May 2019 The Fishing Paper & Hunting News Issue 164

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May 2019 Issue 164

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Telltale yellowtail sign Story page pg4

 Elephant Fish

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THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - MAY 2019

MARINTEC Dave James Not steering a bum course They say that having a good autopilot is like having an extra crew member, and I wholeheartedly agree, plus, unlike crew members, autopilots don’t backchat under pressure!

What is a marine autopilot and how does it work?

Well, that has changed over time but the quintessential conventional pilot (autopilot) system included a display and a processor (sometimes combined) together with a heading sensor and a rudder feedback unit (RFU), interfaced to a drive unit.

A heading sensor is a generic term for any device that provides heading information to the pilot. It could be a gyro, a magnetic pick off coil, a magnetic fluxgate compass, or a GPS satellite compass.

Ships gyrocompass systems are expensive but provide excellent heading reference, so you usually see these only on larger craft.

Once common years ago, magnetic pick off coils take the heading off the regular ships compass but are less reliable these days. They’ve long been replaced by electronic fluxgate magnetic technology.

Fluxgate compasses are

susceptible to interference from other equipment on the ship that have magnetic fields, particularly devices that have a changeable field like electronic pumps, which can throw out your heading.

Yikes! Fluxgate compasses also need to be installed in a specific location, which is not always easy on a vessel, and they are not a great solution for metal ships.

Then, along came the GPS Satellite Compass, a device utilizing GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites to provide a heading reference. GPS compass provides the most accurate position and heading information, which in turns allows the pilot to function to its ultimate potential. Initially the technology was expensive but, in recent years, the price has plummeted as the technology has become mainstream, with healthy competition from many manufacturers. Yes, if the GPS constellation goes down you have no position or heading, but that is most unlikely—unless we experience WWIII. For those who want redundancy, we recommend a GPS compass as a primary heading source, and a magnetic fluxgate as

an auxiliary backup failsafe.

A RFU (rudder feedback unit) device is installed next to the rudder steering quadrant, in the same plane as the quadrant and attached by an arm, moves in and out with the quadrant as the helm is rotated. In this way, the pilot system knows where the rudder is pointing at any given time.

A drive unit is a generic term for the device that adjusts the steering course; moves the rudder or drive unit. It could be a hydraulic pump (reversible or constant running), a hydraulic assembly (pump & RAM set), rotary chain drive, or engine driven pump. Reversing hydraulic pumps are low cost, but they are noisy and not very efficient, so mid or larger sized displacement vessels with heavier steering or larger rudders may elect to install constant running pumps that are more efficient for this application.

We have also seen the growth of ‘rudder feedbackless’ systems as manufacturers realized how big the trailer boat market is.

Trailer boats have outboards or stern legs, rather than rudder, and installing an RFU is not so easy. So, the manufacturers use clever

software to allow for not having an RFU installed, and they work surprisingly well.

A traditional autopilot worked on the following premise: the system knows where you want to go when you set a course (bearing), and it knows where the vessel is actually headed (compass heading), and it knows where the rudder is aligned. As the sea throws the vessel around, the autopilot uses this information and compensates to keep the vessel on the desired course.

The pilot is always chasing its tail, so to speak!

We have also seen the introduction of ‘Intelligent/ Adaptive’ self-learning autopilots, which do all the adjustments/ tuning automatically for you, factoring in the existing sea state, vessel and course handling, weather conditions, tides and currents etcetera.

Adaptive pilots make micro adjustments to improve course holding by applying

rudder or counter rudder at the appropriate time to minimize the steer wandering. If you watch behind the vessel, you will see your wake describes an S and, with experience, you will see within a minute or two that the S shape becomes less apparent as the vessel steers a straighter course. Suffice to say, they hold a course far better than a traditional pilot.

This means you get to your destination faster, more comfortably, and burn less fuel!

steering modes that allow you to hold over a piece of ground while jigging or doing drops (without anchoring), and modes that orbit in a clover leaf or figure 8 pattern around an area for sport fishing (e.g. if you have spotted target school or species). You even have autopilot systems that will steer where you point your hand—truly amazing!

There is a science to selecting the right pilot system, so make sure you consult an expert before purchasing.

Some modern pilots also feature new ‘Fish Hunter’

Happy Safe Boating!

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Issue 164 3

Elephant fish pulls heart string

Frederic with a surprise elephant

Frederic Von Gimborn

I am Frederic, 16-years-old and from Germany. I am in New Zealand for half a year as an exchange student.

Since I was very lucky and the Crimpys took in, in their good family, I already had a wonderful weekend with a great catch in the Marlborough Sounds.

It was early February and the day started with a beautiful morning. Early in the morning I was looking forward to the evening fishing round. This time my guest brother Daniel searched the fishing spot out, which probably brought a lot of luck.

The first hour had passed and I only had a few smaller bites. I often changed the bait because I had a long time with no bites. After I used a piece of fresh fish as bait, I got more and more bites. I had a lot of nibbles on this evening so I was already with my thoughts in sleep. Since I knew we will not stay much longer, I lost more and more hope. I decided to change my bait

one last time.

At this time I did not put my fishing rod by side. It also took not a long time as I noticed something plucked on my fishing rod. I expect nothing big as suddenly something almost tore my fishing rod from my hand.

I thought this must be something big.

After I called Crimpy and Daniel it became more and more exciting. You could only hear, ‘Zzzzzzzzzz!’ He took more and more string.

When I was still in the middle of the fight I heard Crimpy and Daniel bet what fish it was. I thought it was a big shark.

When the fish came slowly towards the boat, it suddenly pulled around the ‘screw’ and I knew I could lose the fish so I had to think really fast what should I do. But I was lucky because the fish swam back in the right direction and I got more and more excited when the fish was slowly visible.

Then Daniel shouted out,

“Elephant fish, elephant fish!”

for the first time I couldn’t realise it.

I was still in the middle of the fight. Because I didn’t know what an elephant fish was, I didn’t thought much about it, but after I saw it

And again he pulled string.

But then the fish suddenly gave up and and I could pull it well to the surface where Crimpy was already waiting

with the net. And then he lay there, my probably rarest and best fish I have ever caught. I was overjoyed. I couldn’t say anything and I still couldn’t realise what happened at all.

After we took photos and drove home, I had probably one of my best days behind me. I will never forget this trip. Thank you so much family Crimp that allows me something like that.

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4

THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - MAY 2019

Henderson’s hit the canals

T s

Front cover story

d’Urville torpedos a testing tussle

Lana's first trout is going to take some beating

Doug Clifton

As the boat skimmed along in the early morning sun, headed for the fishing grounds, the boys onboard were unusually quite—probably due to the sore heads from the previous night. But that all changed as we arrived at our first spot for the day.

We checked out the usual haunts first, with no major sign coming through on the sounder. Things weren’t looking good as the tide went slack and the boys’ morale began to drop but the smell of bacon on the barbeque soon did the trick, bringing life back onboard.

Lana and Tamzin from Henderson’s decided it was time to check out the canals after hearing so much about them from their customers.

They met Bryce Helms, their Okuma Rep, in Twizel for two days in early April. The girls had very little fresh water experience and Lana was yet to catch a trout, so the aim was to gain experience and hopefully bag a fish or two.

After driving around for awhile to find a canal with flow, they settled

on Tekapo. They flicked a few spinners around and Tamzin caught a great salmon to take home to the smoker.

With the change of light they changed to egg rolling and, with Bryce’s advice on technique, they were quickly spread out down the canal. After recognising the feeling of the sinker tapping the bottom as the egg drifted, Lana felt a very definite tug on the line. She shouted to the rest of the crew and Bryce came running with net, and Tamzin with the camera. Once the

FACTORY

DIRECT

fish came into sight it was apparent that it was a whopper, Lana’s first trout was over 30lbs! The fish was caught on a new CD Extrasense Nano (yet to be released), an Okuma Helios, and Cleardrift eggs.

Friday saw another successful day with smaller trout caught before the girls headed back to work.

If you are interested in learning more about canal fishing, Henderson’s will be hosting an evening late July when the new season stock has arrived.

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As the current started to run, we headed for our final destination of the the morning. On arrival we started to hunt the reef with the sounder, working back and forwards. It wasn’t long before we came across a massive ball of bait on the screen, with the telltale signs of marauding kingfish around the edges. A quick shift above the school soon had us drifting through the thick of it and it wasn’t long until we were hooked up.

What happened next was a sight that would get any anglers blood pumping—hundreds of large kingfish smashing schools of bait on the surface all around the boat.

Huge green backs were smashing

On the way home I couldn’t help but think about how many hours we put in to making leaders and perfecting knots. But, in moments like these, it all becomes worth it!

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The fish finally slowed down enough to get some much needed line back on the reel. The rest of the fight was fought under maximum drag pressure, putting some serious hurt on both myself and the fish. Soon, the telltale white flash appeared below as the fish finally gave up the fight. Levi managed to get a firm grip on the fish and dragged it over the side.

With a bit of help lifting the fish off the deck a couple of photos were snapped before sending the brute back into the depths.

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The first fish were landed and no time was wasted repositioning the drift. The sounder lit up again with some huge arches in worryingly shallow water. We dropped and hooked up in seconds. As I set the hook, I knew straight away that it was a solid fish. Levi, on the other side of the boat, was soon bent over the rail as well, as his fish made a beeline for the reef. Alarming amounts of line spewed out as I kept increasing the drag pressure.

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Issue 164 5

Third son trumps snapper catch

Grant Pram

The fishing wasn’t that flash, with only seven fish between four of us, but not every silver lining has a cloud.

My cousin, her hubby Grant, and their two kids had travelled up to God’s Country from Rotorua for a funeral and, with the formalities done and dusted, I had invited Grant and his son Kendall out for a fish in Whangarei Harbour.

The pair hadn’t really caught snapper before so were eager to put a bend in the rods (Grant had actually caught one snapper in a past life but it had made whitebait look big!).

As luck, and good skippering, would have it, we managed to tease a few snapper from the water before the barracouta prompted a r relocation. It was a delight just to see them tick off the box with a nice snapper each.

We’d been drift-fishing but the wind picked

up so we anchored southeast of Fairway Bouy, the first marker ships use to line up their approach to the harbour. My third son Jeremy, who hadn’t yet appeared in the story because he’d done bugger all, put down some berley to stir up a bit of interest and set about stealing the show. He was fishing a squid bait in 100 feet of water when a snapper started toying with it. After a bit, the fish nailed the bait and ran a reasonable length of nylon out before Jeremy got it under control. Realising he had a solid contender for ‘Fish of the Day’, he played it slowly and smoothly, coaxing it up to the boat, where it broached and showed off its size.

SAY HELLO TO STRUCTURE.

The fish weighed in at 12 pound, so Jeremy was a pretty happy chap. In fact, we were all thrilled with the day out and seven snapper proved ample sufficiency for a good feed.

Jeremy ended the day in style... and doesn't he know it!

Recreational fisheries deserve equal footing with commercial The Fishing Paper & Hunting News has run a series of articles on the South Island working group that is exploring the establishment of an organisation to represent their marine fishing interests to Government and others.

The working group recognises that an unorganised recreational fishing sector will be increasingly disadvantaged, while the commercial fishing sector and Maori fishing interests continue to advance organisational arrangements to represent their interests.

A recent article by a group of fisheries specialists conclude this same dynamic is occurring worldwide. They assert that governments around the world must pay more attention to the often-ignored recreational fishing sector https://sustainablefisheries-uw.org/managingrecreational-alongside-commercial/?fbclid=IwA R3PeJffMfOVY7jViR175kz6gQtQz1cdnL119B-erMNZ9HSeJTCroOtpnw

Recreational fishing provides nutritional benefits, along with psychological, social, education, and economic benefits that are not associated with commercial fisheries.

The article’s authors argue that recreational fisheries deserve to be considered on equal footing with commercial fisheries, especially in mixed inshore fisheries.

There are now over 220 million recreational fishers worldwide, more than five times the number of commercial fishers. With this increase in recreational effort comes increasing conflicts between the fishing sectors and other stakeholders.

The authors conclude that governments must rethink management objectives and shift away from the poor incentives created

by one-size-fits-all regulations for managing recreational fisheries. They assert that on a global scale reform of recreational fisheries management could generate social benefits of the same scale as reform of commercial fisheries. The authors offer five pragmatic steps: 1. Management tools and policies should be adapted to meet the needs and objectives for recreational fisheries.

2. Recreational fishers must be better organised and involved in management processes.

Incentives need to be structured for these organisations to be proactive, forwardlooking and cooperative.

3. Management approaches should be tailored for local needs and provide a degree of selfregulation for recreational fishers.

4. Clear signals are needed about the scarcity of harvestable fish and incentives for sustainable recreational fisher behaviour.

5. Recreational fishers should report their catch and effort to improve fish stock assessments and avoid stock declines that can occur unnoticed.

In summary, “recreational fisheries are a relevant and valuable component of regional, national, and global fisheries and in many areas need better governance and management.”

The April issue The Fishing Paper & Hunting News (page 22) sets out the working group’s draft recommendations and calls for South Islanders’ feedback. Have your say before mid-May when the group will finalise its recommendations.

Contact the chair of the working group – Jim Crossland 021 0294 5996 / 03 355 9433 bayfieldenter@xtra.co.nz

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6

THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - MAY 2019

Reigning in rare rocket ships Blair Whiting

Back in the early 1900s, brown trout sourced from Loch Leven in Scotland dropped from the sky over two lakes at Kuripapango.

No, they didn’t fly in themselves, but were dropped out the back of a biplane. The trout thrived, feeding on the plentiful damselflies and use the creek on the northern shoreline to spawn. The browns average 1 pound and measure around 30 centimetres, creating a very unique fishery in Hawkes Bay.

After a beautiful bush walk, I emerged from the trees and saw many browns leaping to catch damselflies, often midair. I walked the shoreline and stalked cruising fish but were unable to get them to rise to an Adams, so I swapped flies and settled on a cicada with a small hare’s ear dropper.

The browns would quickly swim up after hearing the flies drop, look up at the dry, then race towards the nymph but stop just behind it. Obviously, something was off.

I moved further along the shore, avoiding crowded parts of the lake, and made another change; I tied on a soft hackle pheasant tail under an indicator. Trout were rising and I cast to where I thought they would swim, but without success.

Good Friday a good Friday Rochelle Ashmore Having gained their advanced open water certificate courtesy of Abyss Dive Nelson, James Norton and dive buddy Michael Cresswell were keen to wet their suits and figured Good Friday was, well, a good Friday to hunt crays.

Following a high tide launch from Okiwi Bay, we steamed to our chosen spot and the boys togged up, rolled over the side, and sunk into the depths, a trail of bubbles illuminating their path.

Finally, I plopped the fly ahead of a cruising trout and it raced forward, and took the fly, no questions asked.

These brown trout fight differently to the rainbows I am used to, opting to shake the hook free and run and hide under the weed beds. I got the fish to shore and netted it. It had stunning yellow/gold colours with many bright red and black spots. I released the one pound brownie and continued fishing.

I later encountered a patch of trout jumping clean out of the water to take damselflies but had nothing to imitate

the hatch so put on a small dry. I cast between the weed beds and caught fish after fish, some in ankle deep water amongst the flooded grass.

But what I saw next baffled me. A huge shape was sitting in a hole between a large weed bed. ‘’It can’t be a trout, it’s too big, must be a log.’’ I thought.

Slowly the log materialised into a trout shape. I took my time and made my first cast count. The soft hackle landed to right of the fish but, surprisingly, he didn’t bolt. He slowly turned toward my fly, which had

sunk, and scrambled to dig the meal out of the weed.

Lift! Perfect timing.

The brown raced out into the lake. and did its best to shake the hook free, along with trying to wrap me up in the weed. After some tense moments, I landed the trout, which weighed 4.5 pounds and measured 53cm—a true trophy for the lake.

Stabilising below, the boys were greeted with good visibility, 6m, and commenced the hunt for bugs, looking into obvious crevices, under rocks, and at ledges where crayfish like

to congregate. The telltale tangle of feelers indicated a nest of ten crays and the boys were able to take two, one this 7.5lb monster.

Relocating to another spot, the boys had another dive, again with good vis. This time the cluster of crays was bigger and completely in the open, so the boys were able to slip in and take some nice bugs. Two were released unharmed due to being in soft shell, but there were plenty to satisfy the hunger pains; nothing beats a fresh feed of crayfish. w To cap the day off, James w took a couple of nice moki y b with his speargun, so it really l was a good Friday to be on k and under the water. i M s d c a

L

B s s w o u g a

It was a day well spent chasing small brown rocket ships because I learnt so many things about a different sort of fishery, one which is rare in the North island.

b s o t d s

b o k o t

“ b c e o

Plenty of small browns in this lake

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Issue 164 7

This 10.18kg snapper from Mark Cotton took out local ‘Dawnbreakers 2019 Snapper Cup’ in Nelson

Mark Cotton has been fishing the Nelson waters since the age of seven and has been working in the industry for the past 20+ years. If you can’t find him in his Senator boat out in the bay then you’ll see him at the y local Big Blue Dive ‘n’ Fish store offering all kinds of advice to everyday anglers stopping in for their bait and tackle. Over the years, Mark has accounted for over forty 20lb+ snapper in the Nelson region so naturally we decided to pick his brain for tactics others can use to improve their chances of finding and catching the big one.

Location and tactics:

Mark says the snapper fishing in Tasman Bay is generally great all year round. In the summer he will fish in depths of 5-40m with strayline and flasher rigs, but in winter he will go deeper and primarily use flasher rigs or jigs. Heading out to d’Urville Island is the usual plan of attack in the winter as there is good holding ground there for big snapper and kingfish between, 50-190m.

“The aim of the game is to drift and bottom bounce your flasher rigs. Starting in the shallower water and drifting to the deep is our best tactic. So sussing out the wind and tide direction to anticipate your drift will help determine what side of the island you target”, says Mark.

He also said that the outgoing tide is the best for snapper fishing in the winter and on the incoming he will switch to targeting kingies, with bigger and heavier jigs. One other key insight from Mark was that the big tides around d’Urville can make things tricky,

“If the high is over 3.6m then the current will be surging and you will have better success closer to the slack of the tide—1 ½ hours each side of the tide will be key” So take that onboard and plan your trips accordingly.

Tackle choice is key: Mark likes to fish as light as possible for snapper.

“15-30lb braid is a good mainline. As for the terminal end you can never go past the Black Magic Snapper Snatchers or the new Snapper Snack rigs, they’re simply the best bang for buck rig on the market so don’t muck around with cheaper copies,” says Mark.

He will also use the Black Magic Flipper or Flutter Jigs in 100-150g if the fish are responding better to jigs, but, “Nine times out of 10, the Black Magic rigs haul in the big one.”

oli Daniel Monop

Keaton Fry

Cameron Thom as

Fresh is best: Bait choice is important and obviously the fresher the better. You want a bait that is oily to give out a good scent and will stay on the hook for the deep descent.

“Most pilchards in Nelson are a much better quality than those sold in the rest of the country, so they are always a good bait choice. Otherwise, I’ll use squid or barracouta. Mix it up and have different baits on each hook if you like.”

Take it easy during the fight: Mark’s last piece of advice to anyone wanting to land their first trophy snapper is, “Take your time when you hook up. There is little structure out in the 50-190m depth around d’Urville Island, so you will get away with letting the fish run; 2-3kg of drag is plenty when fishing light line, just ease them in slowly and enjoy the fight!

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THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - MAY 2019

Monster cast a stretch for trout James Barclay

It was another trip down to the Lake. On Sunday morning we went out for a fish before heading home.

Actually, we had decided to have a competition with another guy to see who could get the biggest trout. On returning to the jetty we were met by big smiles, certainty on their faces that they had won the competition. The fish was pulled out of the chilly bin and it was a good size for the lake but we were going to disappoint, as the trout were biting and we had got a good sized fish as well.

We did win the competition but everyone had a good lunch so we were all winners really.

However, the story I have to tell is what happened after lunch. Dad and I were still waiting for my brother to return from a hunting trip and were at a loose end as to what to do so decided to go for a walk up the river.

For fun I took my spinning rod. I say for fun because I had never seen anyone come back with a trout caught up the river and there have never been any stories in the hut book of river trout caught.

BOOK REVIEW Hunting: My Lifetime Passion Richard Turner Self-published $40 plus $7 p&p Reviewed by Daryl Crimp

James with the monster from Secret Creek

About an hour up the river I saw a large shadow in a pool and stopped dad. We were downriver of the pool and watched the shadow swimming around. Dad said there was little chance of catching it, as many fishermen had probably tried and failed, if it was as big as I thought it was. I wanted to try a few casts so dad sat down.

I got my rod out and put my favourite lure on, making a long cast over the gravel because I did not

want to spook the trout. As soon as the lure touched the water we saw the trout shoot towards the splash and snap—he took it. It peeled out the line like a scared kangaroo running from a lion! I had a fight on my hands; back and forth, slowly I could feel it getting tired, then dad made his move and netted it. I was buzzing, but when I saw the fish this went to a whole new level; this is the biggest trout I have ever caught and I got it in a backcountry river.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, the front cover speaks volumes about hunter Richard Turner and gives good currency to what follows. The photo of Richard, aged and clad in sopping wet hunting attire, supporting the massive rack of a huge wild red stag on the edge of a tight scrubchoked clearing, symbolises the dreams and aspirations of every young hunter who first stepped out the backdoor with a twenty-two in hand and rabbits in mind. The creases of a satisfied smile, chiselled facial lines, and receding silver mantle reflect a well-worn map of gullies hunted, mountains traversed, trials endured, successes celebrated, and friendships forged. It also epitomises the hunting journey, like the Mainland cheese ad—good things take time.

Richard Turner fits the mould of archetypal Kiwi hunter who, as the epilogue rightly reflects, lived and hunted through an era that will never be repeated. That is not to say this book is not contemporary or of interest to younger hunters, quite the opposite in fact, but his experiences through his

formative hunting career imprinted an indelible stamp on his character and helped him gain a level of ‘bushmanship’ denied many gadget-enhanced modern hunters; Richard is old school—a hunter’s hunter.

While the book is largely lineal in tracing his hunting timeline from youth through to present day, it deals with key eras, significant hallmarks such as Mount White Station, and various species hunted as distinct chapters, which pulls the material into focus and makes for a very interesting read that can be picked up and put down at will— although, I suspect, it will be read cover-to-cover in short order.

There are plenty of good hunting yarns to keep any avid hunter entertained and inspired, and he covers the whole gamut: red deer, fallow, wapiti, tahr, chamois, sambar, goats, and whitetail, along with a salt and peppering of international hunts, which includes a recent fascinating and serendipitous hunt for Swedish moose. The stories are well supported with plenty of colour photos and the layout and penmanship make for a flowing read.

Much of the the writing is understated, which is a reflection of Richard’s modest nature, but there is an underlying sense of mischievousness throughout

the stories and he comes up with some delightful turns of phrase: finding yourself in shitty country is being ‘mismothered’. There is many a chuckle in this book (I laughed heartily at the 10-year-old son’s comment to his father!).

Aptly titled, Richard’s passion for hunting radiates from the pages, as does his love of South Island alpine hunting, the importance of family, great mates, and mentoring younger hunters.

He now runs The Fairmead Hunting Experience just north of Whanganui, which combines trophy hunting with traditional Kiwi meat hunts in a rustic ‘natural’ safari park setting, complete with iconic mountain-style Totara Ridge Hut. Hunting: My Lifetime Passion is not only a damn good read, but also an important record of our hunting heritage.

Highly recommended.

Order direct from the author: fairmead@farmside.co.nz Or Richard Turner, Fairmead Lodge, RD 8, Whanganui 4578 Ph 06 342 8767

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Issue 164 9

Southern Bluefin Tuna

Marty Bowers—Senior Fisheries Analyst, Fisheries Management-Inshore, Fisheries New Zealand Fisheries New Zealand has announced the introduction of a daily bag limit in the recreational southern bluefin tuna fishery.

From 1 June 2019, the recreational southern bluefin tuna fishery will have a daily bag limit of 1 southern bluefin tuna per person, per day.

Director of fisheries management says this is the first time that a catch limit has been put in place for the recreational southern bluefin tuna fishery and reflects the need to carefully manage the rebuild of this stock.

"Estimates of recreational catch in this fishery have been low in previous years, however, in July 2017 we saw a substantial increase in how much was being caught. Following consultation and having received responses from tangata whenua and submissions from stakeholders, Fisheries New Zealand advised the Minister of Fisheries to introduce a daily limit for the recreational fishery.

"Introducing a bag limit will ensure that New Zealand continues to meet its international obligations under the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT).

New Zealand is a founding member of CCSBT, which regionally manages this highly migratory species and we have an obligation to manage our catch of southern bluefin tuna within our national allocation.

"Fisheries New Zealand will be looking at longer-term measures to manage this fishery, but in the interim, a bag limit will be in place until we understand more about this highly variable developing fishery,".

Seabird Safety It is well known that seabirds are nature’s fish finders. They are designed to find and catch fish in the most efficient way possible, which makes them an angler’s best friend. They are good indicators of what’s below the surface and large work ups can provide great fishing, for you and for seabirds. The more seabirds there are, the more fish below the surface.

New Zealand is a very special place when it comes to seabirds.

We have over 80 species within our waters, 48 of which breed here and nowhere else. We really are the world’s seabird capital.

Unfortunately, we are also home to a number of species that are in real danger, many of which are still believed to be declining. While there are a number of factors affecting the populations of New Zealand seabirds, fishing has been identified as a key risk area and one in which improvements can be made.

Fisheries New Zealand continues to have a strong focus on working with the commercial sector to improve fisher awareness and the use of appropriate seabird

mitigation measures.

There have been really positive steps taken towards reducing the incidental by-catch of black petrels in key commercial fisheries.

Industry have stepped up and are not only positively contributing to a number collaborative seabird forums but have also been attending seabird training workshops and making practical changes on their vessels. The collaborative approach to black petrel conservation has been very encouraging and is evident in the ongoing work of the multi-sector black petrel working group and the commitment shown by its members.

Commercial fisheries have mitigation methods that are compulsory, and can be fined for non-compliance with these. A seabird advisory group is constantly evaluating these methods and assisting our fishers in their endeavours to protect our seabirds.

During April and May, Fisheries New Zealand is seeking feedback on proposed changes to the Fisheries (Seabird Mitigation Measures – Surface Longlines) Circular 2018 to apply to all surface longline vessels operating in New Zealand waters. This follows the adoption of a revised seabird conservation and management measure at the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) in December 2018, that allows for the use of approved hook

shielding devices as a stand-alone mitigation measure.

Consultation documents can be found on our website https://www. mpi.govt.nz/news-and-resources/ consultations.

Whilst there is legal protection status for our seabirds, we need to work at keeping accidental captures or injuries in all areas of our fisheries to a minimum, if not eliminating them totally. Previous articles have outlined best fishing practices around seabirds and we will keep pushing these messages

as the next summer period approaches.

Subscribe Fisheries New Zealand works to keep subscribers up to date with what’s happening in their local areas of interest and provide the opportunity to have a say on decisions that may impact you.

Email recreationalfisheries@mpi. govt.nz to subscribe.

For more information about seabird conservation visit www.southernseabirds.org

Rob was gutted when he was caught.

Download the free NZ Fishing Rules App to get the rules.

If you go over the bag limit or take undersize fish, it could really spoil your day when you receive a fine. Make sure you check the rules every time before you fish because they change regularly and are different for each area. These help protect our precious marine resources – for you, other fishers, and future generations. Download the free App now.

MFI0018

www.fisheries.govt.nz/rules

Don’t be like Rob.

10 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - MAY 2019

Call me Eunis My concentration wavered and I accidentally kicked a pine cone—‘tok’—oops, bugger. This little incident may seem inconsequential to you but I can assure you the 'tok' has the same effect as a fart in a yoga class. The inadvertent lapse and resulting noise, albeit minimal, registers with everyone else in the room.

The 'room' this day was a forest of mature pine trees.

One of my favourite hunting possies. Amidst the towering grey trunks I could stealthily stroll, totally tuned-in to my environment, my sight and hearing equal to the animals residing there. My local knowledge, accrued over two decades, was on a par with theirs'; their water holes and secret shady glades familiar to me.

At this time the forest was in crisis. The whole district was in crisis. Parched, scorched and desiccated.

The pine needles under my feet were usually my

allies. In more favourable conditions they'd absorb my weight and muffle my careful, quiet footfalls. Now even the waxy coating of the needles could not retain moisture, they were brittledry. And the trees, desperate to shed any excess, had dropped their cones by the hundred. Each cone, prematurely ditched and then seared by a cruel sun, opened and flung its winged seed free.

Just one cone was all it took for me to advertise my presence to any deer within cooee.

The conditions so absolutely breathless that that 'tok' turned heads and pricked ears.

Moving right along, I crunched my way to a damp gut where the withered grass held on desperately. There

Coutta’s Cut: Cash and release A lot of people who write for fishing publications are either experts or imagine they are experts. Some are even legends and a few more think they are. I want to make it quite clear, in this early stage of what I hope is a long and distinguished career writing for The Fishing Paper, that I am none of the above.

I’ve an old mate, Morrie from Ngapuna, who is in total agreement with me. In fact, he’s amazed Crimpy has asked me to write for him, as in his words, I “wouldn’t know shit about fishing.” At times it’s best not to know a hell of a lot because then people don’t ask you for advice.

While I don’t completely agree with Morrie, I will admit to being nothing more than an average fisherman. I like it that way. I can go out and enjoy myself and mostly bring back a feed without having a reputation, or worse, an ego to live up to.

So, now that I’ve admitted to being just an average fisherman, I’d say I’ve put myself in a pretty big group that probably includes a lot of the readers of this publication. See I’m not such a typical North Island wanker after all.

I suppose I might upset a few now when I say I go out and fish for a feed. I do release a few fish but that’s only when they are undersized. If I’m going to stick a hook in a fish’s mouth

Coutta

and make it suffer, I’m going to kill it and eat it. When I watch programmes showing people catching bloody big snapper and kingfish then putting them back in the water, I can’t see the point.

Yeah OK, they all swim away but I’m not convinced of the survival rate. Besides that, the sweat, hard work, and aching muscles involved in mechanical jigging for kings can in no way be seen as pleasurable. If you manage to hook one, it gets worse.

I remember one day last season at Mayor Island when the bronzies turned up and took everything including the jigs. I was tying a third jig on and Lynne the Ruthless somewhat sarcastically suggested I just throw forty bucks into the water and move somewhere else. I suppose her point was proven when I lost the third one. Back to catch and release. If it floats your boat, fine, but it doesn’t float mine.

Kim Swan was no crunch, crackle, or tok there, just absolute concentration and stealth.

Rifle cradled in the crook of my arm, bullet chambered, heart rate elevated, all senses on high alert.

Sneaky. Sneaky. But, what, nooooo—sheep.

Bugger me, there were a dozen ewes, forest trespassers, feeding on the only greenery for miles.

What was worse was that there, right alongside the track, was a windfall bough that had had its bark stripped. The bark, gouged in long haphazard strokes, was so freshly garked that beads of resin glittered on its edges. There had been a stag here.

Sneaky. Sneaky. I slid silently past the feeding ewes. My grey shirt the same colour as their dusty woollen jackets, they barely acknowledged my passing till I'd slithered right on by.

It was only when I regained my feet and human form that

they stopped chewing. In a flurry of rattling dags and breaking rotten thinnings they simultaneously decided to completely cock-up my day, and, despite it being the most difficult option, to charge past me.

Defeated and despondent, I followed along like just another sheep. My hunt ruined.

Rifle shouldered, eyes downcast, bottom lip hanging low, I trundled along. And then that sense that most of us have almost lost gave me a little nudge—‘Oi, wakey, wakey!'.

Sense number six guided my eyes to a stag lying just seventy metres away. He was watching the ewes troop single-file ahead of me. I could see his expression of disgust, his nose wrinkled at their pungent odour.

They who ate his grass and polluted his territory with their dung and their parasites.

The stag's antlers were a

Eunis mess of ivory white, semiclad in dried strips of velvet.

His haughty demeanour was capped by ten uneven points, missing beys, weak tops. He was aged, thin, gaunt. The drought had starved him of quality feed.

My rifle voluntarily remained shouldered and, when I'd taken my fill visually, I continued to trail behind the dirty dozen. My grey form, relaxed and nonthreatening, did not catch the stag's attention till I was very close. Then his eyes widened and bulged as he registered I was human not

ewe. Indecisive, he could not decide whether to drop his head and make like an ostrich or to run for his life.

I made eye contact and said, "Maaa-velous morning big fella".

And with that, the old stag did a couple of yoga manoeuvres, almost turning himself inside out as he morphed from lying prone to wrapping his hind hooves behind his ears and leaping away. Off he went, a redfaced redskin. Poor old bugger, bet he was feeling downright sheepish.

Kingi strikes like lightning

Josh Wyllie

Lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same place… but kingies do!

Dad was still gloating after his New Year’s Day kingfish PB and with the weather still idyllic, we cracked on to Stephen’s Passage at the top of d’Urville Island for another shot of trolling. Most people jig these turbulent waters, but we switch it up a bit. It just so happens it was my turn on the rod.

Twice a year we travel from Christchurch to Okiwi Bay and stay in Monty and Pam’s Okiwi Bay Holiday Park and Lodge; it allows us to relax and unwind with no distractions and make the most of this great playground.

Normally, you have to work around the weather but this summer was one out of the box and we fished ourselves silly. There were plenty of kingies around too, so it made for a lot of action on the rods.

Dad was nudging the boat along at a quick clip, 7 knots, when one of the lures was hit with a Tyson-style punch and the reel screamed insanely. I didn’t hesitate, grabbing the rod and leaning into it as the fish pulled up after the initial run. Trolling at this speed seems to result in real aggressive and solid hits, which means the kingies stick fast and you can put a bit of pressure on them.

By the time you read this (if its published) a lot of us will be hard into the shooting season. Up here, our limits are in single digits and I for one work for my ducks.

Our pheasant population however is really healthy.

For both, the next most important item after a gun is a good dog. Again, while being no expert, I know my dogs and how to train them for my purpose. We’ll touch on a bit of this next time.

We were 50m clear of the nearest rocks and over flat bottom when the green torpedo struck. After the first burst, the fish swam towards the boat but really lit up when it realised what was going down. The fight was exhilarating; a hang on and go with the flow kind of wild ride. I could tell it was a big fish by the mean headshakes. It was all over the place — diving one minute and emigrating north the next.

Hope you had a great opening day.

That is… until I break the 30kg mark next and completely wipe the smile off Dad’s face.

I wasn’t too worried because we were in clear ocean so was quite happy for the kingfish to tire itself away from the boat. After a good twenty-minute gym session and once the fish was knackered, I winched it in. My left arm was a bit sore but I was pretty stoked with the fish, which bottomed the scales at 25kg and goes down as my new PB.

Josh with a Passage thumper

Issue 164 11

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12 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - MAY 2019

OUTPOST built to last Autumn is the time of year to be thinking about storing or protecting valuable summer fishing gear and boats over winter. Having a secure dry storage shed will help keep expensive and treasured gear safe and in good order. Outpost Sheds are great for extra storage, they come as a kitset that you can assemble over a weekend or two with a couple of mates.

Kitsets come complete with all the parts you need, including all the screws, nails, and timber parts

cut to length and semi assembled. Step by step instructions are easy to follow with the friendly Outpost team just a call away if you do happen to need help.

These sheds are designed to be relocatable; they can be picked up by hiab truck and moved to a new site or dragged into position.

This makes them great for hunters huts; you can build them at home and get them helicoptered to the back country effortlessly.

It also means they can be easily relocated if you

“My workshop shed went together really well. Plans, fastenings, timber, instructions all accurate and well presented. Fits into my backyard well and looks good. Staff pleasant and easy to deal with.

Would recommend."

Cheers Paul move property or on sold if your storage needs change in the future.

Outpost Buildings have been making kitset buildings since 2005 and have made thousands of kitsets, delivering them all over New Zealand.

Outpost has an extensive

“I have found Outpost Buildings to be reliable. The product, an Outpost shed, was good quality and assembled well. The staff at Outpost Buildings are very helpful and communicative, a pleasure to deal with.”

Steve

s n i b a C & s d She

range of building designs, all skilfully and carefully crafted with an eye for function and appeal that underpins their ethos— one of wild, rugged, back of beyond or a robust engagement with what we are connected to and what we value. They guarantee the quality of all kitset components and kitset prefabrication done in their specialised workshops.

Outpost Buildings are designed to be very strong and last the test of time.

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“We are super happy with our finished Upland shed. It was constructed easily by my partner, with great instructions and excellent quality materials.

The shed is very strong and sturdy and looks great.

We have had lots of comments from others looking for similar sheds to purchase and the quality and uniqueness speaks for itself. We are looking forward to constructing our stable and tack shed over Christmas. Thanks heaps Outpost Buildings!

Kind regards.” Leanne Take a look at the full range of buildings available at www.outpostbuildings.co.nz or give us a call on 0800 688 767 and we’ll post you out a catalogue.

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A dream destination, holiday of a lifetime, and one you really should do now

Daryl Crimp's

Alaska

by Land and Sea

23 Day Hosted Tour JUNE 2020

The Majestic Bald Eagle

Alaska a must

Colourful Ketchikan - Historic Town

do destination Daryl Crimp

A

laska… the mere name evokes images of raw wilderness and abundant wildlife.

Huge, endless mountain chains, glaciers that caterpillar rivers of ice miles wide,

vast tundra, wild salmon that run like whitebait… and Alaska’s Big Five: grizzly bear,

One of Alaska’s Big Five

Frontier Rail Journey

Daryl Crimp's

Alaska

moose, caribou, Dall sheep, and wolves.

One of the world’s most remarkable destinations, Alaska was bought from the Russians in 1867 for a whopping 2 cents an acre in a deal negotiated

by Secretary of State William Seward. At the time, it was largely unexplored and critics labelled the purchase Seward’s Folly or Seward’s Icebox. Today is remains America’s most sparsely populated state but the most popular adventure playground and a major drawcard for tourists from around the globe—there really is nothing comparable to Alaska.

Daryl Crimp’s Alaska by Land and Sea is the ultimate Alaskan Adventure, taking in the history, the breathtaking scenery, the arctic wildlife, and the amazing culture of this absorbing region. What more fitting way to start our adventure than from Vancouver Canada, the once rough and tumble trading post and sawmilling town, now a throbbing metropolis and hub for outdoor adventurists.

We then fly direct to Whitehorse in the Yukon, the frontier post of the Klondike Gold Rush era, and follow the route of the Klondike gold stampeders to the famous Dawson City, home of Bonanza Creek where stampeders pried $500 million in gold from the frozen ground.

Highlights include Jack London Museum, and Diamond Tooth Gertie’s Gambling Hall.

From here we fly to Fairbanks where we experience a cruise on the only remaining authentic Alaskan sternwheeler, see a demonstration of a winning Iditarod dog sled team, and visit the old Chena Indian Village. Other highlights include a trappers cabin, gold dredge, and demonstration of a fish wheel in action—these were used to catch salmon to feed dog teams in the pioneer days.

Alaska is not complete without a visit to the tundra and Denali is a definite highpoint of this journey; the vistas and wildlife are awe-inspiring. This is capped off by a spectacular train journey to Anchorage, where you can take in the Northern Lights—the aurora borealis—on a clear dark night.

Cruise The Inside Passage

This is just a taste because this trip has it all: what better way to cement all those amazing memories than with a luxury sea cruise, departing Seward and navigating the Inside Passage, where you take in amazing glaciers, icestudded fjords, see bald eagles skim the water’s surface, and watch humpback and killer whales feed on the abundant fish life. En route we stop off and explore iconic and colourful townships like Juneau and Ketchikan.

It really is a dream destination, holiday of a lifetime, and one you really should do now.

Enquire now for the full itinerary and to register your spot.

Iditarod Dog Sled Team

Old Chena Indian Village

by Land and Sea 23 Day Hosted Tour

JUNE 2020

E darylcrimp@gmail.com - P 021 472 517 or Phil Harris - P 03 528 1550 - E philh@worldtravellers.co.nz - for the full itinerary & dates

W

atching nature unfold from only twenty metres away was a sublime experience and forever stamped Alaska into my genetic make up; I knew in that instance, like spawning salmon, the lure to return would prove irresistible.

-Daryl Crimp Join me in Alaska

For the full itinerary & dates contact Phil Harris - P 03 528 1550 - E philh@worldtravellers.co.nz

Issue 164 17

Field test: Radix Nutrition

Daryl Crimp

Daniel enjoying Radix

Radix Nutrition is the bright new light on the horizon of freeze dry meals used by hunters, trampers, and performance athletes, but similarities with other brands stop here. Freeze dry is merely the technology that allows Radix Nutrition to deliver a specific product, not the end in itself.

The mantra of ‘Enhancing Human Potential Through Applied Nutrition’ sounds like a marketing jingle but the Hamilton based company’s vision is underpinned with solid science, adherence to core beliefs, astute business practice, and a commitment to quality. (Radix comes from the Latin for the root or origin of something).

“To take the highest quality ingredients and apply the best nutritional design to deliver performance food in its simplest form was our goal,” says Radix Nutrition co-founder Mike Rudling.

“We wanted the scale to impact on the lives of a lot of people in a significant way on a daily basis.”

To that end, the company invested heavily in the smartest equipment and technology that gave the minimum energy use as possible.

Ingredients are sourced worldwide from areas where they naturally thrive in order to capture optimum nutrient value. Then, based on scientific research, meals are formulated to support optimal performance and suit certain dietary requirements. To date

the range includes: Wellbeing, Performance, Expedition, AIP, and FODMAP. The third component is delivery; simple, stylish, and functional packaging that protects and insulates the food, as well as breaking down to a convenient bowl.

In the field While not new to Radix Nutrition (See Field test May 2018 Issue 152), I welcomed the opportunity to extend its application and try it in a new environment: A fly-in sevenday whitetail hunt for six on Stewart Island.

While we intended supplementing camp with paua, fish, and venison, the menu featured at least one main meal of Radix per hunter per day, with the option for hunters to choose breakfasts or extra meals for lunches or snacks. The variety of meals across the three key ranges of Wellbeing, Performance, and Expedition provided a good selection and allowed individuals to choose their ‘flavour of the day’.

The range also allowed me to tailor a menu to cater for certain

dietary conditions and be adaptable to changing energy requirements.

Each meal is clearly labelled with the key nutritional information such as calories, protein, carbs, and fat, but, as a rule of thumb, the three ranges work as such: Wellbeing— moderate activity and maintenance; Performance—higher in carbs so good for increased activity such as hunting and for recovery; Expedition—higher carbs and fat so great for endurance and more demanding load work, maintaining alertness, and aiding in recovery.

I am Type-2 diabetic, so the Wellbeing range was ideal for me, with some Performance and Expedition added for the days I did big ‘missions’ and for toward the end of the week when I anticipated lower energy levels. I also included breakfast for Daniel and extra meals for lunches, as teenagers consume ‘tall beasts in a single bound’. The selection gave everyone the flexibility to match their evening meal with energy output, and also meant people could dine when they wanted, which promoted a relaxed happy camp.

Results They are extremely lightweight so ideal for such expeditions and packing in, and the reduction in weight allowed us to sneak a few luxuries on the plane. The meals are easy to prepare and reconstitute very well: pour in the stated amount of boiling water, seal, wait ten minutes, tear off the top portion and you have a perfect size bowl— and the food remains hot while you eat. Water measurements are in mls but perhaps the addition of equivalent cup symbols would assist the old heads amongst us.

The bowl then acts as a re-sealable rubbish receptacle that flattens to take up minimal space.

The choice of meals is broad; each tasty, with balanced natural flavours and not over-seasoned like some brands: Thai Style Wild Alaskan Salmon, Free Range Chicken Tikka Masala, Wild Venison with Leek & Thyme, Organic Beef with Ginger & Pineapple, and Mixed Berry Breakfast to name a sample.

Summary

Radix nutrition at work

Radix Nutrition got the group’s thumbs up and after a week no one was ‘sick of freeze-dry’ and craving real food—indicative that the meals achieve what they set out to do. Consensus was that the meals tasted ‘real’, looked appetising, had natural flavours, mixed readily

with hot water (no lumpy residue) were very filling, remained hot, not over spiced or ‘artificial tasting’, and the built-in bowl was a winner.

Determining to what extent the meals delivered nutritional value, enhanced performance, maintained alertness, and aided recovery is subjective in this instance, but a happy buzzing camp of hunters who were still out before first light at the end of the week was positive.

The only perceived downside was that Radix Nutrition is internet based and not currently available in retail outlets, so not front of mind.

While their website is slick, with an online realtime chat option for queries, and ordering, packaging, and delivery seamless, the internet still misses a big section of the potential market. I believe there is room for retail: selected outlets conceptually formatted to fit with the vanguard company’s style and aim for accessibility.

While ideal for hunters, Radix Nutrition is targeting a far broader market: trampers, performance and endurance athletes, sports people, cyclists, adventurers, emergency situations, those with special dietary requirements—in fact, just about anyone who wants to optimise performance through nutrition.

Highly recommended and worth checking out—available online from radixnutrition.com

18 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - MAY 2019

10 points for smelly hunter Charles is the sweetest smelling hunter I know— or, at least, he was this year when we hunted the Waikaia Bush Roar Block together. His wife had used a highly perfumed fabric softener to complete the restoration of his smelly old hunting clothes so they could reside in the house again.

“Cripes, what the hell did you wash those clothes in?” I whispered to him at the front edge of the first bush terrace.

“They bloody pong—we’ll never get a deer in close with that wafting about.”

Charles sniffed himself all over and then removed his shorts and sniffed them too. He quickly removed what he thought were the offending items and I loaned him a bush shirt to cover his already sweaty frame.

Ian Hadland

Charlie's eyelids close

“I think I’m going to roll you in the next wallow just to make sure you don’t clear the whole bloody valley of deer.”

Charlie Harrex with his stag

Charles, probably for safety reasons, replied that he’d leave me to complain to the laundry manager at his house.

Fortunately, we were heading up a ridge with a solid down hill breeze and it wasn’t long before we heard our first roar. Charles, gun in hand, looked back with a huge grin. I returned one and nodded in approval. If taken, this would be his first roaring red to hit the deck.

I roared and received an instant reply. The exchange continued as the gap between hunters and hunted narrowed under 50m but, without reason, the stag stopped roaring and vanished, leaving just a few prints and that familiar stench. This was to be a common theme for the morning as another three stags pulled similar stunts, some of them previously roaring very aggressively.

Charles leaned on his knee and looked at me as we

neared the top of the hill.

“Bloody hell Hadland, we can’t be that bad at this, we’re getting close to stags.”

I replied, “In these situations it’s important to keep the faith—a silly one might be just around the corner and be attracted to smell of lemon and herbal flowers or whatever that pong is.”

The stags had gone quiet so we fired up the Jetboil and downed a dehy’ meal each.

The early start, full belly, and warm afternoon sun soon started pulling down Charlie’s eyelids.

At around 3.00pm I untied the labrador from the sapling and she woke Charles with a few solid licks. He sat upright, wiped his cheek with a sleeve and muttered something about his first girlfriend.

A broken patch of low scrub and tussock slowed our sidle enough for me to hear something walking in the thick cover above

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us. I was pulling the dog into line and missed a roar from directly up the ridge.

Charles didn’t and, with bulging eyes, encouraged me to reply.

We were 20m apart but in view. The stag replied and closed the distance. Charles, well positioned behind a rock, was in the best spot. I was caught out in the open and exposed. I worried the stag would get both nostrils full of laundry scent and bolt, but it walked into view at 40m and Charles raised the 308 rifle—and paused. It had stopped near a tree that, from Charlies angle, was obscuring its vitals. I could see it clearly, and broadside too.

Charles looked back at me, fully expecting me to chamber a round and finish the job. Instead, I reached for the roaring horn and gave a short moan. The stag stepped forward into view and Charlie made no mistake with a well placed shot,

the stag clumsily running 30m down the face before collapsing.

Charlie rose from his knees and just as clumsily staggered over to me. I could see his hands trembling and it he admitted that he didn’t think his weak knees would hold up his body.

“Shit that was cool!” he said while reaching out to shake my hand.

Yep, that gets the blood pumping alright. A prime condition ten pointer lay at our feet. It was the rookie’s best head by far.

“Hey fella, why don’t you get those wiffy clean clothes out of your pack and give them a good rub on that black stain on the stag’s belly. I bet we’d have more luck tomorrow if you did!”

He shook his head and laughed, “That would only result in them getting washed in something much stronger next time!”

Issue 164 19

20 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - MAY 2019

PISTOL SHOOTING Captain’s Log: Beam me up spotty

Brian Bishop

Fallout for law-abiding firearms owners The Government has dealt a huge blow that will greatly impact on domestic law abiding firearm owners and a large competition shooting community. Think this is not a potential problem for you because you do not own an MSSA firearm—think again.

ill-informed. Do not get me wrong—I am devastated at the loss of life caused by this monster, but the actions by those we voted into power have been emotional, irrational, and fail to consider the impact on law abiding citizens.

Did you read the fine print? How long do you think it will be before they ban your choice of firearms?

Our rights were taken away overnight and we were made to feel like second class citizens because, thanks to the revolting actions of a foreign national, our legitimately owned firearms suddenly became illegal.

I have invested serious time and money in my sport, competing in national and international competitions, representing New Zealand. I have trained others and at all times, safety is paramount.

This means nothing to those who have decided we no longer count. They have not attempted to see our side of things or sought our suggestions on how the obvious gaps in firearms licensing can be improved.

Reputable businesses have suffered as a consequence and had to close down, with no consideration to owners and staff who have been left without incomes.

It left me in a very sad state as I struggled to grasp the fact that I now illegally owned a firearm.

I took the attacks by the government, police, and media personally. The reporting lacked factual basis, was opinionated, and

SUDUKO

The way forward is no longer secure for current firearm owners; anti-gun lobbyist are on a tangent and the future looks grim.

Whether you hunt deer, pigs, ducks etc, you are in their sights. Most hunters do not belong to a club so who will they turn to when they are next in line to give up their firearms? Or is it already too late?

Answer on The Directory Page

One good turn - yeah right!…

The highlight of the year to date was a recent hunt on Stewart Island because of a number of reasons: hunting with Daniel on his first whitetail adventure, experiencing a remote fly-in expedition with good mates, the challenging hunting whitetail deer afford, eating from the land and sea, observing the ubiquitous kiwi foraging, and just soaking up the primordial atmosphere of this unique destination to name a few.

However, those peaks were eclipsed by interactions with another ubiquitous creature not listed on DoC wildlife identification chart—the tramper.

I have been limited somewhat of late due to complications from an old shrapnel wound incurred at Gallipoli, so spent most of my time enjoying the role of Camp Mother and revelled in creating a daily changing menu that included seaweed & blue cod soup, Thai-styled venison curry, coconut crusted paua, and whole baked fish in kelp.

Because of the remoteness, we enjoyed the company of one or two trampers per night and, I believe, we were exemplary hosts. All were invited to share our

abundant food and were well fed. They made wonderful company and appeared appreciative.

Many were international visitors and some were illprepared for the conditions; poor choice of clothing, footwear, sleeping bags, and food most obvious.

One Czech bloke stumbled into camp dishevelled, disorientated, and unable to speak much English. For food, he had two ‘spotties’ he’d caught a couple of days prior and he wrapped one in foil and cooked it over our fire. Then he communicated that he must catch more fish and followed our directions to the end of the peninsula— the hut was in a bay and there was a track to a good fishing spot. When he hadn’t returned a couple of hours after dark, we prepared a search party and ultimately found him confused and exhausted, having not found the ocean, and wandering in circles. He had no headlight.

Fortunately, I had taken emergency provisions of Radix Nutrition so was able to feed him up and we gave him extra for his journey. He

Hunting party member, Dean de Roo samples fresh kina

was later passed eight hours into a five hour trek covered in mud and exhausted. We provided hot food and extra rations to another couple of trampers in apparent stress. I believe in do unto others as you would have them do to you and have no hesitation in extending a hand if able to help—generosity in the hills should be a given. It is also important hunters portray themselves in a good light.

While we hunted hard, leaving the hut before dawn and often arriving back after dark, we were quiet,

respectful, and courteous.

Our efforts were well rewarded: one of the trampers erroneously potted us to DoC for ‘hunting at night’! Judging by the timeline of the complaint and what we knew of each tramper’s movements, the complaint didn’t come from a foreigner but a Kiwi—one who had ‘hoovered’ down a considerable quantity of sashimi, paua, crumbed fish, and an Expedition meal of Radix Nutrition.

You are most welcome sweetheart!

Issue 164 21

STICK YOUR OAR IN

CRIMPTOON

HAVE YOUR SAY… email all your letters to editor@thefishingpaper.co.nz

Just what we need With the general election coming soon, the hunters and fishers of New Zealand have no one we can vote for. In Australia they have the Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party that, in the last 25 years, has moved more than 52 pro shooting and hunting amendments to the firearms act, delivered more than 15 million dollars to shooting clubs opposed the government's useless ammo bill, and has continued calls for bounties on predators that are killing native birds and animals. Do you not think it's time we had our

own party? I think there is enough of us to get our own party into parliament—let’s face it, no self respecting hunter or fisherman is ever going to vote Labor, NZ First, National, or the Greens again. We now need the likes of Daryl Crimp, Bill O'Leary, John Howatt, Bill Abbey, Neil Philpott, Hansen Willems, Gerald Fleurty, Martin Aske, the Graf brothers, and Tony Orman to get together and start the New Zealand Hunters and Fishers Party William Telford (Abridged) Hamilton

Havelock stalwart hangs up handset Bev Foote has decided to hang up the handset of the marine radio for the last time. At the end of April, our Havelock girl with so much knowledge of the people, places, and boats of Pelorus Sound retired after seventeen years service to local marine radio. Firstly Marlborough Marine Radio, which of course is now Marlborough-Nelson Radio.

She will be greatly missed.

On 17 April all the marine radio operators were treated to a training day out with Bev on the Pelorus Mailboat.

It seemed fitting to present Bev with her farewell gifts on her home turf and it was

a really memorable day.

The Mailboat staff were just fantastic—acquainting the operators with all the places they deal with on a regular basis.

Marlborough-Nelson Radio also welcomes two new operators, Rod McKenzie and Gerry Van Wijngaarden.

Lunch at Te Rawa Lodge was awesome and we learned that they now have a defibrillator there. The day was topped off with dolphins bow surfing the Mailboat home.

As a result of requests by Marlborough-Nelson Radio members often asking for the

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Havelock tides, these will now be broadcast with the weather each day.

Safety tip from the radio people: Even if you’re not a member, before you set off on your journey, call up our operator for a signal check so you know your VHF radio is working. If you are a member of MNMR, place a Trip Report with your vessel name, starting location, where you’re heading to (and importantly what time you will arrive), your call sign and the number of people on board. The operator will keep a listening watch until you arrive safely and let them know.

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22 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - MAY 2019

From Sinker to Smoker

The joy of fishing takes many forms, from the meeting of a challenge to the provision of food for your family and a lot in between. The huntergatherer instinct, to the fore in many fisher people, is accentuated by the admiration, appreciation, and respect that family and friends show when rewarded with the fisher’s gifts. The return home with the spoils of a successful fishing mission can often be more rewarding than the catching itself.

Ron Prestage

Thee joy of fishing

Paper wraps up lobster research

Russell is delighted with this fish for the family.

&

Travels

Russell Meyer of Westport was told by his family to, Russell’s beautiful daughter, Leelarwadee, about to tuck into a Thai style fish platter.

‘go and catch some fish for us and the cats!’ After dropping his wife at work and the children at school, he headed for Westport’s Tip Head with rod, bait, and gear, hoping to repeat his efforts of exactly one year ago. A big swell, a full tide, and dolphins greeted him at the Tip Head.

Bay snapper fisherman.

He takes great pleasure in travelling down to see family in Christchurch, with a chilly bin of frozen snapper fillets for them to enjoy. A relation of mine is also a top West Coast whitebaiter and my gifts of blue cod and snapper to him are reciprocated with whitebait. How good is that?

After five minutes, a big kahawai and ten minutes later, a snapper were in the catch bag. The family and cat were going to be smiling that night. Sure enough, the fish was the hero of the delicious Thai style dinner that evening, rounding out a precious, memorable day for fisherman Russell.

The rallying cry of many recreational fishing groups has been that, “Fish stocks are not available any longer to people fishing for their family’s dinner.” We can easily overlook or devalue the aspect of fishing for the family, but, to many, it adds tremendous value to the whole experience of fishing.

Make the most of it while you can.

I have another friend who is a very successful Tasman

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Dr Gaibouy has rocked the scientific community with recent revelations that lobster communicate through a very complex language using their feelers and says that they have individual personalities.

Once you get to understand

their language, a kind of lobster braille, he says their personalities become apparent.

“One I called Rocky Lobster evened slurred in sign like Sylvester Stallone!” he said.

He said when divers break off the feelers of crayfish and they escape, it has a huge psychological impact on the lobster, who can develop an inferiority complex.

“Being able to sign with only one feeler is a bit like having a stutter or severe lisp and affected lobster can become shy and inverted—they hang upside from a cave and sulk.

Dr Gaibouy is pictured with three of his study group that proved to be ‘not so bright’.

However, he said they were very tasty ‘Moisties’ (French accent).

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Issue 164 23

Optically Speaking

Ant Corke

Pulsar Axion, a new thermal imager for hunting It’s not often that I’m speechless or in awe of something new. I am a sceptic at heart, thanks to years in marketing as well as being a consumer.

New Zealand has very weak advertising laws, many companies can claim whatever they want without consequence. Take a look at electronic rodent and insect repellers for instance.

I hate being misled as

much as anyone else and would not wish to do the same to others. The way we market our Yukon and Pulsar products is to test every new model for fitness of purpose, and value for money versus performance. We usually receive product samples well before production commences, which enables careful evaluation. Once we are happy to market, we begin our advertising.

However, due to the internet, this is no longer possible. Pulsar announced its new Pulsar Axion thermal imager at the Shot Expo in January, beginning promotion several months before serial production commenced. In the meantime we were gaining enquiries and orders for a product that we had not even seen. This made me extremely nervous as our

Feral piglet

total initial shipment was totally pre-sold.

Fortunately, this story has a happy ending because when the first samples of the Pulsar Axion arrived, I was smitten within minutes of handling and looking through them. They looked extremely nice in the advertising material but, in the flesh, wow! Firstly, they are tiny and feel very solid thanks to the ultra strong and lightweight magnesium alloy body. In fact, they are similar in size and shape to a laser rangefinder, perfect for hunters who value traditional design values.

At the heart of the Axion is a new compact amorphous silicon high resolution sensor with a 12 micron pixel size and 320x240 pixels. The sensor has a very small physical size, enabling it to be fitted inside an ultra compact body and produces higher magnification for any given lens focal length. Whilst this higher magnification may be a hindrance for walking around in the dark, it provides decent target recognition and is especially good for stalking in twilight and daytime when

a hunter would normally use binoculars.

Our testing has been positive so far. Whilst the image quality is not as good as the larger Pulsar Helion, the small size and low weight of the Axion is very appealing. The Pulsar Axion is available in three models: • Pulsar Axion Key XM30this is the lowest priced model with a reduced specification viewfinder screen, no video recording or streaming function. The lower performance screen produces an inferior image to the other two Axion models, but it is still a very capable thermal imager and one that I used first.

• Pulsar Axion XM30- This has the same lens and sensor as the Key, but also has the same high definition screen that is fitted to all other Pulsar Imagers. Though the price tag is around 30% higher, it is worth it if performance and video recording and streaming are important.

• Pulsar Axion XM38this model is fitted with a 38mm lens, giving it better distance and identification performance.

For more information about the Pulsar Axion, visit our website or arrange to view at one of our nationwide dealers. www.yukonoptics.co.nz

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24 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - MAY 2019

TIDES OF CHANGE

Poppa Mike

A red answer from out of the blue

“That article you wrote in The Fishing Paper. You know, the one about the Towai written on the cliffs at Port Tarakohe,” said David Potts of Nelson. “I can tell you who wrote the name of that ship up there,” he went on. “You were wanting to know weren’t you?”

young A.B seamen on board Towai. David put a date on the rock painting as about 1967. He had no hesitation in naming Dave Hutton as the most likely instigator of the idea, as he had a great reputation for adventure, daring, and pushing the boundaries. In this, he was closely encouraged by Ron. Just getting up to the cliff face was a great challenge in itself. The quality paint they used is another miracle.

With a memory as clear as a bell, he went on to tell the names of Ron Whittle (now living in Auckland), Jimmy Larsen (also living in Auckland) and Dave Hutton (deceased). All three were

David went on to tell me that at one time the owner of the land, Shirley Ford, wanted to get the ‘graffiti’ removed but he persuaded her to leave it in the interests of history. He has been

With a strange voice on the other end of the phone, I wondered what this call was all about.

proved right.

Another interesting aspect to this story is the death of Dave Hutton. In 2014 he went off alone tramping and exploring the wilds of the northwest coast of the South Island, leaving his car at Anatori. A couple of days later, some trampers found his body on the beach at the foot of a cliff. It appeared that he fell while trying to make his way around the rugged rocks, rather than bushwhack inland. Forever the adventurer and daring risk-taker. The full report of this sad death can be found on google under Dave Hutton.

Lloyd Hanson Top of the South Battler Tony Orman

Lloyd loved deerstalking, trout fishing, and sea fishing. It was not a one way street for he contributed to the sports by serving in administration as a councillor on the Marlborough Acclimatisation Society, Marlborough NZ Deerstalkers Association secretary, Marlborough Recreational Fishers’ Association president, and in Search And Rescue.

He often took youngsters out deerstalking hoping to imbue them with a love for the outdoors that he had.

Above all, was a 30year crusade against the aerial dropping of 1080 poison. He hated it with a vengeance. While others

stood around showing little willingness to fight, Lloyd was totally committed, loyal to the core, and determined. In the anti1080 public he was regarded highly. Carol Sawyer of Wanaka, described Lloyd as “determined, steadfast, and fearless.”

I hunted and fished with Lloyd over the years and he was great company, generous, unselfish, considerate and loved every minute of being in the hills, out in the Sounds, or on the river. There were laughs aplenty. His Toyota Hilux was notorious for getting bogged in swamps.

“Toyota Hilux, it’ll go anywhere,” he would laugh.

“Especially downwards,” I’d retort, referring to several instances of being bogged to the hub caps.

Lloyd’s generosity was reflected in his extreme willingness to give to others.

He developed his love of the outdoors early, with his grandfather ‘Granty’ teaching him hunting safety.

Ivan Wilson

A bunch of us recently got together to remember a longstanding fishing and hunting mate.

You might recall references to ‘He of the F Word’ in various Coastline stories.

He departed suddenly at 59 and, as we’d fished a lot together over the years, I will never be able to go to Lake Brunner without thoughts of Garry and times chasing golden browns.

We gathered on his ‘birthday’ at a private bothy called The Bent Spanner— a bothy is shelter normally left unlocked in remote mountainous areas of the UK and now Aratika, on the South Island’s West Coast.

Because Garry was a keen dog owner, we all took our pooches along and they romped around doing the usual doggy things.

The Bent Spanner has a wooden shingle roof, slightly pitched to allow precipitation to run off, with the centrepiece being a huge stone fireplace and chimney that will do a whole animal on the spit, gumboot waterwheel drives it, with roasts in the oven section, large pans for the spuds, and

Lloyd Hanson, a great champion of the outdoors

Lloyd Hanson of Blenheim passed away recently at age 67. The funeral attendance of over 500 reflected the high esteem he was held in by many from his working career in the automotive trade, from among farmers, and, in particular, Marlborough’s fishing and hunting public.

Bent Spanner a bothy to remember

As he matured into an adult hunter, he returned the gift, encouraging youngsters into the outdoors.

His father Ken taught Lloyd gold panning and to fish, which he revelled in.

Lloyd Hanson, born 30 August 1951, was the younger son of Ken and Jean Hanson of Renwick.

Lloyd grew up in Renwick, his father owning the local garage, immediately next door to their home, and the pub immediately across the road. Lloyd shared a particularly close relationship with his mother, Jean. She would routinely stand on the deck and bang on a frying pan to call the boys home from the pub at dinner times!

Lloyd’s ultimate legacy, however, is his family, his passing leaving behind his beloved wife Eileen, daughters Corinne and Aimee, four much loved step-children, and 13 grandchildren. He was never prouder than when he was talking of his family.

huge kettles for endless mugs of tea. There’s a long, slab timber table to sit at and they can feed 30 people using

Bothy

He of the F Word

this fireplace set-up.

The Bent Spanner is completed by a short rail line and small piece of rolling stock carrying the logs to fuel the fire place. The bent spanner, as a tool, is used to give greater leverage and examples of the implement feature in and around the bothy, including one set into the concrete on the fire hearth.

Everything that required roasting, boiling, or baking was done on the stone fireplace, with venison a feature. It was an al fresco dinner to remember, which brought back memories of our mate, whose large framed photo held a prominent position on one of the posts. Glasses were raised in a salute led by his hunting buddy, which was short, direct, a trifle ribald, and would have been considered somewhat disrespectful in more genteel circles. However this is The Coast and it was absolutely appropriate to the moment.

Tales were told with warmth and laughter and it brought to mind the rivalry between Garry and his hunting mate—references to bent barrels and barn doors. Another was of the times our mate and his buddy would come back to The Bent Spanner in the evening after a big day of fishing and hunting. They’d have a brew, make a meal, then throw a log on the fire and relax in the easy chairs placed around the fireplace.

Suddenly, it was getting light and, yes, they’d nodded off in the soporific warmth of The Bent Spanner—a magical place to relax.

As the memorial event drew toward darkness it came time to head home.

We’d been more than wellfed and had paid tribute to our mate Garry in the proper manner. We’d remembered well and continue to do so, especially when we return to familiar haunts we’ve shared together around the lake over many long years.

Issue 164 25

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26 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - MAY 2019

Sika with Strasser and friends

Hunting in new areas is always exciting and Ngamatea in the central North Island was no exception. Sika was the target species and, after the first look around this vast area, there were plenty of sounds and sightings to get the blood flowing. A few potential stags were spotted for closer inspection the next morning, so we retreated to the hut with plenty to occupy our minds.

Sika are the iconic species in the North Island and I could see why.

Wet and cold greeted us as we set out on the sideby-side with my good friend from Austria Prinz Heinrich Reuss XII and his son Harry Reuss. We had previously dropped two nice stags in the South Island with another reliable Austrian companion, the RS 14 Strasser rifle, which we had with us for the sika hunt.

Mitch our guide spotted a beauty and we cautiously stalked as close as we dared.

One shot from 200m found its target. A quick reload,

Jason Pace

Heinrich, Jason and Harry

COOKING with CRIMPY

Chilli Seafood Chowder

The beauty of chowders is that you don’t need exacting measurements and in fact, half the fun is in the rustic approach of dealing in handfuls at a time. Vary this basic recipe to suit your own ambitions.

2 litres fish or chicken stock 2 medium onions finely diced 1 stalk celery peeled and diced 1 large potato finely diced 1 kumara finely diced 3-500g white fish fillets cut in bite-sized portions 1-2 cups chopped cooked mussels 1 cup peeled prawns 1 doz scallops 200ml cream 1tbsp curry powder Pinch or two of cayenne pepper Several good shakes of Piri Piri seasoning Salt & cracked pepper to taste 50g butter 50g plain flour Oil for frying just one of the superb features of the Strasser straight pull bolt action, however the 8-pointer wasn’t needing a second shot.

STRASSER are as passionate about the quality of their rifles as they are about hunting. Safe. Fast.

Precise. Modular. Elegant.

And yet simple. While traditional bolt action rifles are a mainstay of recreational hunting, it has long been realised that there is a place for rapid reloading rifles. The recent change in firearms laws will impact on those using semiautomatic rifles, but all is not lost, as Strasser provide a viable alternative with the revolutionary straight pull bolt action. It is incredibly fast, safe, and effective. As we found on this occasion.

Other features Strasser offer with all their rifles are also impressive and innovative.

Adjustable trigger weights (tool-less), interchangeable barrels, different wood options, and the ability to change calibre. For different mounting options you can

now choose between the RS 14 (takes a ball mount set) or the RS 14 Evolution (integrated Picatinny rail).

We had the classic RS 14 with us when another stag materialised from thin air.

Big animals like these don’t always give you time to deliberate over your shots, as was the case with this wily sika. Fortunately, the Strasser straight pull and quick reactions turned the tables in our favour, and a magnificent 9-pointer dropped to the ground.

Once the ‘Waidmanns Heil’ formalities were completed with Prinz Heinrich Reuss XII and Harry Reuss, Mitch measured the stag to be 186.75 Douglas score—truly a magnificent animal. A fantastic result with great friends and, of course, the reliable Strasser RS14 For more info on the unique Strasser straight pull rifle please contact Jace through info@alpinesports.co.nz, or through Strasser NZ on Facebook

RS 14 EVO TAHR Safe. Fast. Precise. Modular. Elegant. And yet simple. www.hms-strasser.com info@alpinesports.co.nz 027 279 8335

Heat a couple of tablespoons of cooking oil in a large saucepan and sweat onions and celery until soft.

Stir in curry powder, Piri Piri and cayenne and cook for one minute.

Add stock, potatoes and kumara. Bring to a rapid boil for five minutes and turn back to a gentle simmer.

Cook until spuds and kumara are starting to break down – this acts as a thickening agent, Add cream and season with salt & pepper.

To get a real thick and creamy chowder, strain off 300ml of the chowder liquer.

Melt butter in a pan and stir in flour, cooking while stirring for a minute. Gradually stir in the liquer until a smooth consistency is attained.

Return this to the chowder and cook for a further fifteen minutes, stirring regularly.

Add seafood three minutes before the end of cooking.

Issue 164 27

Fisheries property rights no bogey The implementation of the rights-based fisheries management regime known as the Quota Management System, and the allocation of tradeable property rights in perpetuity has enabled and empowered proper management, rather than administration, of fisheries in New Zealand. An underlying principle is that, “Private property rights

However familiar and comfortable we are with that notion, many in the community refuse to accept that the same custodial attitudes can and will be demonstrated towards natural resources and the environment, if ownership is conferred on extractive users. Yet, there are many examples where property rights in sea fisheries have been the incentive for thoughtful, deliberate, strategic, and effective collective action by rights holders: enhancement of wild abalone stocks; environmental certification for the deep-water trawl fishery; seabird mitigation programmes in longline and trawl fisheries; and marine mammal mitigation in setnet and trawl fisheries, for example.

Property rights enhanced the incentive for the lobster industry to protect fisheries from further decline and to accelerate and manage the expected stock rebuilds, supported by industry initiatives to develop and implement optimal harvest strategies.

Urban myths distracting But we need to dispel a few urban myths, beginning with the often quoted danger of placing “rabbits in charge of the lettuce patch”—a persistent criticism directed at any proposal for the fishing industry to undertake a management role in sea fisheries. My own experience in New Zealand lobster fisheries—from 1971 until today—is that every meaningful management intervention has been at the instigation of the commercial sector. My industry has always possessed first-hand experience, practical working knowledge, and a commitment to protect our fishing opportunity and our fishing success. The implementation of a property rights regime for fisheries management in New Zealand provided us with even greater opportunity to guide and undertake research and management initiatives.

I continue to hear and read of the seafood industry being criticised for having short term horizons and giving no thought to future generations. In my view, that criticism is lazy, self-serving, and ill-informed. In

my experience, the scramble for the last fish is driven not by the greed or need of the fishing industry, but by the reluctance of management agencies to implement, consolidate, and respect a secure rightsbased management regime.

In societies where fishing is endorsed and enabled by public policy and political will, it is incumbent upon politicians and bureaucrats to not only facilitate fishing opportunity but to protect and enhance that opportunity.

The underlying notions of property rights are: ownership of a share of the resource—or, more correctly the harvest opportunity—will impart a custodial attitude towards the resource. Individually and collectively, the rights holders will actively manage this opportunity to promote attainment of the maximum economic, ecosystem, social, and cultural benefits to themselves, their communities, and to the nation.

Experience in New Zealand and other jurisdictions has shown that fisheries property rights will only meet the expectations we have of them: • if they are correctly defined—the characteristics of time and space are essential to the definition; • if they are implemented within a complete rights-based framework that incorporates all extractive and non-extractive interests; • if they are promoted, respected, and administered in a consistent, cost effective, and accountable manner.

Reward for effort Commercial property rights regimes for fisheries have underlying assumptions of effort and reward.

If rights holders implement harvest strategies to increase stock abundance, then they must derive the direct and indirect benefits of the improvement.

If, for example, the increased stock abundance is soaked up by amateur fishing, or by fish thieves, the incentives for collective action by commercial rights

Opinion by Daryl Sykes

encourage stewardship of resources”. Most believe that to be true—we all value and care for the property we have worked for and accumulated:our homes, apartments, vehicles, art collections, or our gardens. The fact that they are ‘ours’ encourages us to protect, preserve, nurture, and enhance them.

holders are weakened.

What I know from my experiences in New Zealand is that commercial rights holders: • can be incentivised, • will be pro-active rather than reactive, • will act cooperatively if allowed to make well informed decisions, and • will walk away from collective action if the expected and intended benefits do not manifest themselves because of bureaucratic inaction or political interference.

In order to meet their full potential, commercial property rights regimes in fisheries must be operated to ensure clearly defined roles and responsibilities that are binding on rights holders and on Government agencies.

Rights-based regimes must be viewed as partnerships, at very least as collaborations, and should have the form and function of a formal contract between Government and rights holders united in achieving a range of common objectives.

Each of those ‘conditions’ associated with fisheries property rights presumes that the overall management regime has clearly defined and wellarticulated objectives and purposes.

So, what are the critical considerations when considering the full range of ecological, cultural, social, and economic benefits of property rights regimes in fisheries?

As noted earlier: • secure, well-defined rights operating in a supportive and protective public policy and political framework.

• clear objectives—environmental, social, economic—stakeholders choose the priorities and tune the allocation, administration, and operation of property rights to achieve the desired outcome.

• giving expression to well-defined roles, responsibilities, and jurisdictions in property rights regimes—the notions of partnership, collaboration, and contractual relationships.

Where to for the New Zealand rights-based regime in sea fisheries? My prediction is that, if the New Zealand seafood industry can survive the current attacks on the integrity of commercial property rights, the collective of rights holders will be the collaborative fisheries managers within five to ten years, with Government agencies acting as performance auditors against stakeholder-agreed standards.

Corrosive attacks impede progress

The attacks that I refer to are motivated by political expediency and opportunism as New Zealand looks ahead to a general parliamentary election in November 2020. Concurrently there is a demonstrated strategy by some environment and conservation groups to perpetuate an anti-fishing agenda in order to justify their continued existence.

This is most often being played out in their advocacy for no-take marine reserves.

Likewise, an anti-commercial fishing agenda in pursuit of an alleged birthright of priority and preference continues to impede responsible management of fishing. That agenda will falter because of its inherently weak foundations in fact, in history, and in legislation, but is corrosive and a distraction in the meantime.

The cultural, social and economic importance of fishing can be relatively easily balanced with reasonable standards of environmental and/or ecosystem performance. The New Zealand fishing industry has the incentives to seek and refine that balance so long as the management regime is allowed to function as it was intended to. The completion of the rights-based framework that enables all extractive and non-extractive interest groups to work collaboratively in good faith is a goal that all fair-minded fishing folk should aspire to.

28 THE FISHING PAPER & HUNTING NEWS - MAY 2019

BY APPOINTMENT TO HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II SWAROVSKI OPTIK SUPPLIER OF BINOCULARS

EL RANGE THE PEAK OF PERFECTION SEE THE UNSEEN

SWAROVSKI INTERNATIONAL (NZ) LTD. 3/45 Queen Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand Tel. 04-5954286, optik.sia@swarovski.com, www.swarovskioptik.com