Sage: No plans for a ban on whitebaiting

Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage has rejected a claim by the National Party that a proposed new law could see the end of whitebaiting in New Zealand.

‘‘There are absolutely no plans to ban whitebaiting,’’ Sage said.

Sage yesterday accused the Opposition of ‘‘mischief making’’ but National MP Sarah Dowie said the proposed law would give the minister the power to prohibit the taking of whitebait.

National would oppose the second reading of the Conservation (Indigenous Freshwater Fish) Amendment Bill, due yesterday, Dowie said.

‘‘The bill ... makes it illegal to take indigenous fish – or whitebait – from conservation areas unless there is an express authorisation to do so.’’

The fact the bill included transition clauses, which would allow whitebaiting in conservation areas for the first year after the law came into force, signalled the minister’s intention, Dowie said.

Once the year was up, it would be illegal to take whitebait from conservation areas unless continued fishing was authorised.

‘‘The second thing is that on land that isn’t conservation estate you can take fish, however it must be taken in accordance with regulation,’’ Dowie said. ‘‘And through that regulation for indigenous fish she has the ability to write management plans and create regulations that ultimately dictate that no fishing of whitebait can occur.’’

Sage said the bill would enable areas of conservation land to be closed to whitebaiting. ‘‘That means native fish can have some rivers and streams where they can swim upstream and spawn without ending up in a net and a whitebait patty. The whitebait fishery needs better management and the bill provides the tools to do that.’’