Our dilemma is how recreational fishers
140-tonne allowance.
can make a meaningful contribution
Framing recreationals as being
to rebuilding CRA 2 when it is in such
responsible for the depletion is a
a poor state. The last National Panel
bit rich when excessive commercial
Survey in 2012 reveals that only 17%
harvesting has been condoned for years
of fishers returned with a maximum
even in the face of falling catch rates
bag limit of six crayfish. Around 49%
and exponential growth in effort. How
returned with one or two crayfish.
can commercial interests consider it be
Supporting that research are
reasonable to have a catch rate of 0.25
comments from the CRA 2 survey
kilos per pot lift when in Fiordland it is
respondents. A common theme is
3.5 kilos per pot lift?
that catch rates in some parts of the
The only justification for pulling
Hauraki Gulf and eastern Coromandel
up four pots to harvest one kilo of
are so bad that people don’t even
crayfish in CRA 2 is the export returns
bother suiting up any longer to get
for quota owners, with 95% of live
in the water and dive for a crayfish
exports going to China.
because the returns are so poor.
It’s a crying shame that a fishery
Before the MPI review, commercial
of such high social and cultural
interests indicated they would support
value has become a commodity,
the smallest possible cuts to the Total
available on the open market to
Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC).
the highest bidder while ordinary
There has been a lot of finger pointing
New Zealanders miss out. We are
at recreationals for being responsible
now left to dream of what crayfish
for the demise of CRA 2, despite the
tastes like because we can’t compete
plethora of data that shows recreational
when it comes to paying premium
catch has never got close to the
prices for a once-common catch.
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