Happy New (fishing) Year!

Happy New (fishing) Year!

It’s the new fishing year and Oceans and Fisheries Minister, David Parker, has announced
the reviews of 15 fish stocks in the twice-yearly sustainability round.

Stocks with increased limits include ling in the Southland region, gemfish in the South
Island and Chatham Rise, and the west coast off Taranaki and Wellington, Southern
bluefin tuna nationwide, red gurnard off the West Coast and top of the South Island, and
snapper off the west coast of the North Island.

The West Coast North Island snapper fishstock (SNA8) has been in rebuild since 2005.
The industry is pleased the Minister has addressed the settings for this fishstock but
disappointed it was only an incremental rise, because the stock abundance our fishers
have seen, and are seeing in these waters has been making it increasingly difficult for
them to avoid catching snapper without having ACE for it. The science showed that the
sustainability of the stock was assured for all increased catch options considered because
the fishery would continue to grow over the next five years for every option.

The changes to SNA8 are an increase in the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) from 1,785 to
3,065 tonnes and an increase in the Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) from 1,300
to 1,600 tonnes. There is also an increase in the allowance for customary Māori fishing
from 43 to 100 tonnes and an increase in the allowance for recreational fishing from 312 to
1,205 tonnes. The increase in the allowance for all other sources of mortality caused by
fishing rises from 130 to 160 tonnes.

The SNA8 decision is the latest stock in the decades-long dilemma of section 28N rights (a

preferential allocation of catch increases to rights holders arising from TAC reductions as
part of the introduction of the QMS in 1986).

There are currently 32 fisheries that have 28N rights, including SNA8, and any increase in
TACC in these fisheries reduces the ten percent provided to iwi in the Fisheries Settlement
by lowering their proportional quota holdings.

Te Ohu Kaimoana, on behalf of iwi, contends that reduction was never part of what was
agreed in the Settlement. It wants a solution for all the fisheries subject to 28N rights but in
the absence of progress with the Crown injuncts any TACC increases that would have that
effect.

This is a lose-lose-lose outcome - the fishers and quota owners whose activities have
assisted the rebuild gain no improvements in an abundant fishery, the 28N right holders
don’t gain improved access and iwi are forced to Court to stop processes dishonouring the
Settlement.

This SNA8 decision is now subject to an injunction.

It is disappointing that despite the significant work since 2005 by industry to rebuild the
stock, the knowledge that SNA8 was the most important fishery with outstanding 28N
rights, the science showing that even with significant increases the fishery would continue
to grow, the opportunity could be missed.

It is, to use the mildest term, perplexing to industry who have, with the increasing
abundance, diligently restrained their catch to be on average less than one percent more
than its limit to now gain such a minor increase. In contrast, in the period when all were
meant to be assisting in the rebuild, the recreational catch, rather than remaining close to
the 312 tonnes allocated in 2005, increased to 612 in 2011-12 and then to 892 in 2017-18
and has now been rewarded by an allocation of 1205 tonnes.

Stocks with reduced limits include all hoki nationwide, black cardinalfish off the east coast
of Northland and Auckland, hapuku and bass off the North Island's east coast including
Northland, Bay of Plenty, East Coast, Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa, red gurnard off the
east and west coasts of Northland and Auckland, and the Bay of Plenty, school shark off
Southland and the sub-Antarctic islands, and the commercial blue cod fishery off Kaikoura,
Canterbury, and Otago. We support changes to those stocks that need to be rebuilt.

Snapper image credit - Sanford and Sons

In memory of Robbie (RJ) Bloomfield

Motueka legend, RJ Bloomfield was farewelled yesterday, aged 88. RJ cut his teeth at age
12 catching herrings for Ivan Talley and went on to own and skipper many vessels in 30
years at sea, including FV Shirley, Linda, Marina May, Anna Marie, Cellina, Norseman,
Karen Anne, Liberta, Gwen B, Shelley Marie, Anna Dee, Nicolene, Shemara, Kaniere and
Hemnestral. Robbie was a huge part of the scallop boom of the 60s and 70s. RJ
predominately repaired and maintained his own fleet of vessels and was the first to offer
assistance if someone was in trouble. Once he retired from fishing RJ restored vintage
cars, built and raced midget stock cars, owned and operated a 10-pin bowling centre, and
ran a frozen food delivery company.

The industry’s condolences go out to RJ’s wife, Gayle, and his extended family.

Robbie (RJ) Bloomfield

Upcoming maritime exhibition - Sean Garwood

Former commercial fishing skipper and preeminent maritime artist, Nelson's Sean
Garwood. has a major exhibition starting next week in Auckland. Garwood is one of
the last maritime artists in the world, and his works will also feature on New Zealand
postage stamps in 2022.

The exhibition, entitled "A Painted Voyage - Depicting New Zealand's Maritime
History", is scheduled for 9th - 24th October at Jonathan Grant Galleries in Parnell.

Seafood New Zealand will feature Sean Garwood and his work in an upcoming
magazine.

Depending on lockdown conditions, the date of the exhibition may move, so
please check with the gallery.

Check out the latest Seafood Magazines

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