Media statement
Embargoed to 1pm
Friday, 20 July 2007

Commercial and recreational fishers have shared rights to fisheries

United Future leader Peter Dunne says commercial and recreational fishing groups have shared rights to New Zealand fishery resources, and the Fisheries Act needs to reflect that.

Speaking to the Annual General Meeting of the New Zealand Recreational Fishing Council in Auckland today, Mr Dunne said, "Fishing in all its forms is a part of New Zealand's lifestyle heritage that needs to be preserved.

"The starting point of any approach to fishing policy has to be that the economic and recreational use of our oceans and coastal waterways should be balanced with the need to care for and maintain the diverse eco-systems they contain," he said.

Mr Dunne said United Future supported the previous Labour Government's 1989 National Policy for Marine Recreational Fishers, and its commitment to make more fish available for the recreational sector.

"In this regard, we strongly welcome Justice Harrison's recent decision regarding access to kahawai as a great step forward, and we strongly hope that the Government or the Ministry of Fisheries does not seek to overturn that decision through a High Court appeal.

"What we need now is an active partnership between the government and the recreational sector to give full effect to this decision and its implications," he said.

Mr Dunne said United Future saw no point in continued debate about the respective rights of the commercial and the recreational fishing sectors.

"We have to stop seeing fishing issues in terms of commercial versus recreational interests.

"It is time to move on from that confrontational approach, and appreciate that both sectors have legitimate, complementary rights," he said.

Mr Dunne said that United Future's policy development would reflect that joint role through:

- The rigorous policing of New Zealand's marine environment by a dedicated Marine Protection Force;

- Reviewing the Fisheries Act to give effect to the respective rights of both sectors, including the right of access to a reasonable daily bag limit for shellfish and finfish;

- Establishing a separate statutory management structure for the marine recreational fishery;

- Establishing a funding mechanism for the separate statutory management structure for the marine recreational fishery by diverting fuel excise paid on recreational vessels for that purpose;

- More support for robust scientific research to ensure and promote sustainability of the fishing resource.

"We seek a genuine partnership between all those with an interest in fishing, with a primary commitment to sustainability, and a recognition of the historical significance of both recreational and commercial fishing to the social and economic development of our country," Mr Dunne said.

ENDS

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