Complete the Fiordland Fisheries Sustainability survey this January

Over the past 18 months, the Fiordland Marine Guardians have put considerable effort into investigating fishers’ concerns about fisheries sustainability in the Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Area. Universal among these concerns is the decline of the overall fishing experience; the lack of good recreational fishing data to support effective management; and biosecurity threats due to pressure from climate change and increasing human interaction.

The black hole in recreational fishing data is, indeed, a major stumbling block to maintaining and improving the fishery for everyone to use and enjoy, including future generations.

If you have the privilege to fish regularly in Fiordland, regardless of where, what, or how, your input is vital to building a shared understanding of the current health of key recreational fish stocks like blue cod/rawaru and hāpuku. The Fiordland Marine Guardians also want to hear about your wider fishing experience in the Fiordland Marine Area.

Your opportunity to contribute to this important work is coming up next month via an on-line survey between 20 January and 10 February 2021.

The Guardians will consider these survey results alongside the outcomes from two focus groups (one for Amateur Charter Vessel operators and one for independent recreational fishers) and present their recommendations to the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, Hon. David Parker, in June 2021.

Off the back of the Guardian’s first workshop (which ran in parallel with a similar process for Kaikoura), Amateur Charter Vessel operators in Fiordland established a voluntary code of practice that aims to move fishing effort to the outer fiords and reduce fishing in the internal waters with the industry, promoting a culture of only ‘fishing for a feed’ to eat onboard. The advice from both the Fiordland and Kaikoura Marine Guardians’ groups to the (then) Minister of Fisheries, Hon. Stuart Nash, about this sector, has led to a commitment by government to trial electronic reporting (and possibly position reporting) for ACVs. Operators from Fiordland will be invited to take part in a trial of the new system to ensure it is effective and easy to use.

How to Complete the Fiordland Fisheries Sustainability survey

Fiordland has always led the way with community-driven initiatives. The Fiordland Marine Guardians are committed to working collaboratively with you to give these fish stocks the protection they require over the next 20+ years.

If you receive e-mail updates and newsletter from the Fiordland Marine Guardians, you will be sent an electronic link to the survey on 20 January. The same applies if you hold a current Clean Vessel Pass for the FMA or are a member of Fish Mainland.

• Not on the FMG e-mail list? Contact info@fmg.org

• The link will also be available via our Fish Mainland site and the FMG sites, and advertised in the February edition of The Fishing Paper & Hunting News.