Whitebait warning for MPs

The Government has been warned that New Zealand’s whitebait population could be wiped out within the next 16 years.

Aoraki Conservation Board has made the claim in a letter calling on the Government to act urgently or risk having the fishery die out.

In an open letter to the ministers of Conservation, Environment and Fisheries, the board expressed its concern about the status of whitebait inanga in New Zealand.

‘‘Inanga is made up of five species, three of which are in decline and one is threatened ... without immediate action, one of the five whitebait species could be extinct within three years and all five extinct by 2034.

‘‘In this open letter we wish to call upon the Government to undertake an interdepartmental review of the whitebait fishery and associated issues.

‘‘Given the Government’s renewed focus on biodiversity management, it is an opportune moment to work together on an integrated approach.’’

Board chairman Mick Abbott said research indicated time was running out. ‘‘We think this really requires prompt consideration from the Government. The status quo is not good enough.’’

Abbott said there were a range of issues about the current state of whitebait fishing. In particular, the existence of three sets of regulations, and the lack of recreational quota and licensing, had caused problems down the line for whitebait numbers.

‘‘There needs to be a co-ordinated approach. Protecting the fish for future generations must be at the top of our minds.’’