Hooks aplenty in snapper showdown

THE Government looks set to perform a U-turn on a proposal to cut the snapper limit for recreational fishermen from nine to three.

National MPs have been under pressure from fishermen furious about the proposal.

Prime Minister John Key said yesterday it was one of the few issues which was consistently raised by the public no matter where he went in the country.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy, who endured a tough time in the House over the proposal on Thursday, said yesterday that the proposed reduction from nine to three ‘‘is at the extreme end and the three option is very unlikely to proceed’’.

The restrictions are designed to replenish battered snapper stocks around Northland, Auckland and the Bay of Plenty.

When asked about pressure from within his own party, he said there had been a ‘‘very robust process’’.

‘‘I appreciate the views of my MPs. They’re repeating the feedback that they’re getting in their constituency clinics ... I’m encouraging people to come forward with their submissions.’’

Mr Guy denied Labour accusations that the outcome was predetermined. The consultation phase still had two weeks to go and a range of options was being considered, including cutting commercial quotas or increasing the size limit from 27 centimetres to 36cm.

‘‘We’ve got to get this right, this is an issue not for today. This is an issue for tomorrow, for our children and grandchildren. We need to have a sustainable fishery going forward.’’

Labour fisheries spokesman David Cunliffe said a Government discussion document showed it planned to cut the quota.

‘‘Nathan Guy is hiding behind weasel words. The intent of his discussion document is crystal clear: slash the recreational snapper catch by up to two-thirds.

‘‘Recreational fishers are rightly outraged. New Zealanders are passionate about their right to go fishing to feed their families and friends.’’

He called on Mr Guy to dump the proposal.

Mr Key said on radio yesterday that the snapper quota had hit a nerve with the public and was raised wherever he went on visits around New Zealand.

The Ministry for Primary Industries is midway through consultation on how to manage and rebuild snapper populations in the Snapper 1 fishery area. The area runs from the top of East Northland to the Bay of Plenty.

It was considering three major positions – keeping the total commercial, customary and recreational catch at 7550 tonnes, raising it by 500 tonnes, or lowering it by 500 tonnes.

Tighter controls on recreational fishing, including drastic catch limits and higher minimum sizes, were part of all three options.

A decision October 1.

will be made

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