11 December 2008

Dedicated fishery officer to patrol Kaikoura this summer

The Kaikoura coast will have a dedicated fishery officer this coming summer.

Fishery officer Mark Green will work full-time in Kaikoura until March 2009, patrolling the Kaikoura coast and checking for fishing compliance. This is the first dedicated fishery officer in Kaikoura for some time.

“With the influx of visitors to the region over the summer there is a huge increase in pressure along the coast over these months,” says MFish District Compliance Manager, Geoff Clark.

“Mark will provide additional support to the full-time fishery officers from both Blenheim and Nelson over the main holiday season through until the end of summer.”

“We want to ensure that everyone has a wonderful time fishing this summer. To ensure this happens we are asking people to check the rules for where they want to fish, before they go fishing.

“We are not here just to police our fisheries, we are here to inform and educate fishers on responsible fishing. We all have to ensure that future generations can also enjoy the right to our valuable marine resource,” says Mr Clark.

If members of the public witness any suspicious or illegal fishing they can contact Mark Green via the MFish 0800 4 POACHER (0800 4 76224) or by contacting the Blenheim Ministry of Fisheries office on (03) 579 1088.

ENDS

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