use of poisons altogether rather than just setting rules for their safe use?

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment claimed in her 2011 report that there was a sufficient body of evidence supporting the continued use of 1080. Like the Prime Minister’s Chief Science adviser and the EPA’s Chief Scientist, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) claims that policy decisions should be based on evidence.

That evidence is scientific evidence.

These ex-scientists in political positions imply that scientific evidence is fixed and final. It is usually the evidence they choose to believe that is considered fixed and final. Any scientist worth their salt knows that “scientific evidence” is only as good as the results of the last piece of research.

Darwin believed, on the basis of good scientific evidence, that continents didn’t move. How wrong he was on that one! Oh, and remember thalidomide? How good was that science?

And so too with 1080. A previously unknown metabolic pathway involved in the formation of red blood cells is inhibited by fluoroacetate the active ingredient in 1080.. This research tells us more about the action of this poison and also raises the possibilities of previously unknown health risks.

Despite all the scientific evidence, in the face of an anonymous threat in 2014/15 to contaminate infant formula with 1080, to reassure markets the Government and dairy sector

responded by developing a test for 1080 in dairy foods and launching a massive testing programme. Back then to the political question: Is there any safe level of poison use on or near farms in a country so economically dependent on food exports?

Given the importance of food exports to the NZ economy, common sense dictates that the Government should use tax-payer funded research to reduce poison use as much and as fast as possible. One of the biggest problems with poisoning is getting pests to consume sufficient poison to kill them at their first feed. If the first feed is insufficient to kill then they become bait shy and are much more difficult to kill. NZ research identified additions to bait that increased consumption and reduced bait shyness. Given the ever-present dangers of poisons in ecosystems and public perceptions of potential dangers here and overseas it seems a no-brainer to focus tax-payer funded research on improving the efficiency and decreasing the cost of such “smart baits”.

Poisons like 1080 are only publically acceptable as a short term strategy while the Government works on more politically acceptable long-term ecological solutions with positive market spinoffs. However poison formulation, manufacture and spreading is now a profitable State Owned Enterprise.

The business of mixing toxins and later manufacturing finished bait products began in the 1950’s under the direction and funding of the Ministry of Agriculture and the New Zealand Forest Service for the agencies involved in controlling a wide range of introduced vertebrate pests including rabbits, wallabies, possums, rooks and feral ungulates.

In 1991 Animal Control Products (ACP) was established as a registered company, initially a Crown Owned Company and subsequently a State

Owned Enterprise (SOE). Its two shareholders are the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Primary Industry.

From 1996, ACP diversified and expanded its product range, designing, manufacturing and marketing products under the registered trade name PESTOFF. In 2016 Orillion became the new trading name of ACP and according to its website now develops, sources and manufactures a full spectrum of pest control poisons. It is difficult to imagine that a company, even a SOE one of whose directors is the owner and CEO of Christchurch Helicopters is likely to promote a decrease in aerial 1080 drops!

But be of good cheer, EPA’s Chief Scientist in a December 2016 article on Post-Truth suggests that gene-edited sex may be the answer to NZ’s pest predator problems! It makes no sense for a person in her position to publically suggest a solution carrying as much if not a greater perception of risk than 1080 in NZ’s international markets.

Gene-editing requires costly proof of concept research and implementation.

Let’s hope the Government pulls its head out of the sand, recognises that ALL poison use is risky in our international markets and moves to adequately fund the development of practical solutions with positive marketing spinoffs. I am not holding my breath! http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/ journal.pone.0023850 http://newzealandecology.org/nzje/2085.pdf https://www.companiesoffice. govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/ companies/441007/shareholdings http://www.orillion.com/about/ https://www.grassland.org.nz/ images/newsletters/49_Christmas_Newsletter_2016.pdf

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Country calendar shows bad fishing practices The recent Country Calendar programme has shown New Zealand viewers exactly what goes on in the fishing industry in our inshore fishery.

Aired in mid-May the programme clearly identified the father and son commercial fishers Phil and Adam Clow from Whitianga really showcasing some nasty habits that our commercial fishers have been denying, over the last decade.

The programme showed Phil Clow (father) who was out fishing on his dutch seine boat, heading for the top of the Coromandel Peninsula just around the Colville channel area.

Clow dropped his net over the side of his vessel just before dark, to do a shot. (Term for putting his net in the water).

He was then portrayed pulling up a small bag of fish which looked like they were all snapper and hauling the net back into his vessel.

You could clearly see fish stuck in the mesh of the net, this lowers the quality of the fish, let alone the fact that the fish were strangled and squashed to death in an inhumane way.

The haul was then lifted into the open hatch of this fish-killing monster to be processed in the hull below deck, out of sight of any camera and the film crew.

If there were any undersize or non-quota fish alive in the haul, the programme showed that the crew made no attempt to release any back to the ocean.

We were not shown any camera footage observing what happened below the deck or in the fish hold where the grading of the fish is carried out.

The narrator of the show stated that trawl was carried out to order for Moana NZ, and that the skipper was expected to use his expertise to fill that order.

However a trawl net fishing method has no possibility of fishing to

order because all it is capable of the fish you want are feeding. is dragging the sea floor and kill- If you set too early you risk the ing every living thing it catch’s. small fish and sea lice taking your What happened to the under- bait off the hooks before the snapsized and unwanted fish that per go to the bottom to feed. went into the hull that night? If you sleep in and set too late Was​ this a breach of the Fish- then the snapper go off the bite ​ eries Act? The camera footage before you can get baits to them. was insufficient to clearly show When the long liner is buyany processing of the catch.​ing bait by the tonne this can Were the fish pulled out of the be a costly mistake if you get hull and dumped over the side the timing of the set wrong. by the fish bin full? What hap- The big difference between recpened to all the discarded, under- reational fishers fishing with a hook sized and unwanted species of and line is th​e rec fishers get to refish? By law, the commercial fisher bait their hooks on a regular basis must release all undersize fish, but the long liner doesn’t get to the same as recreational fishers. re-bait the hooks straight away if But why do they have to be the bait is stolen by a jack mackerel. all dead when they do it? It could mean an empty hook Many good commercial fishers prac- is sitting on the long line for tice sustainable fishing methods, three hours or more. That’s they place their catch on the deck why the commercial longlinfor all to see, then go about releas- ers fish with thousands of hooks. ing the ones still alive. Any practice They can if they choose to fish susother than this raises suspicions. tainably but only if they don’t target To see such a discussing waste- the same reefs over and over again. ful method still being used in this The point to remember is day and age is sickening. Espe- that these boats don’t catch cially so, when MPI don’t hesitate the fish the skippers do. to prosecute any rec fisher for un- ​These experience skippers are the dersized fish. Yet turn a blind eye human equivalent of a killer whale when commercial, catch them by on steroids. They use years of expethe bin full and appear to delib- rience to kill more fish not taking erately kill them unnecessarily. a photo and letting it go.​If they If you are not going to use the fish in the inshore fishery they are seafood you are harvesting then competing with recreational and it should be left in the ocean. customary fishers and they couldn’t Adam Clow was fishing using a care less. Their goal is to sell more completely different method than fish to the Americans so they need his father Phil. He was shown fish- to make them happy before us. ing with a long line in the same area. What this longliner boat skipWe watched his two deckhands per did that was not good was prepare the bait ready for the fish water directly in front of five lines, then baiting the hooks recreational camping grounds. ready for an early morning set. The Snapper they caught is

to be exported and these Snapper was the target spe- were recreational holiday fish. these commercial fishers cies and the trick when using If a long line is not to leave it on moan about how tough it is all the bottom with baits on unless they have to do it stop doing it.

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Awesome Chamois Hunt

By Steve McEwen

In an earlier article where I wrote about my thar hunting trip into the South Island alps, I said that I was going to be targeting a good chamois this year (2017).

Well ……. after all this crap weather we have had and with that overrated word called ‘work’!! I finally managed to hit the South Island in early April.

Heading for the mighty Whataroa area, (a place I’ve wanted to hunt for a long time) and with a short weather window before the next weather bomb was due, I walked into the chosen area solo as once again my hunting mate couldn’t make it (have to finds some new mates)!

I consider myself reasonably fit, but man it’s big country especially after hunting my way into the first hut and making camp. I was all set up for a big day, as my goal this year

was to try and get a 10 inch chamois.

By late morning the weather gods were closing in and the rain came …..again with several river crossings to make I had to get out asap.

I came out like a drowned rat dragging its tail and decided to head down to Southland, where met up with another mate and we went into Milford Sound together.

We headed into a place where we had been told of some good chamois. Once again we were clouded in, fogged out, no visibility!! This trip wasn’t looking too good, so we packed up and headed out to put Plan D into operation.

We headed back up north into a lake area where we had had great success hunting chamois on a previous occasion. The weather finally came right and that afternoon we started seeing some elusive chamois, bagging a great buck in fine winter coat just over 9 ½ inches.

The next morning we climbed up high on a range (5000 feet) that I’ve always wanted to hunt, with great views on both sides of the range and being in open tussock country it was great hunting, seeing several groups of chamois, but we saw nothing exceptional until late that afternoon.

I spied a good buck climbing up a spur towards me, the wind was good, with couple of good rocks to hide behind for a good ambush, this buck was rapidly closing the gap from 400 to 200 metres.

I still wasn’t sure if he was a 10 inch head but he looked good.– persistence and pa-

tience paid off in the end.

After heading back to Southland I arranged to meet up with another mate, and we planned another hunt in Whataroa on my way home.

We flew into (a much easier way to travel) but I think the area had had a bit of a thrashing from the roar and heavy hunting pressure.

We saw a few animals but nothing too spectacular. My hunting mate shot a chamois and I shot an 11 inch thar, we also saw a few red stags but again nothing huge.

It pays to plan the time of the year you want to hunt your target species in, unfortunately the weather had decided the time of the year this time round and clashed with the roar, but the mission was accomplished and I’m looking forward to next year.

Independent advisors for firearms report Two members of New Zealand’s firearms community will provide independent advice on the recent Select Committee report into illegal firearms use, says Police Minister Paula Bennett.

Outdoors professional Geoff Thomas and firearms safety specialist Nicole McKee will provide advice on the twenty recommendations proposed by Parliament’s Law and Order Select Committee.

“I come from a family of hunters and fishers so I know how important it is that we get this right. I

want to see laws that are tough on gangs and criminals, but don’t unduly burden responsible firearms owners,” says Mrs Bennett.

“I have had an initial look at the report and can already see a number of recommendations that will not be progressed. Police are working on a response, however I think it’s important to also get independent advice directly from the firearms community.”

Geoff Thomas has worked professionally in the outdoors field for more than 40 years. While intimate-

ly involved in recreational hunting, Mr Thomas provides an independent perspective and years of experience with the hunting community.

Nicole McKee is the founder of Firearms Safety Specialists NZ Limited, has held national and regional shooting titles and is a New Zealand Representative. Along with being a member of a number of firearms clubs, Mrs McKee has extensive experience in assessing NZ Police volunteer firearms instructors and Range Officer courses.

Duck blamed for hunter losing an eye A hunter, who has interim name suppression, had a charge of careless use of a firearm causing injury withdrawn in the Palmerston North District Court recently.

An expert witness says that shot rebounding off a duck may explain how a hunter lost his eye in a shooting during

the 2016 duck hunting season.

According to a court summary, the hunter was among 14 shooters hunting around a pond.

The person wounded was in in a mai mai 47 metres in front and to the right of the hunter’s.

Duck shooters need to be 90 metres apart when on public land, but the

rule does not apply on private land.

Two paradise ducks lifted off the pond between the mai mai and the hunter fired two shots, killing both ducks with two shotgun pellets hitting the person in the mai mai.

The expert witness has more than 40 years of shooting experience and gave expert evidence in court.

He concluded the most likely explanation was the pellets ricocheting off one of the shot ducks.

Steel shot, the only legal shot for duck hunting, was notorious for ricocheting off hard surfaces.

The risk of this type of ricochet is not widely known. There is no publicity warning New Zealand hunters of this risk of random ricochet off live birds’ feathers.

The Winchester cartridges the hunter shot, provided by the lead shooter, may have played a “key role” in the incident.

Many of the steel Winchester pellets taken from an unused cartridge were not round, with some the shape of rugby balls.

On the other hand, the mai mai were some of the safest Dyer had seen, with bulldozed dirt banks surrounding the iron structures.

A lack of shotgun pellets hitting the corrugated roof of Morton’s mai mai, and evidence from other shooters, discounted the hunter shooting directly toward Morton’s mai mai, Dyer said.

A lack of strike marks also ruled out the pellets ricocheting off the mai mai, which would have caused more serious injuries.

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Ban on lead shot should be lifted trol – but control of the wrong people: the law-abiding people!

It is now a very hot political matter. If Nick Smith gets his way - and Regional Councils’ shooting sports will be stuffed.

Duck shooting wise it is already stuffed with at least 8 shooting sports outlets closing over 6-7 years and one major importer went bankrupt two years ago.

In 2015 the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) prevented a $300,000 clay target range – from opening because Photo was taken in 1903 on the Gladstone (Wairarapa) Shooting Range. of the lead shot contaminant.

The new club included two skeet The points out that it is most likely that many of these men likely died in the First World fields and two DTL fields. The NZ War trying to protect our democracy!

Clay Target Association is now inWhen Justice Thomas Thorp was re- He responded “Yes, but the United volved - because they don’t allow searching material for his infamous Nations want to ban all these things.” anything but lead shot to be used!

‘Firearms Report’ in 1997; which Since then it has been determined “What authority does the was largely ignored; but 20-years that all negative matters pertain- GWRC have over shooton it is still raises its ugly head! ing to shooting sports – anti-lead ing range’s in the Wairarapa?”

Justice Thorp wanted to know shot, anti-lead projectiles, bans The implication from the GWRC was how firearm dealers kept firearm on the import and export of fire- that they had been instructed by records and about the Open Poly- arms, anti-shooting sports legisla- the Ministry for the Environment to technics Firearms Safety & Appre- tion, and much more, has started ban lead shot on shooting ranges. ciation distance learning course, at the United Nations, with dedi- It is also believed that the NZ Fish This course was a mind boggling cated support by the EU; and some & Game Council received the same success, until 28-years later when New Zealand political parties. instruction from the same Ministry! the OP Management declared that In 1996 Australia, under John How- The Minister for this department it was outside their mandate to ard, was one of the first country being the same person who is still educate students about firearms! to adopt the UN draconian phi- proudly announcing that the 200 Other than the NZ Mountain losophy, followed by Tony Blair dairy cows that died after grazing Safety course the OP course in the UK, in 1997, when pistol on the Nightcaps clay target range was the only means of complet- shooting was totally banned. died of lead poisoning; whereas in ing the study and test require- These moves achieved nothing: four days it was determined that ments for a firearms licence. because criminals have never they died of toxic Swede poisoning!

Neil Hayes QSM, asked him “What had problems obtaining firearms! Research in the UK has determined we are looking for from you are What the general public never ask that lead in the environment is a constructive recommendations to (or don’t want to know/don’t care) natural element - soon after this the Government – not destructive!” is “Where does the ISIS obtain all its was announced the DEFRA Minis“Oh yes, (he responded) but military equipment?” They obtain it ter said there would be no further I have to take into account from the five permanent members restriction on the use of lead shot. what has happened in Can- of the UN Security Council – China, The only restriction now is its use ada, the UK and Australia.” France, Russia, UK and The USA! on wetlands, but because we now Hayes responded “You also So, in essence, the nonsense go- know that ducks don’t die from inneed to take into account what ing down in New Zealand dur- gesting lead shot there is a major happens in civilised countries ing 2017 has absolutely nothing push to also eliminate this nonsense. like; Sweden, Norway, Finland, to do with firearms control, but Switzerland, Italy and Spain.” everything to do with people con-

DoC disregarding the Law The hunters of New Zealand have just spent a day in court trying to get the Department of Conservation to consult with them!

“A really simple requirement of the Wild Animal Control Act but ignored by DoC.” says Alan Simmons.

“It is a complete disgrace that hunters have had to raise tens of thousands of dollars for a court case to get a government department to follow the law. Worse still is that public money is being used to defend the Department’s actions against the people it is supposed to serve.”

In contravention of Section 23 (c) of the Wild Animal Control Act, which obliges DoC to consult with recreational hunters on such issues, DoC made a unilateral decision in 2014 to consult only with the commercial helicopter operators and processors giving them open slather on the deer in the Ruahine Forest Park, including the Tararua and Rimutuka mountains. Hunters are trying to show that the agreement DoC made with these commercial operators was significant and

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adversely affected New Zealand recreational hunters role in wild animal control. “DoC seem to have lost all touch with the very people they are supposed to be managing the land for,” said Alan Simmons.

A positive result from this court case could have far reaching effects on how DoC treats recreational hunters in the future.

Concerns of hunters were initially raised last year in a meeting between the Lower North Island Red Deer Foundation, the Associate Minister of Conservation and DoC, nevertheless, the Department proceeded to remove prior restrictions on commercial helicopter deer operations across substantial

areas of the Lower North Island public conservation estate, despite repeated calls for consultation from the LNIRDF, NZ Deerstalkers, the Game Animal Council (GAC) and the wider hunting public.

“In this instance DoC refused to engage with hunters and statutory bodies such as the Game Animal Council and rather pandered to commercial interests despite the absence of any scientific data supporting a need for such mass deer culling. In the absence of proper DoC funding it appears that the commercial imperative is pushing DoC to favour private enterprise’s needs over those of who use and own the estate - the public.”

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9

Coromandel Fishing at its best My First Club Hunting Trip

by Charlotte Baillie (9) Thames Valley Deerstalkers Asso.

Samuel Burgess showing that he is the No 1 Fish Slayer.

Until dad Stewart Burgess beats him, Samuel holds the families No 1 Fish Slayer title 4.56kg for 2017. At only eight years old he already catches as good as his dad.

Samuel Burgess Edgecumbe having a day out with dad slayed the fishing today and beat all the men and ladies including mum on board the Nadgee Fishing Charters boat on 6th May 2017

been converted to a Charter Fishing Vessel. It has ample space for up to 15 passengers and 6 passenger berths for overnight trips, By prior arrangement. Nadgee Charter Fishing is based around the Scenic Coromandel Islands, Mussel Farms, Young apprentice fishing off the Nadgee Fishing Charters on and Hauraki Gulf, Hot spots a plenty.

May 6th Fishing rod hire is

The Nadgee is a 13 m Austral- $15.00 per rod. Byo bait, and ice. Can ian hardwood trawler which has be arranged at $15 per person.

Barbeque and a gas stove available for your use. B y o food & drink, free tea and coffee.

Cooler weather, shoes, warm hat, jacket, or raincoat, Sunny days, sun block, & sunhat Contact Skipper Russell Chesnutt, Nadgee Fishing Charters on Phone 07 866 8172; Mob: 022 300 2201 or email chesnutt1957@slingshot.co.nz Website: www.coromandelcharterfishing.co.nz

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Day trips are 8 hours (min), Free ice , Free tea and coffee, good toilet, barbeque available .

BYO bait - Rod hire $10 per rod Skipper is ex commercial fisherman with 40 years local knowledge

Phone 022 3002201 - 07 8668172 chesnutt1957@slingshot.co.nz coromandelcharterfishing.co.nz

On the Okahu Club trip we went hunting for deer and pigs. After all the other people went hunting, Livy and I went

with Nana to a place down the road. It was really neat to be in the bush and we found some really fresh deer sign.

We saw where a deer had walked through the puddle and the muddy water was still dripping off the grass.

Nana told us to be really quiet as we stalked after it…. then we saw some other fresh boot prints in the next puddle. Once we saw those boot prints we turned back to be safe, then BANG! the other person had obviously found the deer before us.

Nana said it sounded like the deer had been shot which was really cool for the other hunter.

It was really hot by now so we went for a swim in the creek. The water was freezing cold, but once we got in properly it was really good fun. After our swim we hunted some more, we found some pig rooting.....but no pigs.

The next day Diane also came for a hunt with us as well. We didn’t find any deer but we did find some good sign. We walked in the creek to get back to the car and we saw a little eel.

We stayed in tents and on our second night there, some other people came into our camp; they were spotlighting there and up the road. When they fired a shot near the camp I got a really big fright and got really scared.

The last night, the spot lighters came back again, Nana told them to leave.

It was really good playing with the other kids that came on the camp after we’d been hunting. We went down to the creek and built dams.

The best part of the whole trip was the hunting.......after all that’s why we were there. It was my first hunting trip and I can’t wait to go back.

Urewera submissions asked for

Te Urewera Board has invited public The closing date for sub- nz/Te-Kawa-o-Te-Urewera. The closing submissions on its draft Te Kawa o Te missions is 20 July 2017. date for submissions is 20 July 2017.

Urewera (Te Kawa), which presents a The draft Te Kawa o Te Urewera can be new way to understand the relation- viewed at http://www.ngaituhoe.iwi. ship between people and Te Urewera and places respect for and interdependence with nature at its centre.

In 2014 Te Urewera Act established Te Urewera as an independent legal identity, essentially meaning the area of Te Urewera (formerly Te Urewera National Park) owns itself. Te Urewera Board speaks for and represents Te Urewera, and day to day management is shared between Tūhoe and the Department of Conservation.

Te Kawa sets out the principles that will guide the setting of annual priorities statements and operational management plans under Te Urewera Act, as well as decisions by the Board about activities within Te Urewera.

10

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IS AQUACULTURE BENEFICIAL TO OUR INSHORE MARINE ENVIRONMENT?

Members of the Kenepuru and Central Sounds Resident’s Association have been looking into the mortality issue regarding farmed salmon for the last two years.

They realized that New Zealand is still more or less clean and green, not because people actively try to keep it that way, but despite people’s activities, which often degrade the environment.

In The Marlborough Sounds, the marine ecosystem is under threat and this is specifically the case in the Pelorus Sound, where the marine farming is concentrated. The division seems to be: Queen Charlotte Sound for tourism and recreation, while the Pelorus Sound is a working area, which can be exploited.

There is a proposal to massively expand the capacity of the salmon farms in the

Marlborough Sounds. Salmon farms are the worst polluters of the water in the Sounds, they are salmon toilets.

“NZKS is a firm with two faces, one side is the PR and sales coming from head office in Nelson, the other side are the salmon farming operations, which is something they want nobody to know about. They show pictures about ‘the pristine environment’ of the Marlborough Sounds, but forget to mention their own role in polluting and degrading the Sounds marine environment.”

In 2015, the salmon mortality was the highest up to now, MPI biosecurity finally “found out” what disease was “partly” responsible for the salmon deaths and follow up work was done as well. They found out that the two bacteria had spread throughout the Marlborough

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In 2016 NZKS harvested their first fish from one of the 3 farms consented by the Board of Inquiry, hence the higher figures

Sounds and are present at all the other King Salmon farms. Controlled Area Notices were placed on the Pelorus and Queen Charlotte Sound.

They are still in place, and restrict the movement of boats, equipment and fish for King Salmon. In addition NZKS has to use a Best Practices Biosecurity manual for all their farms.

What is clearly missing are precise rules about when MPI biosecurity has to be warned about a mortality event. It is left up to NZKS to warn MPI about an “unusual” mortality, where unusual is not specified.

Up to 70% of all fish at the Waihinau farm died in 2015, but NZKS only informed MPI early May. The Waihinau was not restocked, which helped to lower the overall mortality figure, but about 2/3 of the fish in the Ruakaka farm died.

No cause for the mortality event was identified by the investigation, however in retrospect sampling was only carried out after the peak mortality.

Further investigation to identify the cause of this annual mortality increase, and whether it is related to the external ulcers, heart pathology and suspected intracellular parasites is recommended in the future.

At the time of the Board of Inquiry, July 2012, there were at least 2 Australian fish disease specialists in Blenheim, who should have suggested piscisrickettsia as a possible diagnosis, when they examined the dead salmon, because there had been outbreaks of this disease in Tasmania in 2005 and in 2009.

However the disease investigation

O ne

Is this more MPI collusion?

done by MPI biosecurity shows that they only conducted one general bacterial test and a dozen tests for viral infections. In hindsight it looks as if they intentionally looked the other way or searched in the wrong direction.

If the cause of the disease had been determined in 2012, the remainder of the fish (375.000) at Waihinau would have to be “emergency harvested” immediately. The new smolt in the Forsyth farm would also have to be killed. That way there would be no salmon in the Pelorus Sound, as at that time only these two farms were in operation. If the pathogens had not spread to the Queen Charlotte, the rickettsia bacterium would have been eradicated from the Marlborough Sounds and New Zealand, because this bacterium cannot survive for Have we seen this before with the fish dumping is not prosecuted? long outside a living host (= salmon). commercial fisheries where illegal If suppression of the identification of the disease happened, it is clear that economic considerations took precedence over biosecurity concerns.

The implications are serious: Possible corruption within a government department; Biosecurity measures are subordinate to economic considerations; Reputational damage to New Zealand’s good name and clean green image; Preferential treatment of a private company; Bad look for the government and the MPI;; Bad publicity for NZKS; It is too expensive now to eradicate the piscirickettsia like bacteria; Increased yearly salmon mortality is now a reality.

Is this an example of what happens when a Government Depart- The Richmond farm in the Pelorus Sounds. It only has a small portion of the farm in place, ment is both the Promotor and the but note the “haul out” platforms for the seals, which had to be added as the Chilean Regulator of a Primary Industry? farms lacked buoyancy.

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11

IS AQUACULTURE BENEFICIAL TO OUR INSHORE MARINE ENVIRONMENT?

Mussel farmers a necessary evil? Salmon Farming is not environmentally sound The general public especially Maori have had a gutsful of being bullied and pushed around by the arrogant commercial fishing industry.

The time for change has arrived, yet the industry still has its head buried in the sand.

Maori are currently successfully seeking to claim back areas destroyed and damaged by commercial fishing including fish harvested by iwi quota holders.

In the confines of the Hauraki Gulf mussel farmers are about to be put on notice.

Many farms have high levels of sediment and refuse dumped on the seabed under the farms.

Audits carried out by Council have bi-passed much of the debris and composting problems in its endeavour to side with the government.

Aquaculture is one of our growing primary industries, significant enough for the government to allow significant damage to continue.

Mussel farms have been moved be-

cause they have affected the spawning of wild shellfish around them.

Mussel farms have a huge compost problem as tons of mussel waste is dumped whilst the mussels are being harvested, to fall under the farms. They also lose large amounts of mussel farm rubbish which ends up washed up on the beaches.

Nothing is done by Councils to ensure that the Resource Management Act is complied with and that Resource Consents are monitored adequately.

If you are in aquaculture it may be cheaper in the long run to buy a suction dredge to clean up under the farms and pick up the rubbish on the beaches more regularly than spend time and money in Court and then have to do it anyway.

This of course it hotly denied by the Mussel Farmers who would rather we go away and don’t publish this.

Salmon farms have been moved because of bottom fouling. And the Waikato Regional Council plan to allow static fish farms in the Hauraki Gulf.

These new developments in processes means that under the RMA any member of the public can get out of their car find a mussel float on the beach with the licence holder number on it and force the council with backing of the environment court to shut down the farm operation.

Previously the conduct of the mussel farmer tended to come into force when the resource consent was up for renewal about every seven years. Now the mussel farmers could find themselves under attack by members of the anti-aquaculture lobby groups that have an effective pathway through the RMA to force changes or closer type judgements on the industry.

The mussel farmers have local and central government all wrapped up in the big goal of export double by 2025. But those with environmental concerns have found in the environment court that independent ally whose only interest is the environmental impact of those wishing to use the public resource.

The Marlborough Sounds are not ideal for growing salmon.

Salmon prefer cooler waters and usually grow best in water temperatures between 12 to 17 ºC; Except for Tory Channel the water is too warm in summer for the salmon, stressing them out and making them susceptible to diseases.

For salmon farming the depth should be over 40 metres. Except for the main navigation channels, the Marlborough Sounds is too shallow, with a depth of 30 metres in the centre of the bays.

High current areas for proposed new sites are being advocated, as it disperses the salmon farm waste over a large area and allows much higher stocking densities.

However, it is a myth that the water is cooler when the current is faster (high flow).

Further, in the Marlborough Sounds the two high current channels are too precious ecologically and also act as the main navigation routes in and out of the Sounds.

According to International Best Practice for salmon farming, salmon farms should not be sited in areas subject to algal blooms or in marine habitat for

endangered species, such as the King Shag, nor in areas in high demand for other public uses, such as tourism, recreation, transport or marine reserves.

The mass mortalities of the last 5 years have cost millions of dollars in loss of earnings for New Zealand King Salmon every year and have seriously undermined the “clean green” reputation of the Sounds. These repeated mortality events underline why MPI put in place Controlled Area Notices aimed at trying to stop the spread of these previously unreported pathogens.

The investigation report produced in 2013 by MPI did not find a specific disease, but made the following recommendation: No cause for the mortality event was identified by the investigation, however in retrospect sampling was only carried out after the peak mortality.

Further investigation to identify the cause of this annual mortality increase, and whether it is related to the external ulcers, heart pathology and suspected intracellular parasites is recommended in the future.

It appears that the recommendations were not followed up in 2013 or in 2014

by MPI biosecurity or King Salmon.

It appears that King Salmon did not see fit to hand over to MPI any more diseased salmon for further investigation, despite the mounting mortality rate over this period.

This could risk infecting the wild fish and other sea life in the Marlborough Sounds such as the nearby scallop beds.

This surely means that the Marlborough Sounds marine environment has already been subjected to an unacceptable risk, due to the uncontrolled salmon infections with the rickettsia like organism for several years.

The waste from salmon farms can increase the frequency and intensity of algal blooms, which can be harmful not only to farmed salmon, but also to the farmed mussels, the wild fish and other aquatic animals, also to seabirds such as the King Shag and the wider environment. Algal blooms cause reputational damage to the clean, green New Zealand image.

The enhanced disease risks arising from massively increased salmon production, alone outweigh the economic benefits hoped for by NZKS employees and shareholders from this environmentally unsustainable proposal.

Salmon disease risk high in the Marlborough Sounds

relative forage fish scarcity, Hilborn said.

“The Lenfest conclusion that forage fish fisheries can only be manColumbia. It was funded in part by the aged successfully …through very National Coalition for Fishing Commu- precautionary policies and reduced nities and was supported by the IFFO, harvesting is not based on any fact,” the marine ingredients trade group. Walters said. “No fisheries manager It takes particular fault with the meth- should pay any attention to that ods used by a 2012 study on forage fish [conclusion]. It is, in hindsight, a very by the Lenfest Ocean Program, which is irresponsible recommendation.” managed by the Pew Charitable Trusts. The study also notes fact that predators “The Lenfest conclusion that preda- tend to target small forage fish that are tors rise and fall with their prey pop- largely untouched by fishing activity. ulations is simply not true. It’s not “It’s very important to consider empirically true,” Walters, one of the the size of the fish eaten by predaauthors of the original Lenfest study, tors and the size of the fish taken by said. “One of the things we did in the fisher,” Hilborn said. “The Lenthis study was collect together a lot fest report didn’t have the kind of of time-series patterns of predator size structure in it so it could look at abundances and forage-fish abun- whether the fishery was taking difdances, and we just didn’t see the ferent-[sized fish] than the predators.” correlation, nor have other scientists The study concludes by recommendwho have looked at this objectively.” ing fisheries managers consider forPredators “have developed some age species on a case-by-case bastrategy of how to cope with the sis to ensure sound management. natural variability” of forage fish “Models used in previous analysis populations, according to Amo- were frequently inadequate for estiroso, the study’s second author. mating impact of fishing forage speThe new study finds that previous cies on their predators,” the study research overlooked the natural vari- said. “There is a need for a much ability of forage fish and the impor- more thorough analysis of the natance of spatial distribution in its ture of recruitment trends in forage analysis. As populations of forage fish. That there are major environfish rise and fall, their distribution mentally-driven regime changes expands and contracts, meaning for many species is unarguable, but predators are still able to find stable what exactly changes is unclear.” sources of food even during cycles of

Study disputes findings on forage fish A new study has been published by a scientific group led by University of Washington fisheries researcher Ray Hilborn that disputes previous findings on the impact of human and natural predation on forage fish such as anchovies, sardines and herring.

The study, published in the scientific journal Fisheries Research, found that human fishing for forage fish does not have as great an impact on the food chain as previously thought, given that humans typically catch fish of much larger size than those typically hunted and eaten by non-human species. The study also decouples the link between the size of forage fish populations and the populations of species that predate on forage fish.

“What we found is that there is essentially no relationship between how many forage fish there are in the ocean and how well predators do in terms of whether the populations increase or decrease,” Hilborn said in a video explaining the study’s findings.

The study was co-authored by the University of Washington’s Ricardo O. Amoroso and Eugenia Bogazzi, Olaf P. Jensen of Rutgers University, Ana M. Parma of the Centro Nacional Patagónico, Cody Szuwalski of the University of California Santa-Barbara and Carl J. Walters of the University of British

Concerns have been raised about the MPI proposal to relocate the Marlborough Sounds salmon farms.

Costs and risks are borne by the public while the profits are privatized, as well as the likely duration of the costs and risks before they are reassessed and renegotiated (e.g. 35 years).

A higher level of accountability and transparency is required if unique public assets such as water space in the Marlborough Sounds are to be placed in the hands of for-profit companies such as New Zealand King Salmon Investments Limited.

This is particularly the case when the granting of consents occurs over a long period of time, and the impacts of pollution on a fragile ecosystem can be irreversible.

Only four of the six farms being reconsidered under the MPI relocation proposal have been operated by NZKS as salmon farms. The MPI proposal is to relocate farms not consents, therefore we would argue only four farms could, under the proposal, be relocated.

Two Crail Bay sites were purchased

by NZKS from Pacifica Salmon Limited in 2011. The fact that MPI acknowledges that these farms have not been stocked since 2011 indicates both sites have never been operated by NZKS and therefore these farms do not legitimately fit under the relocation proposal.

MPI initiated this proposal because it was trying to achieve the $1 billion aquaculture industry goal. NZKS is important and the fact that NZKS is not profitable due to mortality events and possible implementation of the BMP Benthic Guidelines made that MPI is supporting this proposal. The proposal also fixes the upcoming expiry of existing consents in 2021 and 2024.

The one billion goal became embedded in public policy and continues to shape the dialogue today. It is not evidence based and is not based on a review of strategic options, it is not a strategy.

In 2011 the Crown treated an NZKS proposal for nine new salmon farms as nationally significant, requiring a high level of due diligence, consultation and review under section 142 of the RMA 1991. Hon Kate Wilkinson, Minister of Conservation at the time, noted that: ‘The proposal is likely to result in or contribute to significant changes to the environment. The proposal will involve the occupation of large areas of the coastal marine area with salmon farming structures for up to 35 years, the discharge of 40,000 tonnes of fish feed per annum and the resultant discharge of faecal matter from the caged salmon into the coastal waters and seabed of the Marlborough Sounds. The proposal is likely to arouse widespread public interest or concern regarding its likely effect on the environment.’

The Board of Inquiry (BOI) determining the 2012 proposal found that costs and risks exceeded benefits in five of the nine farm sites – despite NZKS’s

ability to furnish expert assessments supporting those sites.

The number of farm locations assessed in 2011 was nine of 17 (53% of existing and proposed farms), whereas in 2016 this is six of 11 farms (55%). Therefore this latest proposal involves a greater proportion of farms requiring assessment than the 2011 application.

The panel leading the consultation, the Marlborough Salmon Farm Relocation Advisory Panel has only one field of expertise – law. This sends a message that this proposal is about employing the law to prevent a judicial review rather than inviting a range of perspectives and areas of expertise to hear a complex and contentious proposal.

The end result is that this 2016 proposal fails to have the same levels of diligence, expertise, analysis, transparency, independence, public consultation, critical inquiry and review that were required in the 2011 application.

There is a wide range of risks to the Marlborough community, and they are already seeing consultation fatigue and a lack of trust in central government processes.

The six sites (Waihinau Bay, Crail Bay, Forsyth Bay, Ruakaka Bay and Otanerau Bay) are low-flow sites.

The Cawthron Institute found that three of the farms were not meeting the best-practice Benthic Guidelines and another three were due to fall short of the guidelines before the renewal date of the farms in 2024.

This information is believed to have triggered the MPI-led salmon working group process (the MSWG). Given this narrative, one would have expected that the NZKS financial statements would report a significant decrease in production but this is not the case. (and this is the case when looking at production figures between 2009 10900 tonnes and 2015 – 5700 tonnes, where NZKS had no new farms) It is believed there is a need for greater clarity over the government plans to manage waterspace given the possibilities of other salmon farmers entering the Marlborough Sounds, or NZKS (or others) wanting to use water space in other parts of New Zealand. The processes are still adhoc with dubious benefits, and place an unfair burden on small isolated communities.

NZKS’s business model has not changed very much over time; the existing model is reliant on expanding inshore farms. It has not moved with the times like other international companies who are researching new ways to operate land-based systems, feed fish more efficiently or explore offshore farming.

While the benefits of using this resource go to the company in the short term, the costs and risks are incurred by tax-payers and rate-payers over the long term.

This places an additional bur-

den on future generations of New Zealanders living in the Marlborough district as they deal with the consequences of change and disruption to the marine ecosystem. In the long term, this disruption will lead to reduced opportunities in areas such as tourism and the additional costs of regulating and monitoring the compliance of NZKS’s use of public resources.

There are three main concerns with MPI’s practices to date. Firstly, the relocation process is not a competitive process. MPI has set up a process that prevents other salmon farmers from entering the market. This means that despite the significant impact the proposed changes will have on production and profits for NZKS, there is still no guarantee that the public will get the best price from the market.

The proposal implies that moving the salmon farms away from areas with a high population base to areas with a low population base is beneficial, as the visual pollution of the farms no longer impacts on the populace.

However, shifting the farms to areas more precious by virtue of their lower population actually represents a greater environmental impact.

The industry’s goal is to grow the industry to $1 billion a year by the year 2025.

This goal based purely on generating revenue is outdated and fails to take into account other dimensions (such as the four capitals in the Treasury’s living standard framework: economic capital, natural capital, social capital and human capital). Eleven years is a long time to pursue a revenue goal without reviewing results and assessing emerging trends and technologies.

It is timely for the Government to drop the 2006 revenue goal and instead develop a strategy that balances ‘growth and protection’, based on evidence and designed to meet the values of New Zealanders today.

NZKS is an important case study for New Zealand public policy; how we manage this proposal sets the scene for our shared future. Government officials need to critically assess the mistake of first committing to a goal (in 2006 the government committed to growing the industry to a value of $1 billion a year by 2025) and then trying to back-fill this goal through ad hoc changes in legislation and poor consultation.

We need Ministers and officials to fulfill their stewardship responsibilities by looking beyond financial goals set by the industry and instead focusing on critically assessing the benefits, costs and risks from the perspective of all New Zealanders. We, as New Zealanders, have a responsibility to future generations to be better than this.

The Minister must cancel the current relocation proposal and enable this discussion to become part of a national conversation about the future direction of the aquaculture industry being run by MPI in mid-2017.

Based on information provided by the McGuinness Institute.

King Salmon production in Tons between 2006 and 2016 2006 5000

2007 5600

2008 8400

2009 10600

2010 7476

2011 8036

2012 7889

2013 6217

2014 5600

2015 5700

2016 6300

BRAG PAGE Send your photos into mail@fishingoutdoors.co.nz

<Kelly Littlewood caught this 34 kg Hapuka at the Three Kings

<Kelly Littlewood caught this 24 kg Kingi at the Three Kings

Top Ten Trout competition results!

<45 and 46 kg bass caught at the Three Kings.

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The Kilwell Lower Waikato trout contest opted to run a smaller one-day competition in the school holidays around April.

This “Top Ten” competition pits juniors and adults against each other- no divisions- and the results proved it was a level playing field!

Young Tahlia Rendall caught the 2nd largest fish, and she was only pipped by 2 grams! David Geelen well out-fished his father Mike, and Levi King once again showed us all he’s very consistent. New junior Cory Burt was well guided by Steven Sharpe and came close to catching one, losing it in tight conditions.

Ten of the fish were caught from shore, but Richard Wagstaff caught the best conditioned fish of 54.45 factor, a rainbow, from his anchored boat above Cambridge with a fly and weight combination.

Results for the April 2017 Top Ten trout competition: 1st Keith Handley (Huntly) 1.514 kg brown (47.65 condition); 2nd Tahlia Rendall Jnr (Ohinewai) 1.512 kg brown (47.88 condition); 3rd Graham McHaffie (Hamilton) 1.490 kg rainbow; 4th Steven Sharpe (Hamilton) 1.468 kg brown (48.56 condition); 5th Richard Wagstaff (Hamilton) 1.346 rainbow (54.45 condition); 6th Steven Sharpe (Hamilton) 1.278 brown (he donated this prize to Cory Burt Jnr) 7th Keith Handley (Huntly) 1.260 kg brown; 8th Levi King Jnr (Hamilton) 1.098 brown; 9th David Geelen Jnr (Waingaro) 1.078 brown (52.57 condition); 10th Graham McHaffie (Hamilton) .818 kg rainbow (48.69 condition); (11th ) David Geelen Jnr (Waingaro) .776 kg brown.

The junior spot prizes from Sweetman’s Reel Fishin’ were distributed to all juniors whether they presented a trout or not- caps from Holiday Fishing and lures donated by Plant Talk, plus other items.

The big prize of the evening was the mystery weight prize, 3 numbers were drawn out randomly on the night and they were 0 8 5, the nearest trout weight with those final 3 digits was David Geelen’s of 1.078, so he popularly received the prize of a quality 8’ canal spin rod combo, retail value $184.

2 good raffles were run at the prizegiving, the 1st prize Okuma 7’ boat rod combo was won by Tahlia Rendall, with the 2nd draw snapper tackle pack won by Samantha King.

The $100 meat pack raffle supplied by The Meat Co. Huntly had 3 draws, 1st Mike Lynch, 2nd Steven Sharpe, 3rd Ocean Leigh Hughes.

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POLICE SECRETARY OUT OF LINE OVER HUNTING RIFLE COMMENTS Police Association president Chris Cahill should stick to police unionrelated matters, and not interfere in the choice of legal firearms lawabiding licence holders use in the safe enjoyment of their sport, says New Zealand First Outdoor Recreation Spokesperson Richard Prosser “Mr Cahill was on Radio NZ this morning repeating his questioning of the ‘need’ for-semi automatic hunting rifles and shotguns

by hunters and duck shooters.

“He claims firearms which resemble military weapons and other semi-automatics pose a danger to the public.

The fact is police were unable to provide the recent Law and Order Select Committee inquiry into illegal possession of firearms with any figures to back up this claim – and that’s because they don’t pose any such danger.

“Sawn-off shotguns and cut-down .22s are the weapons of choice for

criminals, not MSSAs that don’t even appear in the crime stats.

“Mr Cahill’s desire to further restrict and penalise law-abiding hunters and shooters will have no effect whatsoever on the criminals who are the problem.

“Frankly it’s none of his business what type of legal firearm people choose to use; he needs to focus on catching criminals and keep his nose out of law-abiding people’s business,” says Mr Prosser.

1080 Poison Denier Rants at Hunters

by James Speedy

Journalist and pro-1080 advocate Dave Hansford has lashed out at the New Zealand hunting public over 1080 poison. In his remarks on the USA “Huffington Post” website for running articles expressing concern about New Zealand’s use of 1080, he said the journal was “woefully susceptible to the propaganda of the New Zealand hunting lobby.”

But Wairarapa based conservationist Bill Benfield author of “The Third Wave” and “War against Nature” dismissed the “rant.”

“As usual Hansford is unconcerned with details such as facts as he thrashes his usual banter at hunters,” said Bill Benfield.

Tony Orman, hunting book author, also dismissed the attacks.

“Name calling instead of discussing the issue shows both dogma and weakness,” he said. “Even so his reasoning is screwball.”

Dave Hansford berated the “Huffington Post” and writer Bill Benfield saying “kea benefit hugely from 1080 operations to control stoats - their nesting nemesis.” However Tony Orman pointed out rats and stoats had been in New Zealand for long periods, 800 years and over 130 years respectively. If rats and stoats were going to eliminate birds such as the kea, the impact would have been within 30 years of introductions.

“Kea abundant through the 196070-80, have only declined in the last 25 years and more so in the last several years with ramped-

up 1080 drops. Hansford chooses to turn a very blind eye to that.”

Dave Hansford slammed deer accusing the animals as “not native to New Zealand and wreaking widespread havoc on native forest.”

Tony Orman said Dave Hansford seemed afflicted with “selective exotic phobia.”

“As a human he’s an introduced species so it’s just plain silly hypocrisy.”

Vegetation evolved over many millions of years of strong moa browsing.

Some scientists had estimated NZ’s moa populations at several million whereas Landcare Research in 2001 estimated wild deer numbers at just a quarter of a million.

Biased TV programme should be canned New Zealand television viewers deserve better than a one sided, unbalanced, unfair and inaccurate TV series hosted by a so called Recreational fishing representative, Graham Sinclair, to be aired on free to view TV. This should be removed and some truths about what is going on in

our fishery should be shared. This is nothing more than a PR spin for the National Party and the commercial fishing industry of NZ. The Ocean Bounty programme presented by Graham Sinclair is only a representation of one of the user groups of the NZ public EEZ, says

the United Peoples Movement NZ. “The program has no representation from Customary Maori or Recreational Fishing groups and is therefore legally unbalanced viewing.

The skipper of the offshore vessel San Aspiring gave a statement that the inshore fishery was something to

Visit us on www.facebook/Fishingandoutdoorsnewspaper be proud of. We are not proud of the near extinction of the Maui Dolphin on the west coast of the North Island, due to commercial fishermen over catching the mammal in their nets as by-catch. Therefore the skipper’s views were proved to be inaccurate.”

The United Peoples Movement NZ is asking that the Ocean Bounty programme be removed from TV and that it is very important that when offering an insight into one of our nations, it is done with fairness accuracy and a balanced insight.”

“As if witnessing through released reports the widespread fish dumping that is occurring and the granting of video surveillance of the commercial sector to a company owned wholly by the commercial fishing sector, that unfortunately lost 80% of footage during trials wasn’t enough.

There is already serious concerns of a conflict of interest with regards to the National Party presidents role with Sanford’s, is farcical enough without allowing this free to air one-sided view of our nation’s fishery go to air.”

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/ political/305148/minister-defends-fishing-industry-monitoring https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/ new-zealand/company-hired-monitor-commercial-fishing-loses-footage Let’s look at the breaches in this program first as we will get to the corrupt conflict of interest claims come 23/9.

The first breach is balance.

From the moment former Prime minister of NZ John Key began to speak at the start of the first episode we got a snapshot of the unbalanced, one-sided reporting we were going to be subjected to seeing. This was very much a promotion for the National Party of New Zealand and offered no balance to the statements being made by the commercial fisherman being interviewed.

The other side of the coin with regards to the Toothfish fishery that failed to give fairness and balance during episode 2.

Sustainable toothfish section. See conflicting link below. https://www.seashepherdg-

13

lobal.org/icefish/about-the-campaign/defending-toothfish.html The second clear breach in this broadcast is accuracy.

“The claims that our fishery is in a good shape and is the envy of the world is false. Our fishery is not in a stable shape and as a whole is depleting and being overfished. This would have been highlighted if there was any balance to this programme.

Reports in episode one that portrays the crayfish industry in a good light is questionable. Sustainable harvesting of crayfish to support our population is farcical and untrue.

Over 90% exported live is accurate, but we have more chance going to the shop to buy an imported Canadian lobster than a fresh NZ crayfish.”

This programme, Ocean Bounty, bought and paid for by the Commercial fishing industry and hiring the services of our so called “recreational representative” Graham Sinclair clearly breaches the 3 broadcasting standards of Balance, Accuracy and Fairness.

Consent granted for Waiheke Island marina Kennedy Point Boatharbour Limited has been given the go-ahead to build a new 186-berth floating marina at Kennedy Point in Putiki Bay, Waiheke Island.

An independent panel of five commissioners delegated by Auckland Council granted the project resource consent after a week-long hearing in early April.

The Kennedy Point Marina will be located west of the existing SeaLink car ferry terminal at Kennedy Point and will be accessible from Donald Bruce Road to the south of the breakwater. The marina will include: approximately 186 berths, up to 19 pile moorings and 30 public day berths two Swedish-designed floating breakwaters to protect the berths, floating pontoons piers and wharf marina office, storage for kayaks and

stand-up paddleboards, visitor facilities, café/public space, meeting room and a car park with up to 72 spaces.

Kennedy Point Marina developer Tony Mair said, “The hearing heard from people both in support and in opposition to the marina. But I believe the decision we made earlier this year to change the design from rock breakwaters to floating attenuators helped to reduce any concerns of environmental impact at the site.

“The proposed marina will assist in providing for the efficient storage of boats in the coastal marina area. It will also provide for a small number of jobs for those employed to operate the marina and maintain its security.

“There are also likely to be recreational and tourism benefits to having a marina on Waiheke. Boat own-

ers will have easier access to their boats and the coast, and greater confidence in the security of storage of their boats. The marina will also provide another option for tourism operators and boat owners visiting the island as well as public access.”

The Kennedy Point Marina Supporters’ Group, which represents the more than 540 people who want a berth at the new marina, was delighted with the panel’s decision.

“We are thrilled that the commissioners have taken into account that there are two voices on Waiheke,” the group’s chairman, Todd Parkin, said. “For the first time, the boating community of Waiheke will have world-class facilities to safely moor their vessels.”

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Commercial finfish outside the 12nm zone Our advice to any commercial fisher is to fish outside the 12nm zone away from the reach of the councils and the RMA. There are three such environment court cases on the agenda at the moment and in the Marlborough Sounds an area is now commercial fisher free and the tool the council used to boot the trawl and scallops fishers out was the RMA. The most significant Court case in NZ fishery management will soon be in the High Court in Tauranga.

The Environment Court ruled that the Council has powers through the RMA to restrict fishing in order to protect native species. This ruling is significant because it allows Councils to protect sensitive habitats at a finer scale compared to the large quota management areas that MPI use. It also means Councils have the ability to promptly react to the wishes of the public and manage their own backyard.

This ruling was considered a step forward in marine protection by many.

Councils in Marlborough, Auckland, and Waikato are seeking to impose similar restrictions in their areas.

These actions show a need for tighter fisheries management, a need that has slipped right past those at MPI. In another case Maori have under section 95 of the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 applied to have the complete Hauraki Gulf protected for Customary Rights (PCR) These cases may have serious ramifications for any type of commercial fishing enterprise. The entire QMS is primarily about the fish and the rules and regulations show little regard for the bethnic seafloor.

For instance, the scallop harvesters drop and tow large steel dredges that actually operate under the seafloor in order for the mouth of the dredge to get under the scallops that embed themselves in the seafloor. You could as a recreational fisher or a concerned member of the public complain to MPI until you

were blue in the face and you would most likely only get a standard response from MPI that they were satisfied the scallops boat was meeting its environmental obligations. MPI has done so in the past and almost always supported the export fisher over any other user group. Things have now changed in a dramatic way.

If you as a member of the public using the public seawater space that belongs to us all see a commercial fisher you consider is damaging the seafloor ecosystem you can bypass the arrogant imbeciles from MPI altogether and go straight to your district council. If you produce evidence that the commercial user is in breach of the RMA the council by law must act to prevent further damage.

If the council fail to act you have the right to take the council to the Environment Court for a legal resolution. This leaves MPI out in the cold with no friends and no control, that’s exactly what they deserve.

Commercial fishing seek Graeme Sinclair’s help In a bold Publicity stunt to prop up the falling and failing image of commercial fishing in NZ, brought about by the deceit in the MPI and their collusion with the commercial industry in failing to prosecute the many atrocities and crimes that the industry has and still are committing.

The industry has albeit sponsored Sinclair from Gone Fishin to release a new hour-long documentary series on commercial fishing.

The Ocean Bounty programme, shares stories about the diverse nature of modern-day fishing around New Zealand and further afield and kicks off in the deep-south, following the establishment of the Fiordland Lobster Company and the unique arrangement of the Fiordland Marine Guardians.

Among many PR stories, Ocean Bounty explores the Ross Sea and South Georgia fisheries long lining for toothfish, chases squid near the Auckland Islands and follows mussels from spat on Northland beaches to farms off the Coromandel Peninsula.

Sinclair says “We are talking about sustainable fisheries and sound management plus a strong environmental message, all through the eyes of some pretty amazing people.”

What he hasn’t said and probably won’t cover is that most commercial fishers make a very profitable living off a free resource and give little back.

They are in a difficult situation brought about by themselves for allowing the bad element to continue the bad practices.

Outdoors School for youth The Deep Green Bush-School is a registered private school that is educating a new generation of youth to be intelligent, wise, mature and responsible – and who, for example, will be wise enough to know that poisoning the land – for any reason – is insane.

The school is open to ages 5-18 and is based on how humans actually evolved to learn over the last two million years – through the freedom to play and explore in the natural world (i.e., no classes and no testing).

Above all, the school’s purpose is to educate a new generation who will have the courage to do what it takes to stop this culture’s ecocidal path.

Students do many things at the DGBS. They climb trees, build huts, go for hikes, swim in rivers and streams, play numerous games. They learn how to trap or fish their own food, and how to skin, gut and butcher the animal. They learn how to forage, identifying edible and medicinal plants. They learn how to cook. They learn flax weaving. Stu-

dents also give back by volunteering.

They listen to stories. They learn wilderness skills such as how to make fire with a bow drill. They have campfires.

They read, draw, write, and play guitar.

One unique element to the DGBS is the Warrior Council. The Warrior Council is the essence of the Deep Green BushSchool. The Warrior Council meets three times a week and is for older students (generally ages 9 and up) as a way to develop critical thinking, confidence, and a fearless intelligence.

It’s where students explore how to live responsibly and with wisdom.

At the Warrior Council students discuss important issues, current events and develop their understanding of the world. They explore various aspects of the curriculum, such as how to understand the mass media, the idea of voluntary simplicity, deep ecology and how it affects our lives, the role of money in our lives, what is debt and how to avoid it, is there value in going to university and ex-

They get penalized if they bring into port unwanted fish and get paid little by the fishing companies for the hard work they do yet shoot themselves in the foot through bad practices.

The only thing we can give the commercial fishers credit for is not following the rules of the QMS but instead deciding to continue harvesting fish their way and not using any sustainable or honest way.

While the commercial fishing industry continues to lie and cheat about under-reporting, dumping and other atrocities they will never gain the respect and support of the recreational and customary fishers.

Sinclair has clearly shown which side of the fence he sits. ploring smarter alternatives to “getting an education”, and the dangers of modern technology. Students learn why the world is the way it is – with a great deal of pre-history and history to show them the way. But most important, students learn about healthy ways to relate to the Earth and they learn about the kinds of actions necessary to make a difference.

Why is it called a “warrior” council? For hundreds of thousands of years, warriors among indigenous cultures have represented courage, bravery, self-discipline and fearlessness in defense of what was right and healthy. It doesn’t necessarily mean fighting; rather, it’s about having the appropriate mindset to go out into the world with knowledge, wisdom, humility and the courage to do what we must to protect life on the planet, protect ourselves and give ourselves a positive future.

Contact the School at 09 292 9439 or 021 060 7890 and check out their website www.deepgreenbushschool.org

the Deep Green Bush-School a day school for years 1-13 For two million years, parents trusted their children to learn in freedom. The Deep Green Bush-School is education based on how we evolved to learn, supported by the latest research in neuroscience. We are looking for courageous families who recognise that emotional intelligence, learning from the wild and a fierce awareness of the world form the backbone for a mature adult

www.deepgreenbushschool.org 09 292 9439 021 060 7890 located in Clevedon, Auckland

Visit us on www.facebook/Fishingandoutdoorsnewspaper

Trial begins over false reporting Facing 355 charges relating to 32 fish export events covering bluenose and trumpeter in the Wellington District Court, a Hawke’s Bay fishing company, subsidiaries, directors and the skippers of fishing boats have gone on trial for failing to accurately record details of how much fish they caught before they exported it.

The companies are Hawke’s Bay Seafoods, Ocean Enterprises and Esplanade No 3.

MPI prosecutor Stephanie Bishop says catches of bluenose and trumpeter were underreport-

ed then exported to Australia.

She said the under-reporting was deliberate and wide reaching and was orchestrated from the top by the companies’ directors and managers down to the skippers of the boats.

The returns filed were fundamentally false and motivated by the lack of annual catch entitlement of the companies and the prospect of gaining export market advantages by selling the fish at a lower rate than others.

She said the skippers’ collusion was necessary and gained by cash payments and continued employment.

Bishop told the court the charges - making false statements on catch return records, and selling fish that had not been properly reported to the MPI. Bishop explained that there was between 45 and 63 tonnes of bluenose and 1.7 and 3.5 tonnes of trumpeter benefiting the companies by about $380,000 for bluenose and $11,000 for trumpeter.

She said the Ministry noted discrepancies in what was landed and what was exported in 2012 to 2014.

Judge Bill Hastings will decide on the case over a four month hearing.

NZ First cannot be trusted - use your party vote wisely So you think that NZ First will support the banning of fishing for export within 12 nautical miles of our coastline, think again. Fishermen and woman around New Zealand have been increasingly disturbed at the attitudes of both the MPI and commercial fishing companies as they continue to decimate the inshore fishery around New Zealand, and export our recreational ​fish for processing overseas.

Defending the rights of Recreational fishers against a corrupt MPI and a deceitful commercial fishing industry is becoming increasing difficult without a political party in which we can put our faith and trust in.

Recent governments, the MPI and the Seafood Industry have ignored pleas to sustainably manage the fishery and they have been instrumental in blocking every argument rather than ​doing anything about the issues raised.

Time and time again we have seen hard evidence which has proven that high-grading, fish dumping and bad practices are con-

tinuing yet nothing dramatic has changed, other than our inshore fishery is now depleted to an extent it will take years to recover.

We have put our faith in the smaller parties putting together a fishing policy and their other policies in align with what Kiwis want to cover health, housing, environment, education and the other main issues which the major parties are laughing at.

In previous elections some of these major parties have received huge donations from fishing companies to ensure that their fishing policies don’t get enacted.

For these next elections, most of us have put our faith in NZFirst as it appears that their fishing policy is the best. But think again.

However we have been informed of​recent events within NZFirst that h ​ ave shown that they cannot be trusted to carry out what they promise.

It’s extremely hard to believe that this party would betray New Zealanders to the extent they have but

the NZFirst Board and senior List MP’s have l​eft us in little doubt that they cannot be trusted whatsoever.

This orchestrated deception goes fully against the principles of integrity, trust and honesty that the party was founded on. This newspaper has received threats of litigation from a source close to Winston Peters if we reveal the extent and underlying reasons we believe are responsible for this ​deception.

To this end we implore voters to check out the smaller untested parties. Neither NZFirst, the Greens, Labour nor National can be trusted or worked with.

These smaller parties are made up of kiwis that have had a gutsful of the current larger parties deception and fully deserve a chance to make change. We have checked out their policies and they not only look good but could make a huge difference to our standard and way of living.

We suggest that you vote for your electorate candidate of choice but give your party vote to the smaller parties.

WHO WILL YOU GIVE YOUR PARTY VOTE TO? UNTRUSTWORTHY NOT FOR KIWI WORKERS uncompromizing UNETHICAL & dECEITFUL None of these parties will commit to banning 1080, or banning fishing within the 12nm limit for export Lets get honesty back in politics

Vote for a smaller party that are interested in kiwis authorized by Mike Vincent, 42 Whiteleigh Ave, Addington, Christchurch 8024

View the newspaper online at www.fishingoutdoors.org – and advertise online with us

Future of NZ fisheries - from a kiwi citizen’s point of view.

An example of what is fundamen- the running of a seafood restaurant a tally wrong with the catching and perilous occupation. By the time the distribution of NZ caught fish within fresh fish is caught and unloaded at the New Zealand domestic market. the local wharf, trucked, processed, This week the first week of May 2017 add quota, sold, then re-trucked by the commercial fishing boats from my one of the four main cartel NZ fishing home port of Whitianga are all tied up companies, the fish has become too on their moorings. They have been expensive to handle. Couple this up moored up for the best part of this to the varieties of fish being offered week and they won’t be going out un- domestically by the monopoly fishing til the “shed” (the quota holder in this companies, it’s again understandable case, Moana Fisheries) gives them an why NZ seafood is left alone and not instruction to go to sea, previewed for offered to tourists wanting this type next Sunday. Apparently the NZ mar- of service (EU, Asia & USA standards). ket (Auckland) is full up to its gills with Privateer fishermen have no incentive fish and the export market is also fairly to supply local demand because the saturated at present (being supplied government and local regional chargby Sanfords, shareholder being Peter es in the form of licences, of all types, Goodfellow, National party President). are purposely made to be extremely The current situation where the com- expensive. It must be acknowledged mercial fishing boats have to await that the small commercial fishermen the – go to sea – order from the “shed” need to sell their catch over a twelve (and quota holders) is so counterpro- month period so there is a “blackmail” ductive it has to be changed. One aspect sailing along side with them as reason major changes are needed well. The “blackmail” comes from the in the NZ fishing industry can be “sheds” and their unspoken threat of highlighted in my next paragraph. not giving the small fisherman any I live in a small fishing port town (pop lease quota etc…. The “sheds” and 4500 blowing out to 25,000), a town the governments interest is focused that receives a large number of tour- on exporting NZ fish, to the detriists, yet there’s NOT a fresh fish shop ment of all kiwis and tourists wanting operating here, there’s not even a to buy a fresh fish meal at a fair price. decent fish restaurant. The reason The government needs to direct the neither of these options are avail- cartel fishing companies to supply the able for visitors or locals is because Kiwi public fresh fish at a price that of the cost of fish domestically, it’s does not include a quota charge and prohibitively expensive and makes aligns with many of the wholesale EX-

PORT prices realized. The new pricing initiative should be called – Domestic NZ Fresh Fish Pricing Initiative – Here are a couple of examples of the ridiculous supply and pricing that is going on in NZ today.

Export pricing, the following dollar values are accurate and representative of 2017 prices.

NZ caught export price – Kahawai @ $1.58 per Kg, Jack Mackerel @ $1.34 per kg, Trevally @ $3.14 per kg, Skipjack Tuna @ $2.42 per kg. Snapper at the local New World is $40.00 per kg.

As a footnote 1) 80% the waters surrounding the NZ coast are harvested by only 4 NZ fishing companies (with quota), Moana fisheries, Sanfords, Talleys and Sealord. Monopolies.

2) The waters surrounding NZ are theoretically owned by ALL Kiwis though we’ll be waiting a long time to receive a dividend or even a fair price for our domestic consumed fish, so far!

3) Finally isn’t it only sensible and productive that local communities and their young people be allowed to access and work this natural resource and build their own lives and provide for their communities without being impeded by government mismanagement (QMS) and corruption ( MPI, Ministry for Primary Industries)?

Mark Elliott Whitianga.

Seafood Industry attacks Rec Fishing catch In its weekly report the Seafood Industry has attacked charter boat operators for making huge catches when the MPI recently revealed that charter operators catch 110 tonnes.

Charter vessel regulations were introduced in 2010 for some species.

Operators are required to register their boats and must file an Activity Catch Return detailing location, target species and catch numbers, fishing method and numbers fishing for every trip with paying clients.

This figure is surprisingly low when you compare the commercial finfish take in the small area of the Hauraki Gulf is 800 tonne.

It pales into insignificance, when you consider that the professional charter skippers are better at catching fish than 90% of recreational fishers and their time spent on the water would be more than any recreational fisher it makes you think.

If the charter catch is about 15 to 20% of the overall recreational catch, it begs the question; if the professionals with all the time, experience and in most cases bigger and better vessels only catch 110 tonne of Snapper how many are the weekend warriors of the recreational fleet catching?

Based on these figures it would be significantly less. The last boat ramp survey backfired on the likes of Graham Sinclair and Dr Randle Bess because it turned out recreational fishers caught 2600 tonne in SNA1 of Snapper. A full 1000 tonne less that we were allocated by MPI. The commercial snapper catch for SNA1 is 4500 tonne and even if you add the 110 tonne caught by the charter fleet to the 2600 recorded and build in a generous margin for error and call the recreational catch 3000 tonne it still doesn’t add up to a shared fishery.

What the MPI has also kept hidden is how many families have been fed, how much enjoyment the recreational sector has had; how many children have been taught how to catch and handle fish correctly, amongst the other rewarding activities the rec sector has had, from the very limited allocation rec fishers have.

It would appear that this very pathetic attempt by the Seafood Industry to undermine and shift the blame on falling fish stocks to the rec section.

The MPI state that the number of declared snapper caught from charter boats in the year to October 2016 was 159,000, according to Minis-

www.farmandtrail.com

try for Primary Industries figures.

The vast majority of those – 149,000 – were caught in Fisheries Management Area 1 centred on the Hauraki Gulf that extends on the east coast from North Cape to Cape Runaway.

The total snapper take was estimated at 110 tonnes.

The Seafood Industry say that the catch from the literally thousands of recreational boaties on the water off Auckland is in additional to that and goes unrecorded.

That is not a situation that can continue without major disruption, according to Dr Randall Bess, a research fellow at the New Zealand Initiative, a public policy think tank.

The basics of fisheries management are simple: set a total allowable catch (TAC) that maintains fish stock sustainability, allocate the TAC across fishing sectors and set enforceable rules that keep each sector to its allocation, he said.

But recreational fishing rules fail to constrain catches to allocations and no reporting rules exist, Dr Bess’ report titled The Overseas Catch said.

This hugely exaggerated statement shows that the Seafood Industry is pulling out all the stops to force the MPI to make recreational fishers report their catch.

And again Bess falls short by not mentioning the fact that commercial fishers harvest close inshore during public holidays and fishing competitions which ensures that rec fishers struggle to catch their allocation.

The truth is that rec fishers are unable to catch their full allocation for various reasons, which shows that there aren’t as many rec fishers as the Seafood Industry portray; and that the commercial industry want this shortfall.

This greed shows how spiteful the industry is when they are planning to take this allocated fish stock from families that need this catch to get by.

Bess rants on that ‘unless recreational fisheries management changes, fishers will face a steady decline in daily bag limits, increases in minimum legal sizes and shorter fishing seasons,” he wrote. “The recreational fishing experience will worsen, as will conflicts between the recreational and commercial fishing sectors.

The true reason that fish stocks are declining is through corrupt practices like under-reporting and dumping which Bess fails to mention.

“Our research shows that success in integrating recreational fisheries into wider fisheries management processes is also dependent on improving data collected on recreational fishing,” says Bess.

“In general, recreational fishing in-

Visit us on www.facebook/Fishingandoutdoorsnewspaper terests hold the view that their fishing for food and fun should come at no cost, or no more than a nominal cost (in terms of licence or other fees). But fisheries management and fish stock enhancement is not costless. And any increased recreational share of the total catch may require compensating commercial quota holders. A well-integrated system needs to find the right balance.”

But recreational fishers have paid

the price as bag limits have been reduced since 1985 while the com-

mercial allocation has increased.

Currently the balance goes in favour of Commercial fishing and that has to change. All export fishing in the inshore fishery must be banned.

So Bess’ one-sided and biased argument appears to show that he has been bought and paid for by the commercial industry to sway the MPI into further penalizing rec fishers.

The commercial industry is undergoing forced changes to how they fish bought about by their greed and corrupt practices, and include vessel

15

monitoring and electronic reporting.\ The bleating from recreation fishing turncoat Graham Sinclair that the fishery is a shared well-managed fishery has gone past being insulting to our intelligence, to just plain bad maths.

It is essential that the exporters do not get any extra Snapper quota for export for at least 25 years because the fishery is still in recovery mode from the decimation to the snapper stocks in the 70/80’s pre-QMS.

Huge prize pool for Bounty Hunter As always in The Bounty Hunter Fishing Tournament History, there are some awesome cash rewards and spot prizes. Sign up on their Facebook page to follow the development as more and more prizes are being added.

The Friday prizes include $20,000 worth of Spot Prize Give-aways. The Prize Giving is to be held at The Top Pub at 6.30 pm Friday 29th June 2017.

The Best Overall Prizes drawn on the Saturday are based on the heaviest fish weighed in first. The Prize Giving will be held at The Top Pub at 6.30 pm Saturday 30th June 2017.

Category prizes are as follows for each of these categories: Kingfish, Snapper, Kahawai, Trevally, and John Dory 1st $5,000; 2nd $1,500; 3rd $500; 4th $200.

There is a $1000 prize each for the heaviest Piper and Parore.

All contestants must be registered at the venue first be-

fore weighing in any fish.

Contestants must carry their Tournament ID card with them at all times. Random inspections will take place throughout the tournament. One ID card per person.

ID cards are not exchangeable between anglers and you risk disqualification if you do not have your Tournament ID card on you.

All persons aboard a boat must have a Tournament ID card on them or all persons aboard and the boat will be disqualified from the tournament.

No prizes will be issued without valid proof of identity.

If your Tournament ID card is lost or stolen, please let the tournament organizers know immediately. In this scenario a replacement card will be available at the event.

Entry to the tournament is at the discretion of the tournament organizers and will only be complete when accepted by

the organizers. If entry is refused, the entry fee will be refunded.

The organizers reserve the right to cancel the registration of any contestant whose conduct in the organizers’ opinion is contrary to the spirit in which the fishing tournament is run. The decision of the organizers in this matter is final. No refunds will be given.

Purchasing a ticket constitutes acceptance of the rules and regulations covering the tournament, and all contestants agree to abide by the organizers and judges decisions.

If you have any issues around your payment, or the amount you have been charged please call Stan on 07 866 8760 or 0274 345 226, or send an email to info@thebountyhunter.co.nz Book now for the Bounty Hunter competition at wwwbountyhunter.co.nz

A Police Officer called his Station and spoke to his Senior Sergeant.

“I have a rather interesting domestic case here. An old lady has just shot her husband for stepping on the floor she just mopped.”

“Have you taken her into custody yet?’

“Not yet, the floors still wet.”

The best way to discover ‘the Parsun difference’ is visit your local dealer and find out how much motor you get for your $

For a dealer in your area www.outboard-motors.co.nz

or call 06 7591990

3 year warranty 26 Dealers NZ Wide Go to your local dealer and have fun this summer

16

View the newspaper online at www.fishingoutdoors.org – and advertise online with us

Visit us on www.facebook/Fishingandoutdoorsnewspaper

Didymo Dave

This beautiful Rainbow caught using a SUNRAY 6 weight floating line, a silver bead fly with Lively Legs

Very proud of the new web site www.creeltackle.com, do pop in.

I think by now everyone knows how good the fishing has been on the Eastern Lake Taupo Rivers, it will continue to be one of the best winter seasons we have seen for some time in terms of trout condition.

So, probably best we focus on what we can offer you at the café which opens daily at 8am, the Tackle shop generally open by 7.30am.

Breakfast weekdays now available until 11am as well as the weekends, Soup is on the menu again for the winter, Debs Pea and Ham to behold ?, as with all our food we only use fresh top quality ingredients. Phone ahead for a coffee 03 3867929.

Don’t forget, this winter a good time to have a crack at Czech nymphing come on in and have a chat, take a look at the HANAK Range of Rods, need new waders come and

Book review

NYMPHING THE NEW WAY French leader fishing for trout

By Jonathan White

Nymphing became very popular in New Zealand back in the early 1980’s and since that time many kiwi fishers have followed the changing techniques gained from overseas anglers when they visit our pristine waters.

Revolutionary methods have been introduced to fly fishers mainly through World Champs and the kiwi angler has been quick to grasp these new techniques and adapt them to our waters.

The technique of French nymphing, or European nymphing as it is often known in the US, is the most important new development in flyfishing for a generation. The use of ultra-long tapered French leaders provides huge advantages both in terms of reducing drag and dramatically improving fly presentation.

These methods, which have already revolutionized the world of competition

see what everyone is talking about with the Redington Sonic Pro waders, featuring sonic welded seams.

Try one of the SUNRAY fly lines we have a 7 weight floating demo line, provided you are a proficient caster we guarantee you will cast further, easier, meaning less effort, and particularly in the wind.

New products we have if you tie flies try Eggstasy a new glo bug type material, or Lively Legz tie these onto your flies for a realistic look.

Need a new Rod, we recommend Echo with lifetime guarantee from $200, do not scoff at the price, come and try one.

The Redington Vapen (powerhouse) $550, or a TFO (Temple Fork Outfitters) there is no longer a need to spend a fortune for a very good Rod. Short on time, try our “Buddy” service but you must be an accomplished angler with your own gear, we will take you to our spots and get you into the fish usually five hours $250, or a Czech nymphing session.

Do not let this season get away from you, be part of one of the best, call us for information, Coffee, take out Lunch, Tackle, Flies.

Tightlines

flyfishing, are now also proving themselves to be a game-changer for the recreational fisherman.

This book explains the French leader techniques and covers sight nymphing; types of tackle, flies and methods for trout, steelhead and grayling; short and long range indicators; dry fly and tips for river and stillwater fishing in many international waters.

It also includes sight fishing and indicator methods, and even dry fly on the French Leader.

This is the only book to take an international look at the latest developments in this explosively popular new method of flyfishing.

The innovative technique was first developed and practiced in France and this is the first book to explain all branches of French leader technique.

Use of the French leader has led to the French national team becoming the most successful team at the World Championships in recent years, winning 7 Gold, 7 Silver and 7 Bronze medals.

As opportunities to catch trout on a dry fly have become less frequent and of shorter duration, the use of modern nymphing techniques can often make the difference between a successful fishing trip and not catching fish at all.

Author Jonathan White has fished from boyhood in the UK as well as in north and south America.

Available in in New Zealand by Nationwide Book Distributors PRICE: $49.99 GST. Julien Daguillanes, pictured holding a large South Island brown on the cover of this book, was the individual winner of the 2016 World Flyfishing Championships in Vail, Colorado. His winning technique? French nymphing.

Freedom Camping

Last month we looked at the situation around Taumarunui where freedom camping problems are virtually nonexistent due to great facilities. Let’s consider some other aspects this month. Firstly, it is important to understand the 2 groups of freedom campers. There are those that are doing their own thing. What’s been interesting this summer is the number of conversations I have had with young people from overseas who booked online a campervan to travel around NZ. Somewhere there has been confusion, because they believed they had booked a self-contained camper van for their holiday only to arrive at Auckland airport and discover what was waiting for them was not what they believed they had booked. Now the 151st time I had a conversation about this I thought well that was just a mix up. But after several conversations with unhappy people I started to wonder what’s going on? The other groups of freedom campers are members of

the NZ Motorcaravan Association and their vehicles have a red sticker on it with a membership number. In the 10 years I have been doing Check Clean Dry advocacy I have always found this group to be polite, considerate and never had an issue with any of them.

Speaking of Check Clean Dry, summer advocates in NZ hove a massive problem on our hands. Spend time in the evenings doing advocacy with freedom campers and you will quickly come to understand many of them don’t speak English. So we have people arriving in NZ, travelling around and swimming, tramping etc and it wouldn’t matter how many signs and banners we had up none would work because they can’t understand them. The only way we can educate these people is to intercept them and use the multilanguage sheets we have with different languages on them. Therein lies part of the problem wren we see people parked up where they shouldn’t be or possibly lighting fires where they shouldn’t. If there is a sign

many of them can’t understand it and if there is no sign they think it’s all ok.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve explained to freedom campers they weren’t permitted to stay where they were and their response has been “but there’s no sign to say that”.

Then we have other issues, a classic being the Piriaka lookout between Taumarunui and Owhango which looks out over the beautiful Whanganui River. Well at least it is supposed to. It’s a good place to sit and do Check Clean Dry advocacy during the day as there is a constant stream of people stopping at the lookout.

The first time I stopped there I lasted 4 minutes and thought what’s the point of having a lookout over a beautiful river when you can’t see the river due to non-native trees and rubbish weeds blocking the view? It took some time and a bit of effort, but everyone who stops there now comments on what a beautiful view it is!

So from my point of view, the gates are wide open for tourism in New Zealand, someone has done a fantastic marketing job and the freedom camping situation through the summer is booming. But we are behind the eight ball in working out how to deal with the problems resulting from so many visitors.

Government Freshwater Management Document Labelled Deceptive

A government document on freshwater management has been termed confusing and inadequate by a New Zealand wide trout fisher’s organization.

In a submission to the Ministry for the Environment, the NZ Federation of Freshwater Anglers (NZFFA) spokesman Rex Gibson of Christchurch said a ministry’s discussion document on freshwater management clearly ignored the crisis surrounding the health of the nation’s lakes, rivers and streams.

Of major concern was the specific wording in the document objectives that “freshwater management enables economic development and does not necessarily constrain economic activity.”

“In effect, this will result in regional

councils being the judge, jury and executioner of environmental health.

Based on past performances the Federation is highly sceptical of regional council’s ability and motivation to safeguard and restore the ailing health of freshwater in New Zealand.”

The specific wording in the document requiring that it “does not constrain economic activity” clearly ignored the original purpose of protecting the purity of the nation’s waterways and health of their natural ecosystems and biodiversity.

The Federation had no faith in “parish pump politics” as a mechanism to provide consistent and meaningful standards.

“It is clear that local economic concerns

Silvereye Flies and Tackle What started out as response to poorly made flies being passed off as premium flies from a reputable supplier, has become ‘the little shop that could’.

They have taken much pride in the growth and reach of Silvereye Flies over the past ten years. Their flies are being used in a number of countries around the world including Canada, the USA, France, Great Britain, Norway and Sweden.

There has always been a resistance to supply to retailers in New Zealand and this has been to maintain their preference to custom tie to order. This may change in the future however as they do like the idea of sending a fly straight from the vice to a fisherman.

They have a little store located at the Chelmswood Motel in Taupo which provides access to their flies from 7.30 am in the morning until 9pm in the evening. There are not too many stores who keep those hours! Orders can also be completed by courier post.

Their online store is the main way to reach people and www.silvereyeflies.com portrays their most popu-

lar flies on an easy to use platform.

Silvereye encourage visitors to register and become members, make use of special discounts, earn loyalty points and use a variety of ways to pay at checkout. There is a new Bulk Order page as well. A new innovation at checkout is a Lay-Buys option via PayPal which allows customers to

will over-ride strategies that affect the long term well-being of New Zealand’s waterways and their biological health.”

Rex Gibson said the crisis around freshwater mismanagement began 25 years ago at the same time massive increases in the intensification of dairy farming and other factors such as accelerated sediment runoff from forestry clear felling, had led to the present crisis of degraded, de-watered rivers. Canterbury had experienced a 500% increase in dairy farming with animal numbers for the region alone exploding up to 1.2 million cows.

“We can only conclude that the wording in the document seems dishonest writing designed to deceive people,” he added.

make a ‘down-payment’ then complete the purchase over 3 months.

Old-school it might be but is proving popular particularly for larger orders.

Amazon Log-in is also available for members of Amazon and this is a quick solution to the registration process.

They look forward to having you visit their little store both online and in person at Lake Taupo (a good excuse to go fishing).

07 3782715

www.silvereyeflies.com

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Early Bird Bait & Tackle Report vehicles of all sizes are getting through all the way to Port Charles and the roading gangs are doing a great job despite the odd deluge of bad weather.

If you are heading out for a fish, make sure Early Bird Bait & Tackle Report you are prepared for bad weather Bbrrrrrrrrrr …........ Just a few days as it is ever so easy to get caught of frosty mornings and every- out by a short sharp storm. I know one is complaining. Come on of two boats who called in to get guys get over it, wrap up warm their bait early in the morning, and enjoy the sunshine that of- launched and within ten minten comes with cold weather. utes where back at the boat ramp.

The Firth of Thames has been like a Twenty minutes later there was blue mirror over the last few days with a skies, calm seas and fish coming beautiful mist covering the water on board. Nearly all of the Charter from the river mouths all the way up boats have been out with the same to Coromandel, with the only rip- stories of good catches and big fish. ples caused by the very wise ducks Obviously there are some that are and the pod of Orca that have been better than others but anyone lookpaying us a visit. There are loads ing at booking a party of guys and of work ups out there as well, so gals for fishing should do it now getting out there has to be a must as the fishing is really at its’ best. If whilst the weather is very good. you don’t want to go out on a boat The word from the fisherman is or are not lucky enough to own exceptional, with the average one then a couple of hours fishing size snapper being 8lb or more. from the shore is not a bad choice.

There is no problem getting your Some guys are are catching limit and whether you are fish- ten pounders although this is ing on the mussel farms or out in not the norm. There are plenty the middle, it is not going to take of four to seven pound fish you long to get your bag of seven being pulled in and keeping Snapper. Kingfish are still around yours eyes peeled for a workup and quite often being a pest, also will always pay dividends. the Kahawai are in big numbers Some of the workups that and big size, so getting a few for where spotted close in actuyour smoker is not a problem. ally ended up on the shoreI have attached two photos to line near to Tapu, with plenty my report of two young ladies of bait fish washed up on the Ámber and Baylee Rose Bankier’ shore for the ever hungry birds. with two nice fish taken from the Sharks are not as plentiful as a Mussel Farms. The other photo is few months ago but stingrays of Andrew with a nice 18lb Snap- are a plague which is possiper taken from just off the Farms. bly why the Orcas’ are hangThis was one of four big Snapper ing around with their calves. taken that day. The council is get- Throughout Winter Early Bird ting on well with the clearing of the (Verns’ Bait & Tackle) will not slips, but this will be an ongoing be open on Mondays which task due to the amount of damage hopefully will give me time to caused. It isn’t an issue to traffic as go fishing myself. Nothing else

will change, so 9 pm closing on Fridays and 4 am opening on Saturday and Sunday will stay the same as I know you rely on me to be open. If you are after some winter Fleece to keep you warm then I can tell you that I will be getting more and more Gamegear and Ridgeline clothing in. If I don’t have what you want it is not an issue to order it and it is normally here within two or three days.

I’m selling more and more Air Rifles now but BB Guns are getting harder and harder to obtain due to Government restrictions. I have rifles for beginners that will shoot a pellet to 650 fps and others that reach 1400 fps so knocking down that a possum or bunny is not a problem.

While I have a good size shop it would be nice for a bit more space, so I will be re-arranging things over the next few months and towards the end of the year will be getting a range of Spearguns as this seems to be a good option when Kingfish are swimming around the boat, so stay tuned and I’ll keep you in the picture on what is happening.

Remember guys and gals, if you need to contact me, phone, email or go on my website. I’m here to help, not hinder and if you have a bait problem, fishing question or just want to palm your missus off on me contact me. Until next time ….. Tight Lines. Vernon

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17

Rec fishing into Quota System - Inevitable Licence?

A national outdoor recreation body has opposed a government move aimed at absorbing recreational fishing into the Fisheries Quota Management System (QMS).

The Council of Outdoor Recreational Associations of New Zealand (CORANZ) said the move was a veiled attempt to absorb recreational public into the quota system which would inevitably lead to recreational fishing licences.

The comment was in response to an article in the May issue of “Fishing and Outdoors” monthly paper telling of a move by the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) to set up a four person team to visit Western Australia to look at the state’s system. Among the committee are former TV fishing host Graeme Sinclair who has a strong relationship to the Seafood Council and the commercial fishing industry and Geoff Rowling former president of the near defunct NZ Recreational Fishing Council.

CORANZ co-chairman Bill Benfield said in addition the committee had Randall Bess a a NZ Initiative representative. NZ Initiative was the for-

mer NZ Business Roundtable, a hard right business group aligned to “Rogernomics”privatisation policies.

“The real agenda seems to be pre-determined, i.e. to absorb recreational fishing into the Quota Management System, which will lead to a set quota for recreational fishing then to catch reporting for recreational fishing and from there will follow the need for licensing,” said Bill Benfield.

“It’s basically privatisation of the resource which is the fundamental philosophy of NZ Initiative.”

Bill Benfield said it was ironic that the self-reporting which MPI would impose on recreational fishers had not worked with the commercial sector.

“Self-reporting has been an abysmal failure as shown by the on-going, widespread dumping by commercial fishermen, despite it being illegal.”

MPI had sought to cover up the commercial sector’s illegal dumping which was only revealed by leaked information. Otherwise it would have continued with denial by MPI and commercial sector and the massive wastage of fish.

“You can bet your last dollar that if recreational dumped fish, MPI would be down on it like a tonne of bricks,” he said.

Bill Benfield said Minister Nathan Guy and MPI were wasting time in trying to absorb the recreational public into the QMS. “What’s needed to get sound fisheries management is a Minister with the strength and commitment to stop bureaucrats dominating and for the ministry to have a culture of serving the public interest instead of fat-cat corporate companies,” he said.

Bill Benfield

Bait Cannons - the Surf casting revolution It’s a fishing revolution with the new bait cannons - the air powered surf caster.

There are two types available; first there is the ‘Big Berther”.

This is a self-contained unit that you simply place on the beach, unfold the legs, put your rod into the holder supplied, drop the supplied sinker and trace with bait attached down the barrel. Pump up to the desired pressure, walk down to where you want to launch the sinker and bait near the surf line, knock back the lever to shoot the line out approximately 200 to 250 metres and that’s it, then sit back while you catch a fish. It takes about 10 seconds to set it up.

The unit is only 6kgs and 1750mm long and comes in a base unit or a full kit depending on what you desire.

The second option is the Surf Smasher.

This is a smaller hand held unit in which you simply put your rod in a rod holder previously dug into the beach, load the cannon with

the sinker and bait, pump up to the pressure your require, then walk down the water’s edge and shoot it out 150 to 200 metres, go back flip over your bail arm and take up the slack. That’s it.

The Surf Smasher is only 1140mm long and 3 kg so fits nicely into the storage boxes on most motor homes or easily into the boot of your vehicle.

It comes in two different kits, the base kit or a full kit inc pump etc.

The device can also be made left-handed.

The Bait Cannons are sold as an R20 device as it is not a toy.

It has been manufactured in NZ, using Marley high pressure fittings rated at 167psi, and quality PVC/Stainless and Brass fittings (no rust). It uses a brass pressure release valve for added safety.

Testimonies always help with a new invention and here is some feedback from very satisfied customers. # Excellent trade, very helpful on pickup. Have tried the bait caster, performs just as he said. Would not hesitate to recommend. Thanks Ken. # Awesome can’t wait to use it. Great quality. Recommend thanks Galdof # Top grade product and excellent trader. # AAA+ thanks Batabaz Fast easy Hubby very happy! Candy floss # Awesome gadget. Works well.

Cheers Stevepree # Good trade look like a lot of fun will do what it supposed to Hitnmiss # Hi Keith, Great buy, thrilled

with your service, works a treat.

Many thanks nzrover2works # great ++goatman awesome trade! absolutely stoked with bait launcher! D-maz # Very happy, it does what it says and more. # a reputable trader. paaco bait canon baitcaster Contact Keith on baitcannons@gmail.com or web site www.baitcannons.com or call 021 0733374

After a week of crap weather on the west coast this fisher went out from Wainui and did an overnight fish, 2 snapper (4kg and 2kg), 4 gurnard, 1 good sized Kahawai, 1 eagle ray and a sea eel, made for an interesting night and morning.

A pensioner drove his brand new Mercedes to 100 mph, looking in his rear view mirror, he saw a police car behind him. He floored it to 140 , then 150, ... then 155, ... Suddenly he thought, “I’m too old for this nonsense !” So he pulled over to the side of the road and waited for the police car to catch up with him.

The officer walked up to him, looked at his watch and said, “Sir, my shift ends in ten minutes. Today is Friday and I’m taking off for the weekend with my family. If you can give me a good reason that I’ve never heard before, why you were speeding... I’ll let you go.”

The Man looked very seriously at the police man, and replied :- “Years ago, my wife ran off with a policeman, I thought you were bringing her back.” !!!

The Cop left saying, “ Have a good day, Sir “...

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Lake Taupo tourist ventures under threat

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tion, submission or meeting with the structures, vessels, kayaks and rafts, the fly fishermen who operate on Lake Taupo, the Taupo District Council or other affected parties.

The Attorney General, Chris Finlayson, met with many of the The Tuwharetoa Maori Trust Board gifting of the Lake as a Reserve. It was not the intention of the 2007 TWCL and said two things: ‘I am have appointed representatives to They appear to have also failed Deed to cause trout fishing guides so sorry. The Deed is clearly deput in place licences for tourism in the administration of due pro- to cease to operate on the waters ficient’ and ‘Get legal advice.’ ventures to operate commercially cess as specified in the 2007 Deed. because they won’t be able to afford The deficiencies in the 2007 Deed on Lake Taupo waters – which en- The demands initially made have the fees or cause their businesses are widespread and will require sigcompassed Lake Taupo and the Riv- bordered on being illegal and to stagnate due to unwieldy costs. nificant wrangling to get it sorted. ers which flow into the Lake saw the the Taupo Waters Collective is Ultimately commercial users will be The Tuwharetoa Treaty Claim Setforming of the Taupo Waters Collec- reserving their rights in this re- left on their own to accept the terms tlement that Finlayson “negotitive. The Taupo Waters collective are gard to take an action against the or risk being trespassed. Some of ated” gives ownership of Lake a group of business owners that de- Trust Board under the Fair Trad- the terms mentioned to date are: Taupo and half the Kaimanawas to rive their income from tourist ven- ing Act and the Commerce Act. annual fees of $1000 plus 7% Tuwharetoa. Tuwharetoa already tures on the Lake and its surround- Commercial users of Lake Taupo are + GST of your gross turnover. own the Kaimanawa A & B blocks. ing areas, which bring millions of likely to be targeted to pay a licence The ability to not issue you with It becomes their land, as it appears tourist dollars into the economy. fee to operate on the waters and this a licence if they choose not to. that DoC are required to give into Unfortunately the Tuwharetoa licence may take any shape or form. The fine print on the licences will be Tuwharetoa, because DoC are in Maori Trust Board representa- Ultimately commercial users will be interesting when it is formulated. a “partnership arrangement” with tives have somehow got it into left on their own to accept the terms It was not the intention of the 2007 Tuwharetoa. This effectively means their heads that the opportunity or risk being trespassed. Some of Deed to cause trout fishing guides that DoC do whatever TMTB tells to derive income from the Taupo the terms mentioned to date are: to cease to operate on the waters them to. It appears that they have alWaters is the goose that laid annual fees of $1000 plus 7% because they won’t be able to afford ready taken over control of the Tontheir golden egg - their words. + GST of your gross turnover. the fees or cause their businesses gariro National Trout Society as well.

Whilst no-one objects to paying for The ability to not issue you with to stagnate due to unwieldy costs.

Commercial access to the Taupo a licence if they choose not to. As a background it is important to Waters - they have made demands The fine print on the licences will be remember that both deeds were which appear to be outside the interesting when it is formulated. negotiated without representa-

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As Water’s Given Away, Styx river maybe in jeopardy Questions are being asked after a lucrative water consent attached to a former wool scouring plant in Christchurch went on the market and could be sold to “PAMS”, the food supply company, who are 51% Asian owned.

Their interest is almost certainly in the water rights. This is a classic example of “water rights trading” if that is so, as PAMS has no interest/history in wool scouring.

The aquifer is very close to the Styx river, a classic trout spring creek; one of the few left in lowland Canterbury.

The bottled NZ water issue created mayhem in Ashburton; so far it has gone under the radar in Christchurch.

The conspiracy theorists in the area are aroused by this and probably quite rightly so. Locals state that the wool scourer never took his allocation and, if PAMS do so, then bores nearby, and regional streams, will suffer.

Regulations about change of purpose for water rights just have to come in; as soon as possible. Will any of the political parties make it a

genuine bottom line for a coalition?

There will be those who are prepared to say they don’t like it BUT we need actual commitments; or is there a minority here?

Our water is in demand for bottling and export, as well as farming use, but it is an area of contention. There have been concerns over the environmental impacts, especially on river flows.

Environment Minister Nick Smith said that the Government was “not concerned” about the sale, and who the potential buyers could be.

“It is not a particular concern to me when New Zealand only uses 2 per cent of its total water resource ... I am not concerned about overseas investment in the water industry, any more than I am in the dairy industry, or the apple industry, or the wine industry.”

But Council of Outdoor Recreation co-chairman Bill Benfield rubbished Minister Smith’s view.

“What Smith fails utterly to comprehend is that regionally, Canterbury’s water resource is grossly over-allo-

cated and the impact in terms of available water is many times greater than his imagined 2%. The theft of the public’s water is an indictment of government indifference, ineptitude and short-sightedness.”

NZ Federation of Freshwater Anglers spokesman Ken Sims said Environment Minister Nick Smith with his engineering doctorate should know better.

“The underground water (aquifer) and surface water (rivers) are undeniably linked. The Selwyn, Irwell and other depleted rivers are mute testimony to greed and government’s short-sighted exploitive drive.”

Ken Sims said the Belfast issue was the proverbial tip of the iceberg.

“Billions of litres of water leave the country every year for sale overseas, driven by mega-corporates, who pay nothing to use the public’s resource, “ he said citing Japanese, USA owned and Chinese backed companies exporting water and paying nothing.

To claim most waterways are fencedoff from dairy cattle is wrong’ says a freshwater ecologist accusing the dairy industry of propagating spin A new report claiming that 97 percent of our waterways are now fenced-off from dairy cattle – which Massey University senior lecturer Mike Joy rejects.

Mr Joy says dairy is on the charm offensive and only a fraction of our waterways are covered in the report.

“I would guess that overall, it’s probably 97 percent of 50 percent of our waterways,” Joy said.

“To claim 97 percent of waterways but not mention that it’s what you define as a waterway, that’s wrong.

“All of the small streams that feed into those larger streams don’t have

fences. All of the rubbish can get in, all of the pathogens that make people sick can get in from those smaller ones. If you don’t get them all, then you don’t deal with the problem.”

Kevin Hackwell from Forest & Bird says efforts by farmers to protect our waterways aren’t up to scratch, some farmers still aren’t pulling their weight.

“Yes, they’ve fenced an awful lot of the streams, but those are the biggest streams, what about the smaller ones where actually most of the pollution enters.”

Hackwell said all regionally significant wetlands have yet to be fenced-off.

“100 percent of them should have been fenced by 2014. They were meant to have fenced them and they haven’t.”

This is what is worrying me about this whole focus on riparian as the panacea. It is the feeder system that has to be considered - first. Start at the top of the catchment, not at the bottom.

And what I can see happening is that box-ticking claim by Fonterra et al. that everything is now alright.

We’re keeping our ‘industrial’ thinking. We’re pouring the nutrients on.

We’re not looking after our soils, and never mind the woodlands and wetlands. We’re accepting the new technofix - riparian. We’ve done it. Job done. All good. Box ticked.

The system is ........ the water & nutrients falling on the land, which may or may not soak in and hold depending on soil quality, which may

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flow overland through intermittent swale-flows and channels (which run permanent in healthy ‘sponge’ landscapes, but not in poor hard-plate landscapes), which may not be mitigated by a string of wetlands, which may then simply punch into the permanent stream systems however much they are fenced and planted out.

Sort of like flushing the loo, connected by swale-pipes into a stream at the bottom ...... with riparian plantings.

And never mind drought resilience or boom-bust flood mitigation.

Drought can be sorted by an irrigation scheme. Flood is not our concern.

We need to stop talking about riparian this and that, and start talking about land health as a whole as necessary for stream health.

The land - all the land - rules the stream.

This issues with intensive dairy and

feedlots are well understood because we exceed those limits in some places whenever it rains.. The fermentation and digestion of poop consumes oxygen and anaerobic conditions support pathogenic bacteria. Biologic oxygen demand, BOD, is the common measure of success and failure and indicator of coli form creating conditions. https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Biochemical_oxygen_demand This whole problem is driven by the supply of dairy products. When actually we don’t need them at all.

As other dairy nations reduce production to mitigate environmental degradation our lot fill the gap.

This is not happening in 1st world societies. It is only possible here because of greed, ignorance, producer laziness and an apathetic public They are exploiting our weak envi-

19

ronmental protection laws - we are in fact like the jungles of third world countries being cleared for palm oil production and this has been allowed to pass for economic development over the past 30 years Trouble is that runoff punches straight through riparian if the landscape above has lots of overland flow - which is why you have to look at riparian, and wetlands and soil quality and nutrient application as a whole system.

We have a bunch of gutless politicians whose policies are crap and detrimental to the health of humans in the long run. Planting won’t stop the pollution. It is stupidity to think that we can’t see behind the hills where the cattle are roaming our streams.

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Dairy industry propagating spin

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