Speak up for longfin eels

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has recommended that commercial fishing of longfin eels be suspended until evidence shows they have recovered to a sustainable level and the Department of Conservation has classified longfin eels as ‘‘chronically threatened in gradual decline’’.

So why is the Ministry for Primary Industries suggesting only two options for submissions on future commercial fishing of eels in the North Island? Option one is the status quo, and option two is to ‘‘reduce the total allowable catch by 15 per cent and the total allowable commercial catch by 32 per cent’’.

The species is particularly vulnerable because it mates only once, at the end of its life cycle of around 100 years, somewhere near Tonga. There could already be fewer longfin eels than needed to sustain a population.

Submissions close on Friday, July 27. Anyone wanting to make a submission should visit the MPI website.

David Famularo, Featherston [abridged]