Fish Mainland addresses the missing link in managing the blue cod fishery
Fish Mainland Inc has made some impressive achievements in its first year, including gaining the support of a growing segment of the South Island recreational fishing sector and the commercial fishing representative organisations that work directly with it on fisheries problems. It also has the support of all nine South Island Mandated Iwi Organisations (MIOs).
Furthermore, like those noted above, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is realising the value in Fish Mainland’s ‘sit around the table’ approach to finding workable solutions that provide the best outcomes for New Zealand.
“The launch of the National Blue Cod Strategy presented an ideal opportunity for Fish Mainland and MPI to collaborate in improving the management of this iconic South Island fishery” says Jim Crossland, Chair of Fish Mainland’s Board of Directors.
Jim says, “Now that commercial electronic reporting is in place, more reliable, fine-scale recreational fishing data is the missing link to improved management. Recreational fishing data will allow those involved in the commercial blue cod fishery, including MIOs, to have a better understanding of the fishery’s economic, social and cultural contribution and the trade-offs that could be made between the sectors.”
“Furthermore, the collection of recreational fishing data is the best way to address the problems that have arisen from the Blue Cod Strategy, namely having to land blue cod in a measurable state and the inability to transit through an area with a larger bag limit taken in another area” says Jim.
For this purpose, Fish Mainland applied to MPI’s Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund to provide financial support to develop and implement a system for recreational fishers to self-report their data on targeted blue cod and bycatch in South Island waters. MPI recently approved the application.
“We are also very fortunate to have the generous financial support of the Myers Foundation Trust for developing and implementing the self-reporting system. Later this year, we will trial the system with some of our supportive fishing clubs and other organisations, such as the Fiordland Marine Guardians (FMG)” says Jim.
Rebecca McLeod, Chair of the FMG, says “Blue cod is prone to serial depletion, particularly in parts of Fiordland where the fishery is not particularly productive. That said, there are productive areas where more intensive fishing pressure may be able to be accommodated. The focused and timely data that this self-reporting system will produce will enable the fishery in Fiordland to be managed adaptively. Fiordland’s fishers have indicated widespread support for self-reporting, and we look forward to working with Fish Mainland to ensure this one is up to the job.”
Jim says “Some of our detractors claim that Fish Mainland received a ‘handout’ from Government. Nothing could be further from the truth. We’re providing a much-needed contracted service that will help legitimise the recreational voice in management decision making and provide data that will form the basis for ongoing improvements in the fishery.”
“What we are after is improving our ability to share data and insights into the blue cod fishery, which will further entice all fishing sectors to work together. Collaboration, including collective Ministerial recommendations, in the blue cod fishery will be a critical step to expanding the self-reporting system into other shared fisheries” says Jim.
“If the longstanding practice of rivalry between sectors had proved effective, then we wouldn’t be facing so many daunting problems in shared fisheries. In other words, there is no alternative to working collaboratively with others and with our sights on the future of the fishery” says Jim.
View original article in The Fishing Paper and Hunting News, p.10