David Haynes co-leader Comments on a number of current issues
Greetings,
We're having a fantastic Christmas response to our membership drive and a big thank you to everyone who has joined and returned a signed membership form. As most of you now know, in order to register as a political party with the Electoral Commission we must provide evidence of 500 signed up members.
So, if you have not yet returned your form please do so; no stamp is needed, the form can be downloaded here:
please post it (no stamp needed) to:
The Secretary
NZ Outdoors Party
Freepost Authority 252122
P O Box 1546
Nelson 7040
FRESHWATER NEWS
Upper Oreti River
Despite our positive outlook it is becoming increasingly difficult to find some good news freshwater stories, particularly since the latest news on the Around the Mountain Cycle Trail in Southland came out. We had hardly drained our whisky glasses after celebrating the SECOND Environment Court decision which again refused a consent to Southland District Council to build a cycle track alongside and over the Upper Oreti River and WHAM! Southland District Council decide to seek a High Court review of the decision. It is still unclear why Southland District Council refuse to consider rerouting this part of the track down the Mararoa River (which runs parallel to the Upper Oreti a few kilometers to the west) given they have not produced any substantive evidence as to why.
Lake Tekapo
In 2012 a discussion document prepared for the Waitaki Committee warned of the dangers of taking water from Lake Tekapo for South Canterbury irrigation, citing reduced water for hydro-power production from the Waitaki scheme and thus higher power prices. In addition Ngai Tahu voiced concerns over the impact on tourism and recreation at Lake Tekapo and mixing waters from Tekapo and Opihi catchments.
In 2014 ECan spent $90,000 on a 2014 report which declared the same irrigation concept economically infeasible. The two concepts they modeled were:
2 cumec (cubic metre per second) year-round transfer which would support 11,550ha of irrigated land;
10 cumec seasonal transfer, which would provide for 25,000ha of irrigated land.
The capital costs came out at $264-$382M and $478-$691M respectively.
Now, a group of five farmers will present a $226M proposal to Environment Canterbury's Orari, Temuka, Opihi, Pareora (OTOP) zone committee as a "solution" to the likely reduced abstraction limits planned for the zone. South Canterbury is predominately large unlisted corporate dairy farms, with an average herd sizes around 800 and usable land of 230 hectares.
Those Pesky Overseas Anglers
A couple of articles and a few disgruntled individuals seem to be branding overseas anglers with the same negative image as that bestowed on freedom campers. Anecdotes abound of foreign anglers dominating our back country fisheries, over-here, over-fishing and over-imposing themselves. We are only in our third year of the non-resident license and about 4,500-5,000 were sold in the inaugural year, albeit it was introduced late in the season. Given there are about 100,000 anglers in New Zealand the overseas angler appears to be a fraction of rods on the river so how can they be causing any discontent? Well, it could be for any of the following reasons:
- 1. Overseas anglers tend to be overly-concentrated on back country rivers where fishing pressure has the most impact (it stuffs the fishing for others).
- 2. Overseas anglers are concentrated in certain regions (West Coast, Otago, Southland, North Canterbury, Nelson/Marlborough).
- 3. The additional revenue, whilst welcomed, must be ring-fenced for "back-country" fisheries management, so it will rarely be used in the fight for the water quality and de-watering of our rivers.
- 4. Non-resident anglers fish every available day so they are the equivalent of, say, ten resident anglers in terms of fishing effort.
- 5. They are perceived as taking out more than put in.
The Professional Fishing Guides Association has a long-term desire to oblige all overseas anglers to be accompanied by a guide when fishing our back-country rivers which is great for their business but not the most equable way to control over-use of the fishery.
This issue is only part of a bigger question -
how much capacity does New Zealand have for tourism, population, infrastructure and our natural resource based economy? Our members tell us they want a New Zealand where we protect and nurture our outdoors so future generations also have the opportunity and freedom to fish, hunt, camp, tramp, bike, hike and enjoy our unique outdoors heritage.
SALTWATER
Hauraki Gulf Spatial Plan
Legasea, the outreach arm of the NZ Sport Fishing Council, have scored a massive win for the Hauraki Gulf. The recently completed three year Sea Change Spatial Plan for the Gulf has resulted in recreational, commercial, Iwi and local Councils agreeing to a future management plan for the area that encompasses:
MAHINGA KAI - FISH STOCKS AND AQUACULTURE
- Transitioning commercial fishing methods that impact benthic habitat (including trawling, Danish seining and dredging) out of the Hauraki Gulf.
- Reviewing the management settings for priority fish stocks.
- 13 new areas prioritised for future aquaculture development, including mussels, oysters and fin fish.
BIODIVERSITY AND HABITAT RESTORATION INITIATIVE
Fifteen new marine protected areas, including no take (excluding cultural harvest on a case by case basis by special permit) areas nested within larger, special management areas with fisheries management objectives.
-Restoring historic habitats such as green lipped and horse mussel beds.
A GULF SEDIMENT INITIATIVE
-Setting and achieving catchment sediment and nutrient load limits for all major catchments to minimise adverse impacts on water quality.
-Restoration and creation of major wetland systems to trap sediment before it reaches coastal waters.
-Land-based measures to ensure sediment stays on the land where possible to significantly reduce sediment reaching the coast.
-Stabilising sediment already in the marine environment.
AHU MOANA INITIATIVE
Novel co-management areas covering the coastline of Tikapa Moana / Te Moananui a Toi to provide for joint mana whenua and community co management of local marine areas.
KAITIAKITANGA/GUARDIANSHIP
Connecting everyone including the next generation and different ethnicities to the marine environment to strengthen kaitiakitanga and guardianship.
A huge debt of thanks is owed by all seas fishers to the Legasea team, Scott Macindoe, Trish, Barry, Pieter and all the dedicated hard working members.
MPI Future of Our Fisheries Review
Again, thanks principally due to the long, hard slog by Legasea, MPI have finally acknowledged the following:
1. Recreational fishing is hugely important, culturally, economically and as an environmentally low impact activity.
2. Many commercial fishers have been under-reporting catches which distorts attempts to set sustainable harvest limits.
3. MPI are perceived as being far too cosy with the corporate commercial fishing sector.
4. Illegal discard (fish dumping) is a big problem which has not been addressed.
MPI have reacted by releasing their Future of Our Fisheries (FOOF) consultation document which sets out how they propose to address the above issues. This is very good news and is a good start. Public submissions are due by 23 December 2016 which does not leave much time, the meat and potatoes of the FOOF proposals are:
1. Acknowledgment that recreational fisheries are an important component of shared fisheries.
2. Implement electronic recording and monitoring (cameras) of fishing vessels to reduce and maybe even eliminate fish dumping and under-reporting of catches.
3. Broader and finer ecosystem level data to monitor fishery condition and biomass.
4. Promote innovative trawl technologies that increase survival rate of unwanted catch.
There is still a lot missing such as excluding trawling from the coastal fishery and recreational fishers having a greater say in how inshore fisheries are managed. A cynic might suggest this is more a way of improving the brand and image of NZ caught sea fish, rather than giving a damn for rec fishers but it is a platform to build on and MPI have quoted the Marine Research Foundation figures of:
-700,000 people fish in the sea each year.
-$946M annual spend on recreational fishing.
-$1.7 billion in economic activity from recreational fishing.
Let's keep on top of MPI and make sure our voice will be heard now and in the future.
HUNTING
LNIRDF
The Lower North Island Red Deer Foundation (LNIRDF) had a frustrating first day in Court on December 5 as the judge adjourned the case requesting that the WARO operators need to submit their views. A dedicated and hard working group of hunters, representing 2,000 hunters, LNIRDF have taken DoC to the High Court for a judicial review of DoC's unilateral decision to allow 365 day a year WARO in the Rimutaka, Tararua and Ruahine public conservation estate. Under the Conservation Act such decisions should be notified and due consultation enacted with all interested parties.
Co-Leader of our party Alan Simmons arranged for this group to attend Parliament and meet with the Minister responsible which resulted in the withdrawal of the Ruahine WORO plan.
These areas have been recreational only hunting areas for 30 years with WARO limited to certain areas and times only.
Give your support to this group - find out how by going to https://www.facebook.com/groups/1682241085328263/
There are some excellent initiatives going on out there, all in the name of protecting, preserving and promoting our outdoor pursuits. We need to continue to make our voices heard, keep the pressure on and keep getting involved with our Government departments. Help us put a hunter and angler into Parliament!
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