Hooked up - Issue 8

HOOKED up ISSUE 8 2016

HOW TO FISH THE NATIONALS

GISBORNE TATAPOURI SFS Tournament

THE LATEST FROM LEGASEA

www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

New Zealand Sport Fishing Council is one of the longest serving incorporated organisations representing recreational anglers.

The NZSFC was formed around the IGFA fishing rules and ethics so that a consistent standard could be set when comparing catches.

The NZSFC offers additional records classes for New Zealand records beyond what IGFA offer for juniors and small-fry anglers. We have refined some of the IGFA rules to make them more suitable for our contests.

Our New Zealand based IGFA representatives keep a close liaison between IGFA and (NZSFC) and have regular input into issues that could affect New Zealand anglers. We have promoted valuable marine research that is internationally respected. This includes the game fish tagging programs for marlin, sharks, tuna and kingfish which now has a history of 17 years of information.

The Council created and continues to support the NZ Marine Research Foundation (NZMRF) for the primary purpose of conducting research on fish species benefiting our membership that could not, or will not be financed by government agencies.

Information from research carried out by the NZMRF has been very valuable when justifying our position in species management. All they have to do is remind themselves, that the majority of what the NZSFC does is for the benefit of individual members rather than equal benefits for each club.

More fish in the sea, better access, water quality, individual legal protection, record recognition, research, advocacy, fishing data collection and dissemination are all individual benefits of belonging to the NZSFC.

2 â—† www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

CONTENTS Editorial........................................................4 Executive Profile: Warren Maher.................6

EDITOR / Dave Lockwood GROUP EDITOR / Colin Kennedy ART

Executive Officer Quarterly Report..............8 Weighmaster Roundup ....................................10

DIRECTOR / Jodi Olsson CONTENT ENQUIRIES / Phone Dave on 021 177 1705 or email secretary@nzsportfishing.org.nz ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES /

Fisheries Research........................................14

Phone Scott Taylor on 021 862 579 or

Gisborne SFC Tournament Profile..............16

WEBSITE /

email sales@nzfishingnews.co.nz

www.NZsportfishing.co.nz

Simrad Product Release..............................19 Fisheries Management Update....................20 Angler Article ..............................................24 Legasea Update ............................................28 NZMRF...................................................32 Club Marine.................................................34

www.nzsportfishing.co.nz â—† 3

EDITORIAL In 2015/2016 the number of club fish weighed and tagged was significantly up on the previous year, as was the number of reported tagged fish, from 1200 in the 2013/2014 season to 2741 in the 2015/2016 season. The demand for tags was so great we had to reorder stock during the season.

On a more sombre note, the terrible tragedy on the Kaipara Harbour was a shock to all in the recreational boating community. Our hearts go out to the families who lost loved ones in New Zealand’s worst recreational boating tragedy.

ith reports of yellowfin been weighed up north and reported sightings of marlin harassing baitfish off Ocean Beach this week, the 2016/2017 season looks to be upon us. Following the outstanding season we had last year, we may be in for another bumper season.

4 ◆ www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

The incident is a timely reminder to the many anglers who cross bars to go fishing that they can be a dangerous exercise. It is therefore important that skippers are well equipped with the skills and knowledge to navigate Bars safely. Maritime NZ has excellent online bar crossing resources that can be found on the following link: http://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/ commercial/safety/crossing-the-bar/ In a little over two months the Annual Nationals Tournament will roll around again. The 2017 Simrad ITM Nationals will be held over eight days from February 18-25. We welcome aboard ITM as a new Nationals sponsor, which joins loyal supporter Simrad, now in their third term as the major sponsor of New Zealand’s most

iconic Sport Fishing Tournament.

For next year’s tournament, we are focussed on enticing new anglers to the event. A ‘How to fish the Nationals guide’ is currently been developed

With less than a week till the holidays, I would like to take time to wish all our members a very merry Christmas and happy new year. May the fishing gods be kind to you all during the festive season, and remember, be safe out there.

and will be circulated to clubs to attract new anglers to the event.

Phil Appleyard President New Zealand Sport Fishing Council Inc Mobile: 027 273 0500 www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

www.nzsportfishing.co.nz ◆ 5

EXECUTIVE PROFILE

Warren Maher Zone 3 Delegate

Warren’s first introduction to fishing was as a child growing up in Taupo and being taught to fly fish by his dad.

Club. He is also their delegate to the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council and has been appointed as Zone 3 Representative to the Board this year.

Days were spent exploring the lake front, Waikato River and up the back of the Waitahanui River with mates.

Having two daughters grow up in Tairua and seeing the love they have developed for fishing, diving and just Christmas holidays brought regular trips being out on the ocean, has hit home the importance of protecting the fishery to Plummers Point Camp Ground, and now and for future generations. There the freshwater fishing gave way to the far more exciting wharf and sea fishing is nothing better than seeing the smile available, from spotties off the wharf to on a kid’s face when they catch a fish and the pride they have when they get kingies cruising past the boat ramp. to show it off.

Warren now lives in Tairua on the Warren believes the NZSFC and Coromandel Peninsula and has the type of life many of us dream of - where Legasea are the best in the business at promoting and protecting the rights of you can balance earning a living as an the recreational fishing public in what electrician with plenty of fishing and diving as the weather allows. He works are very trying times, thanks to the depletion of a number of fish species on Tairua time, where if the sea is flat you go fishing and, as he is not a surfer, throughout the country and the MPI failing to do anything about it. when it’s rough you work – that’s just how it is!

He is proud to be involved with Warren is in his fourth year as president the dedicated people of these of the Tairua Pauanui Sportfishing organizations, and hopes his input over 6 ◆ www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

the coming years will benefit his and our grand kids, so they get to see just what it used to be like.

for a beer, as Warren will most likely be there - or keep an eye out for a yellow Stabicraft, and you may discover one of So, if you are in Tairua, call into the club his fishing spots!

www.nzsportfishing.co.nz â—† 7

FROM THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER

EXECUTIVE OFFICER QUARTERLY REPORT

By Dave Lockwood, Executive Officer, New Zealand Sport Fishing Council

Club Membership

Marlborough Rec Fishers Association.

Overall our membership has increased by approximately 5% from 2015 to 2016. Currently there 55 registered clubs affiliated to the council. Our current membership stands at 33,679, an overall increase of 1,370 members on the previous year. Significant trends to note:

To measure trends within our membership, a further breakdown will be provided to measure the growth or decline within membership categories.

•30 clubs increased their membership from the previous year. Significant increases include New Plymouth SUC, Whangamata, Mercury Bay, Tauranga, Muriwai, Waihau Bay and Whangaroa.

•20 clubs showed a decrease in membership numbers.

•3 clubs membership remained the same.

•4 clubs either resigned or abandoned the Council (Bay of Islands SFC, Hopin, Hibiscus Coast SLC and Napier) •Hawkes Bay SFC rejoined the Council in 2016.

•One new club joined the council – 8 ◆ www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

Member Benefits At the November board meeting, the board agreed to change the structure of our Club Benefit schemes. It was unanimously agreed that we pass on 100% of the rebates received by Council from Club Marine and Go Fuel.

Under the old agreement with Go Fuel, club members received discounted fuel prices at the pump and marinas, and NZSFC received 100% of the rebate. The old scheme did not incentivise the club in any way to promote the scheme. This has been changed to provide clubs with tangible financial benefit for promoting the Go Fuel Program The old Club Marine program provided clubs with a rebate of 6% of the total premium on policies taken out by club

members. The percentage will now be increased to reflect that 100% of the rebate is now passed on to the club.

Switch Utilities Club Power program is a new member-benefit scheme that provides rebates to clubs whose members sign over to Club Power. For more information, please check out the following link http://switchclubpower.co.nz/ Tags The new season tags have arrived in the country. The price of tags will remain the same as last season, with stainless tags priced at $3.50 + GST and plastic tags $3.60 + GST. Tags are sold at cost price to clubs. Some clubs have applied to Gaming Trusts to fund new season tags. If you would like to do this, send me a quote request for the number of tags you would like to purchase. I would encourage clubs to get in early when purchasing tags. There was unprecedented demand last year and we had to reorder new tags from Australia.

Bar Crossings The recent bar crossing tragedy at the Kaipara Bar was terrible and unnecessary loss of life. If you intend to cross bars this summer, please ensure you have the necessary skills and knowledge to do it safely. If unsure, seek advice from experienced skippers in your club; it’s better to be safe than sorry. As Phil has mentioned in his President’s message, there are excellent resources on Maritime NZ’s website. Check out the following

information on the Maritime NZ Website: http://www.maritimenz.govt. nz/commercial/safety/crossing-thebar/. These are really informative online resources that give skippers in-depth knowledge of some of New Zealand’s most dangerous bars.

Nationals Information on the 2017 Simrad ITM Nationals will be forwarded to clubs shortly. A new promotional ‘How to fish the Nationals’ booklet will be forwarded to clubs for circulation. We are keen to target anglers who have never fished the Nationals before and who could be keen to give it a go. Last year we trialled entering in the catch data with some clubs. The greater the number of clubs that undertake this, the speedier the publication of results will be. We are looking to develop a results sheet (with the assistance of our software providers) that can be uploaded directly into the software.

Website Progress is well under way with the new proposed website. We are in the process of finalising quotes and providers for the digital makeover. The intention is to have the new website operational and in place by September 2017. A new and improved website will give clubs access to databases with their own log-ins. A presentation is planned at the next AGM.

www.nzsportfishing.co.nz ◆ 9

WEIGHMASTER ROUNDUP

SO, YOU THINK YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BECOME 2017 NZSFC CHAMPIONS

By Paul Batten

It’s time to prove yourselves (hopefully) to those old salts sitting at the same leaner/table every night in your club reminiscing about the old days, their big catches and the old ways of fishing.

attractions.

Perhaps you and a couple of mates have decided: ‘have trailer-boat will travel’ – after all, being relatively small and mobile means you can travel by road to where you’d like to fish for a couple of days, then perhaps relocate overnight to where the action appears to be happening if necessary.

The NZ Sport Fishing Simrad ITM Nationals has 16 sections, 19 lineclass divisions targeting 13 separate species for points accumulation, with winners rewarded by trophies, certificates and perhaps awarded the title of ‘National Champion’ at the end of competition.

The NZ Sport Fishing Council would like to thank Simrad for their third year as a major sponsor and welcome in ITM for their first year as a new major sponsor.

So, the big question is: how do we compete and win? The simple answer On the other hand, those on bigger launches might be planning to fish at is, you need to be a good all-rounder. the Three Kings, weather permitting, While being good at one style of or say, at Waihau Bay. These days it’s fishing may earn enough points to possible to be based away from your achieve a single section win, the ability to adapt and fish some of home port for the whole eight days the other sections will help lift your - a real stay-away event - returning angler(s), team and club higher in only to weigh in or report tag-andthe points rankings so more section released catches. What a buzz to troll through the daylight hours, then wins are achieved. bait fish for the inshore species at As with all competitive events, night at various anchorage each the ‘Five Ps’ take precedent: night, a real mix of styles and Proper Preparation Prevents Poor 10 ◆ www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

Performance For those with a little spare time over the break and needing a little away time from the family, having had a little too much sugar and festivities, have a look online at our past ten years’ Nationals results. See who caught what, won what, and where the overall winners reside. http://www.nzsportfishing.co.nz/ nationals/results06/ right thru to http://www.nzsportfishing.co.nz/ nationals/results16/.

A little detective work can pay dividends. For example, once you figure out which of the northern clubs’ teams are launch-based, you can work out which ones were at the Three Kings and which ones were fishing locally for striped marlin (check catch by date for more valuable info). Blue and black marlin can be caught up north, but Waihau Bay has the most section wins for these species, followed by the rest of the BoP, and northern waters from Great Barrier up to North Cape.

teams are: albacore, kahawai, yellowtail kingfish, slender and skipjack tuna, snapper, and trevally.

The occasional shark may also turn up, as well as the odd misguided marlin if you have live baits set for kingfish.

The first question most intending Nationals anglers ask is: how do we score the points? Well, the points are awarded using this formula: the weight of fish times 100 divided Now let’s look at how the new fishers by the line-class weight equals the perhaps planning to enter using their points gained per fish.

The line classes used by inshore 6.0m family trailer-boat targeting fishers tend to be 1kg thru to 10kg the inshore fishery species (a little (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10), but when more time and experience on the live baiting for yellowtail kingfish, water might be needed before they you may choose 15, 24 or even 37kg tackle marlin or go further offshore - just in case one of those pesky than they feel comfortable with). marlins turn up. the odd shark may The species on offer for the inshore www.nzsportfishing.co.nz ◆ 11

WEIGHMASTER ROUNDUP bite as well, so a tag pole may be handy here for a quick 100 points per tag. On the truly flat, calm days you may even decide to head out trolling lures looking for tuna, both the bigger and smaller ones.

To get 100 points, you need a fish that weighs the same as the line weight used - a 2.0kg kahawai caught on 2kg line say or, likewise, a 6.0kg snapper caught on 6kg line. The secret here is to know your fishing area, see what you’re catching, then scale your line class up or down to suit. This is where the fun begins: should the whole team fish the same line class or do you perhaps draw straws to decide who targets which species?

Let’s look at last year’s results for some keen battles between the place getters. Section 1 (top three scoring fish): the Team Champions Kahawai section involved a good tussle, with second-placed ‘Dawn Treader’ fishing for the Maraetai Beach Boating Club Fishing and Diving section with 666.10 points, and third-place winners X-Calibre fishing for the Warkworth Gamefish Club with 662.2 points - a mere 3.9 points separating them.

Team Champions Snapper involved another close points chase, with second-placed team 430, fishing for Wellington Surfcasting & Angling Club amassing 654.0 points, while 12 ◆ www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

third-placed team, Brenda L, fishing for the Warkworth Gamefish Club, got 641.67 points - just 12.33 points difference.

The Nationals is such a great event: it’s a contest that sees mate versus mate, team versus team, club versus club, and region versus region – and in the end we get to see who New Zealand’s latest champions are!

WE CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT

PROMOTING F IS H IN G R E S E A R C H FOR FU T U R E A N G L IN G . www.nzsportfishing.co.nz â—† 13

FISHERIES RESEARCH

BLUE WATER MARINE RESEARCH

By John Holdsworth

The club catch records have been complied for the 2015-16 NZSFC Yearbook. It was a very good year for striped marlin, with 900 fish landed and 1570 tagged and released. This is a new record-high catch recorded

by NZSFC clubs for fish caught inside our 200-nautical-mile economic zone. Included in the total were more small striped marlin than usual. This could be because good numbers of young fish entered the fishery, or that the smaller fish favouring warmer water came further south.

The west coast clubs did particularly well, accounting for 30% of all the striped marlin caught. However, the 2015-2016 season was atypical, as we had a warm El Nino summer with more easterlies than the cool westerlies predicted for El Nino years.

Another factor in the high catch recorded was an increase in the number of people out fishing for marlin and tuna.

While there has been a decline in the number of large gamefish charter boats, there has been a marked increase in trailer boats, of all sizes, out wide looking for big fish.

Another positive for the 2015-2016 season was the return of reasonable numbers of yellowfin tuna. Over 550 yellowfin were recorded by 14 â—† www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

NZSFC clubs - the highest tally for 11 years (Figure 1). This is about a quarter of the catch recorded in the mid-1990s, but continues a reassuring trend, following a modest run of yellowfin in 2014-2015.

The number of mako sharks caught was also high in the mid-1990s and declined to lows in the mid-2000s.

These days few recreational fishers target mako sharks; most are hooked as a bycatch when fishing for marlin or swordfish.Over the last few years, 95% of mako sharks in NZSFC club records have been tagged and released.

There were 62 yellowfin tagged in 2016 with estimated release weights between 10kg and 65kg (an average of 32kg). While there have been no recent recaptures, historically 15

Figure 1: The total of landed or tagged fish by year from NZSFC club records since 1993-94 showing the main billfish, tuna and shark species in the New Zealand gamefish fishery.

Figure 2: The number of yellowfin tuna by 5 kg weight classes from club records in the last 2 seasons.

yellowfin tagged in New Zealand have been re-caught in Fiji, Australia and the North Tasman Sea as well as here. At least one of those recaptures was a fish that had returned to New Zealand the following season.

Catch records of individual fish from Northland and Bay of Plenty clubs show a lot of yellowfin in the 25 to 35kg range in 2015-2016 (Figure 2).

These would mostly have been twoyear-old fish. What does not show up so well is the run of small yellowfin from 10 to 18kg that were caught in 2014-2015. Many of these one-yearold fish were probably considered too small to weigh, so not recorded. To gather more information on where our yellowfin come from, it would be good to get more of them tagged and released this year. There was also a scattering of large tuna last season, which is good to see (Figure 2). So what will 2017 be like?

On the climate front, the chance of La Nina conditions this summer has faded. A more neutral outlook is predicted by NIWA, with eight to 10 named tropical cyclones in the SW Pacific, with one

impacting New Zealand, in line with the long-term average.

Early indications are that the water temperature will start off a little cooler than last year, but we would expect some of the young yellowfin and marlin that were here in 2016 to return for another look.

It has been a while since we had a bumper blue marlin season. Hopefully the mahimahi are here in good numbers and the big fish will follow.

The swordfish catch has increased in recent years and this should continue in 2017, but it will be late February or March before there is much action from them.

Club catch details are a valuable source of information. Fishers should be encouraged to weigh, or at least report their catch to a club, so we can track trends in the fishery and even try and predict what will happen in the coming season.

Thanks to all the club weigh masters and record keepers who collect this information. It really helps to strengthen the profile of gamefishing in New Zealand, both here and internationally. www.nzsportfishing.co.nz â—† 15

TOURNAMENT PROFILE

GISBORNE TATAPOURI TOURNAMENT PROFILE

by Craig Miller & Alain Jorion

he Gisborne Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club has an amazing history that started from nothing to become one of the largest in New Zealand today, boasting a membership of over 4,000 people.

This represents a huge percentage of Gisborne’s population and shows that fishing is a significant and important sport for locals.

The club is run by devoted committee members who give their time to make things happen. The club holds many great contests for its members and visitors year round, particularly during summer. Almost all important NZ fish species are found in these waters.

The club holds two very well run and popular tournaments - the Bay Bonanza and the Marlin and Tuna Tournament 16 ◆ www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

both of which have a prize pool in excess of $50,000 and attract upwards of 400 anglers.

The Bay Bonanza is currently in its 33rd year and covers all species from bottom fish to big gamefish. This is a cash-based contest, with sponsors putting up prize amounts ranging from $100 to $5,000, depending on species. As with any large contest, there has to be a draw card, and in the past major prizes included boats and cars. However, in recent years the club has moved away from such prizes, instead offering $20,000 cash as its major prize. This annual contest runs for three days over Auckland Anniversary Weekend January 27–29, 2017, with no cancellation or postponement due to weather.

The Marlin And Tuna Hunt Tournament

is exclusively fished for all the major gamefish species caught in New Zealand. Every year this four-day tournament attracts visitors from other regions, such as Napier and Mahia, many of whom make the sojourn by sea in their boats.

While the region doesn’t catch as many marlin as its northern counterparts, it still produces some quality fish such as albacore to 25kg, tuna to 150kg, kingfish to 40kg and marlin. How many clubs can boast two 1,000-pound captures - a black marlin and a mako shark - caught during one contest?

The top prize of $10,000 is awarded for the heaviest marlin or tuna, with the weight of the largest tuna doubled and then compared with the weight of the best marlin to determine the grand prize winner.

of quality products from Shimano, Kilwell, Accurate Reels and Bonze lures - to name but a few. As with any event, without our great sponsors this event would not be possible. This tournament is held mid to late February each year, with next year’s dates being February 16-19, 2017.

So, you see Gisborne is not only a great place to live but also a great place to fish. The Gisborne Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club has panoramic views of the harbour and one of the largest displays of mounted fish in NZ. It also has a wonderful atmosphere and is a great club to belong to and visit.

For more on the Gisborne Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club, please visit the club’s website www.gtsfc.co.nz or Facebook page Gisborne-Tatapouri Fishing-Club.

Other prizes for this tournament consist www.nzsportfishing.co.nz ◆ 17

Gisborne Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club

18 â—† www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

ANNOUNCING NEW SIMRAD NSS EVO3 MULTIFUNCTION DISPLAYS Next generation Simrad NSS Evo3 multifunction displays were announced today, featuring new SolarMAX HD screens, Dual Channel CHIRP sounder compatibility and an expanded keypad, plus a host of premium features that make the NSS Evo3 Series the choice of power boaters and sport fishermen around the globe.

The NSS Evo3 series will include 16-, 12-, 9- and 7-inch models with an updated, easy-touse interface and support for full operation via touchscreen or keypad, making the unit easier to operate when the boat is in motion in all weather conditions.

Simrad SolarMAX HD display technology provides high-definition visuals and exceptional clarity with extra-wide viewing angles, perfect for use in direct sunlight as well as low light environments. Most importantly, the touchscreen works accurately even when wet – covered in fresh or salt water – it won’t impact performance.

Designed for the offshore fisherman, Dual Channel CHIRP enables wide-angle and deep-view sonar images from the same transducer (with a dual channel CHIRP sonar transducer installed on their boat). Boaters can cover more water and mark fish targets more clearly with Network Dual Sounder technology, which provides sonar data from a network of CHIRP transducers - the NSS Evo3 can display multiple sonar inputs simultaneously.

Whether cruising or fishing, Simrad NSS Evo3 features trusted navigation technology with a 10Hz internal GPS antenna, wide choice of maps, full autopilot integration, engine monitoring interfaces and TripIntel - making it easy to plan journeys based on fuel range, tide and detailed trip history.

Improve situational awareness by adding Broadband 3G, Broadband 4G or the award-winning

Halo radar system - all of which are fully compatible, designed for ease of use and installation, providing a clear view of what’s around you.

Add ForwardScan sonar to navigate with more confidence, safely identifying any obstacles that lie beneath the water ahead of you.

Built-in Wi-Fi enables access to GoFree online services to download software updates and map purchases directly to the unit, plus it delivers smartphone monitoring and tablet control to extend the display’s reach well beyond the helm.

The Simrad NSS16 evo3, NSS12 evo3, NSS9 evo3 and NSS7 evo3 can be purchased from authorised dealers and distributors with the following RRP: NSS16 Evo3 with Basemap $7419 RRP NSS12 Evo3 with Basemap $5179 RRP NSS9 Evo3 with Basemap $3599 RRP NSS7 Evo3 with Basemap $2509 RRP NSS evo3 is scheduled to be available in February 2017. For more information on the Simrad NSS evo3 displays, the NSS evo product family or the entire line of Simrad Yachting marine electronics, visit www.simrad-yachting.com.

www.nzsportfishing.co.nz ◆ 19

FISHERIES MANAGEMENT UPDATE

Fisheries Management Summary The Hauraki Gulf snapper fishery is about to undergo a major review. By Peter Campbell

Pelagic fisheries update

species needs to be international, and NZSFC supports moves by New Club catch records have been Zealand officials to introduce harvest compiled for the 2015-2016 NZSFC strategies for tuna species and, Yearbook. This was a very good year for striped marlin, with 900 fish landed eventually, billfish. These will include target biomass and limit reference and 1570 tagged and released. The points agreed to by members of the west coast clubs did particularly well, Western and Central Pacific Fisheries accounting for 30% of all the striped Commission. However, management marlin caught. There were also over by consensus at Commission meetings 550 yellowfin tuna recorded, the is laboriously slow. highest tally for 11 years. We are looking forward to what the 2016Snapper 1 Management Plan 2017 season will bring, with a weak Preliminary results of the NZSFC La Nina predicted. Thanks to all the club weighmasters and record keepers online SNA1 survey were presented to the Snapper 1 Strategy Group who collect this information - it really meeting on October 27, 2016. The helps to strengthen the profile of SNA1 Management Plan has been gamefishing in New Zealand, both finalised. Group chair Sir Ian Barker locally and internationally. presented the Plan to the minister and The Highly Migratory Species Fisheries MPI Director-General on November Plan is six years old and due for an 22. It is likely the minister will seek to overhaul. MPI has prepared a draft establish a SNA1 Advisory Group in the plan and NZSFC will be responding to near future. that over the next couple of months.

There needs to be ongoing recognition The NZSFC needs to consider potential and support for maintaining our world- involvement in this group. Ongoing technical and logistical issues are class sport fisheries. holding up the next SNA1 tagging Management of highly migratory project, which may cause delays to the 20 â—† www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

next stock assessment and, ultimately, Thanks to Scott Bradley and others for sending fishing pictures that we can any fresh allocation decisions. The final results of our SNA1 survey have use in future publications. been published and are available Special request: Please, we still online at want new images for our publications, https://goo.gl/03MVxO. including the Annual Report. We particularly need fishing pictures, Fisheries Management Annual children, adults, the fish, the cockpit, Report the scene. If taking photos of people and their fish, please remember Hard copies of the Fisheries NO SUNGLASSES, as they do not Management Annual Report 2015project a good image for the person 2016 are available from Dave; please or our publication. Highest resolution email him secretary@nzsportfishing. possible image. Please email or call org.nz (it is also online at Trish if you want to discuss this further. https://goo.gl/zxoivx). trish@legasea.co.nz

Hauraki Gulf Marine Spatial Plan

The Hauraki Gulf snapper fishery is The Hauraki Gulf Marine Spatial about to undergo a major review. Plan will be publicly released on

December 6th and 7th in Auckland and Thames. This is the culmination of three years’ work by a mixed group of representatives, officials and mana whenua, including our own Scott Macindoe. After the Plan’s release, the NZSFC will have an opportunity to promote the Plan. However, given the collaborative nature of the discussions, there are some controversial elements to the Plan that will raise public interest and, potentially, opposition.

We have pushed hard for a separate Fisheries Management Area for the Hauraki Gulf, and it will be interesting to see if the decision makers see merit in that approach. In our view this is the most effective way to achieve the necessary catch reductions to rebuild abundance and restore productivity to the marine environment in the Gulf. www.nzsportfishing.co.nz ◆ 21

It is also likely that this release will prompt interest from other groups on the east coast to get underway with a similar initiative.

Submissions Since October the NZSFC has tabled two fisheries management submissions: one supporting Kiwis Against Seabed Mining (KASM) and opposing a seabed mining application in the South Taranaki Bight, the other repeating the call for the minister to revoke the concession in CRA3 that allows for the commercial harvest of undersized crayfish. Both submissions are worth reading to better understand why the NZSFC is seeking to protect both our fisheries and the environment in which they live.

a. Seabed mining Taranaki NZSFC submission made in conjunction with Kiwis Against Seabed Mining (KASM). NZSFC submitted that the Environmental Protection Authority must decline the seabed mining application as we do not believe it meets the legal requirements of the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2012. https://goo. gl/0BhmUv

b. Crayfish 3 – Joint

Submission by NZSFC and Gisborne Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club recommending the minister revoke the commercial concession enabling the harvest of undersized crayfish. We also submitted that a full review of crayfish management in New Zealand 22 ◆ www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

is required. https://goo.gl/PWnKkP

Consultations

Consultation is currently underway for two processes with differing emphasis, one on marine protection and the other on fisheries management. Both are receiving due consideration and will be responded to by their respective deadlines –

a. South-East MPAs

The South-East Marine Protection Forum has proposed 20 sites for possible inclusion in a network of MPAs along the southeast coast of the South Island. A consultation document has been released. A series of drop-in meetings from Invercargill to Christchurch was held between November 5-20. The consultation document is currently being reviewed prior to submission. Submission deadline is December 20, 2016 https://south-eastmarine.org.nz

b. Fisheries system review MPI

released the next phase of the fisheries system review – the Future of our Fisheries programme (FOOF) - on November 11. This programme incorporates three projects, two focused on commercial activities, and one focused on fisheries management information and decision-making. A series of hefty documents hs been released and a summary will be circulated as soon as it is available.

Submission deadline is December 23, 2016. http://www.mpi.govt.nz/lawand-policy/legal-overviews/fisheries/ fisheries-management-system-review/

Gofuel Supporter Club Preferred agreement Rebate of 1c Mobil and .5c for BP & Z per litre of fuel purchased by the club and its members when using Gofuel Fuelcard’s.

The rebate will be paid to any participating Sport Fishing Club that signs up as a Gofuel Supporter Club!

To be eligible for this offer the club must: • Be a member club of the NZSFC

• Promote the Gofuel Offer on their club website –

Gofuel can provide you an embed code for your website

• Undertake at least 2 Gofuel promotions per annum –

Ie inclusion in newsletters

–

Inform/remind members of Gofuel offer on club nights

–

Display brochures at club

• Communicate with their members that if they are current Gofuel Sport Fishing card holders to advise Gofuel their preferred club by emailing gofuel@plpl.co.nz with their account name and/or account number.

• Rebates will be paid to the individual club once the rebate amount reaches $100 or more for your club.

Any assistance required please contact: Jo Warren Phone: 021506075 Or Email: gofuel@plpl.co.nz

www.nzsportfishing.co.nz ◆ 23

ANGLER ARTICLE

TONY ORTON PROFILE TIMES ARE CHANGING Part 2

By Richard Baker and Scott Cushman

Whether it be for marlin or kingfish, Tony Orton only uses in-line circle hooks and suggests the hook-up rates are every bit as good as for conventional J hooks.

Tony Orton, professional fisherman, charter guide and travelling fisherman.

With thousands of billfish captures for his clients, family and friends, as well as a true passion for fishing the world over to learn different sport-fishing techniques, it’s no wonder he looks at life in a different way. Here is part 2 on what goes on in the head of a man who has dedicated his life to sport fishing.

I am a firm believer that if the recreational fishing sector cleans up its act, combined with the information 24 ◆ www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

now available on the far greater economic value of recreational fishing, then the commercial sector will face overwhelming pressure to change for the good.

Having said that, I also feel that recreational fishers in New Zealand are currently behind most of the world when it comes to over-killing in their sport fishery - we still have a long way to go.

We have a government that’s already had the vision to make marlin a recreational-only species and for kingfish captures to have a heavy bias towards

recreational fishers.

World-leading sportfishing practices will see fishing tourism return far greater benefits to NZ into the future.

Commercial fishing using bulk harvesting with low-value returns will never match tourism returns and will be consigned to history. The sooner, the better I say.

The demise of our historic, once strong, inshore sportfishing charter fleet prior to the decimation of our inshore fisheries is a matter of record - yet the new entrants starting to emerge over the last few years to take advantage of the growing demand for fishing tourism is heartening.

Over the last few years I have seen some positive changes coming out of the IGFA. They may not move as fast as we would like, but the changes are happening, with the trend increasingly moving towards the future wellbeing of our fishery Inline circle hooks If you’re going to be releasing fish, then circle hooks are strongly recommended - or should even be made compulsory when fishing live or dead baits. After all, inline circle hooks (unkirbed) have been mandatory for many overseas tournaments where baits/live baits are used for many years, and overseas anglers are now only fishing with this style of hook.

While it does take a short time to learn how to use them effectively, once mastered, the hook-up rate is just as good. We only use inline circles on my charter boat when bait fishing, and get much less than 5% of our fish hooked internally.

All clubs, tournaments and charter boats need to lead the way and encourage Kiwi anglers to change over to inline circle hooks.

‘Touch the leader and it’s a caught fish’ … and that’s when the fight started!

We can all argue this is right or wrong, but at the end of the day if trying to release a fish in the best condition, then this aspect will be a positive outcome.

The ‘touch the leader concept’ is only rejected by purists trying to make a direct comparison to the historic assessment of when a fish is caught and able to be killed.

During our time overseas doing the international tournament circuit, we noticed that most tournaments had done away with tagging, with only a short continuous video showing the angler, footage identifying the species, ID card and showing the deckhand touching the leader being required to prove the fish was caught.

The fish is released quickly and not stressed by the boat. Whereas, if a tag is placed/shot at a fish, this can often be placed in a harmful spot due to a heatwww.nzsportfishing.co.nz ◆ 25

“

“

This is one of the smartest changes I have seen, and already I have noticed a social change in people’s thinking.

of-the-moment shot being taken.

The use of light-gauge hooks and lighter leaders suits this style of fishing, too.

The use of lighter terminal tackle will see you get more bites, is action packed, and will give you a better chance to get onto another fish more quickly if the bite is on!

On my boat we are now using 150lb to 220lb fluorocarbon leader with 10/0–12/0 inline circles for all marlin fishing, and are experiencing more bites and hook-ups. When combined with aggressive driving, most striped marlin are being released with a fight time of 20-25 minutes.

I now get bored with the argument of what is a ‘caught fish’. For me a caught fish is whatever the angler’s or tournament’s expectation is. Wether it be a tag, touch the leader, or the fish lying in the boat, it’s all very simple, it’s the expectation set before hooking the fish. As far as I’m concerned, if we get 26 ◆ www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

a wrap on the leader it’s caught - and a photo by the boat is the icing on the cake.

Measure not weigh!

This is one of the smartest changes I have seen, and already I have noticed a social change in people’s thinking.

A lot of anglers now come on my charter boat and only talk about the lengths of their fish. They are not even worried about a fish’s weight. It’s much quicker and easier to measure a fish safely than trying to weigh the fish before release.

For the new generation of anglers, length will become the accepted way to recognise personal-best fish.

Marlin rulers are also great for getting a length on a marlin before release, and it’s far more accurate than guessing the weight. This season all reports for my charter company will be in length only.

New line-class rule proposal I have to thank the NZ Sport Fishing

Council for the work they have done on this issue, with their representatives Mark Hemingway and Pete Saul travelling to the USA to present the proposal to the IGFA and supporting the change.

The proposed change involves a minimum five-metre top-shot of tested monofilament determining the line class is a well overdue game changer, in recognition of the already widely-used

braid lines.

This is a huge step in the right direction for our sport, and as a travelling angler this means I now only need one small modern reel with braid backing to be able to fish different line classes.

Wishing you all tight lines and an amazing game season ahead!

Being able to ‘legally’ fish braid is a big plus for many anglers.

www.nzsportfishing.co.nz â—† 27

LEGASEA UPDATE

THE LATEST FROM LEGASEA

By Scott MacIndoe / Trish Rea

While this was a big effort, it was a worthwhile event to engage with the It is now event season and LegaSea is public and politicians, including Minister receiving invitations to numerous events.

Nathan Guy, and to catch up with our Thankfully, we have a well-tuned team of various LegaSea partners on the way to volunteers, ably led and coordinated by Napier.

Si Yates and Piet Battaerd.

Snapper 1 survey As well as the club fishing competitions LegaSea ran an online survey gathering and marine displays, the LegaSea public feedback on the Snapper 1 team was pleased to support LegaSea Management Plan from the October Hawkes Bay and participate in its local 21st to 28th. This generated almost A & P show, from October the 19-21, 2016. Over $2000 was raised by selling 2600 responses, a pleasing result representing the most feedback MPI fish cut-outs. These cut-outs were then received on the plan. Preliminary stuck to a wall built with the generous survey results were summarised and support of Timu ITM, to represent provided to the SNA1 Strategy Group how their donations were rebuilding in late October. Final results were sent the fishery in the Hawkes Bay region. to MPI and the LegaSea database on The event also resulted in a $10,000 November 3, 2016. Results can be donation from a member of the public grateful for the work of LegaSea Hawkes viewed online at https://www.legasea. co.nz/polls/snapper-1-survey-report/.

Bay. Event season

28 â—† www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

Over $2000 was raised by selling fish cut-outs at the Hawkes Bay A&P Show. These cut-outs were then stuck to a wall built with the generous support of Timu ITM, to represent how their donations were rebuilding the fishery in the Hawkes Bay region.

Communications

LegaSea online

As LegaSea becomes better known, we are increasingly sought out for comments and columns in mainstream media. Richard Baker and Scott Macindoe are our spokespeople, with Paul Brislen managing our media programme.

The LegaSea online shop has been revamped in time for a special Xmas promotion. The first email advertising the merchandise specials went out on November 28 with another promo set to run in early December.

Our team continues to produce articles for a variety of fishing publications.

These are uploaded online on a regular basis at https://www.legasea.co.nz/ updates/

Articles are being published regularly online and the weekly Fryday FryUp is gaining traction, albeit slower than anticipated. Please make a point of checking in often to see what’s new, what’s hot and not, online https://www. legasea.co.nz/updates/ www.nzsportfishing.co.nz ◆ 29

As the outreach arm of the NZSFC, LegaSea makes the most of its opportunities to talk to as many of the public as possible.

Cush and our social media team are doing a good job engaging with the wider public through posts on Facebook and other media sites.

Fundraising Grant applications totalling over $60,000 have been submitted to a range of organisations. A request for more information has been received from one source. That aside, we do not expect any substantial response 30 â—† www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

between now and the New Year. The grants are to fund the Fish Care bestpractice guide that we expect to release in early 2017. Will keep you updated on the expected launch date for the Fish Care programme.

Our partner programme continues as a result of Si Yates’ dedication to generating and maintaining these important relationships. Sam Woolford and Piet Battaerd are also helping out in this realm. LegaSea Legends

“

“

We are committed to growing the database and giving a broad audience the information they need to make an informed choice

remains a focus for our team as they attend a variety of events and make presentations.

available to people who are committed to signing up their family and friends to receive LegaSea news, enabling them to learn more about the work underway.

If interested in obtaining a booklet or Growing support finding out how you can help, please There is power in numbers, and between email subscribe@legasea.co.nz or call 0800 LEGASEA (534 273). now and the 2017 election we are committed to growing the database and giving a broad audience the information they need to make an informed choice.

We have a raft of public speaking and To find out more visit us here and event opportunities available to us over subscribe for updates. Follow the summer, so we have developed LegaSea’s community engagement a new tool to assist our team - a by liking us on Facebook subscriber booklet. This booklet will be

www.nzsportfishing.co.nz ◆ 31

NZMRF

NZ MARINE RESEARCH FOUNDATION REPORT

The NZ Marine Research Foundation is now in the process of rebuilding our finances after the major outlay on the value of recreational fishing in NZ project. This project was the second-most expensive in our history and consumed over NZ$300,000 in various stages covering two years. An extension of that project - to compare a recreationally-caught fish value to the same fish caught commercially is on our table, but has not yet been approved. A decision to proceed, or not, with this will be made at our next meeting in December and will be based on our ability to fund what is expected to be a $35,000 project. (Only once before have we been fully extended, and that was during the striped marlin tagging project from 2003-2009 over three different stages, which cost over NZ$400,000. We did manage to successfully rebuild our finances after that, so have no doubt we will do so again.)

So with this in mind, it’s timely to reflect where we have spent your money. I say ‘your money’ because you have made donations, even if you didn’t realise.

Every member of an affiliated sports fishing club has made a yearly donation 32 ◆ www.nzsportfishing.co.nz

to our cause. This started with 50c per person a year back in 1996, and is now $2 per person. This has been supported by extra donations from charities, clubs, businesses and caring individuals and families. Research can be expensive, but we aim to get the maximum return per dollar. So where did it go?

The foundation was officially launched in 1999 after several years of building funds through the NZ Sports Fishing Council to provide our core fund or reserve of $100,000. Then, later that year, we started…

•1999-2003: $16,000 on striped marlin catch rate in northern NZ waters •2000-2001: $95,000 on the economic contribution of billfish to NZ •2003-2004: $34,000 on the first stage of striped marlin satellite tagging •2004: $6500 on characterisation of recreational kahawai fisheries •2005: $85,000 on the second stage of striped marlin satellite tagging •2006-2009: $300,000 on the third stage of striped marlin satellite tagging •2007-2008: $5000 on pacific bluefin tuna satellite tagging •2011-2015: $15000 on rig shark

tracking •2011: $6000 on the value of recreational fishing feasibility study •2012: $2000 on the study of yellowfin tuna •2012-2013: $16,000 on fish welfare submission to govt •2013: $40,000 on gathering international research on recreational fishing value •2014-2016: $250,000 on recreational fishing value project.

Information on these projects can be found on our website nzmrf.org.nz That adds up to a total of $870,500 spent so far. Approximately two-thirds of that was paid for by the members of the NZSFC. I should also mention that we

have been very efficient in our administration: over the 17 years of operating, we spend less than $2000 per year, and even these costs are largely the result of official audits. This low cost is due to the trustees donating their time and waiving nearly all expenses.

As we move forward, I would like to thank again the members of the NZSFC who have largely been responsible for funding the work we do. We also appreciate that you, the members, had the foresight to create the foundation and this year agreed to double your donations from $1 per member to $2 – that makes a massive difference to what we can do for all our benefit!

www.nzsportfishing.co.nz ◆ 33

Recently, following the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council AGM we approved a big change to the way that our sponsorship arrangement with Club Marine insurance is structured.

For Several years Club Marine and the NZSFC have had a growing partnership. Club Marine have and continue to support wide ranging marine initiatives including Legasea.

In addition to this historical support, Club Marine has recently agreed with the Council to revise a generous sponsorship partnership for all Clubs nationwide.

Alternatively, you can obtain a quote online simply by following the process on our website: http://www. nzsportfishing.co.nz/club-marine/ A little bit about Club Marine…

Underwritten by Allianz Australia, Club Marine is Australasia’s largest provider of recreational boat insurance. Club Marine Members are more than policy holders. When you arrange insurance for your boat with Club Marine, you become a member of a club where you can rest assured you’ve got the support you need, when you need it.

And as a Club Marine Member, you’re treated to a range of extra benefits Now, Club members who arrange a and exclusive offers - including policy through Club Marine will not only unlimited access to a network of receive a discount for their insurance service centres and marine suppliers policy, but Club Marine will now give across Australia and New Zealand, and 15% of the insurance premium to your free 24/7 service and assistance with own Club as a sponsorship and 10% Club Marine Assist. on renewal.

Boat Insurance is something that most How do I take advantage of this? of us have, why not take advantage of this offer and assist your Club?

We invite you to contact the Club Marine office for a no-obligation quote on 0800 88 2582, all you need to do is mention your Clubs name, have your insurance details handy and they will walk you through the process.

34 ◆ www.nzsportfishing.co.nz