Review of Sustainability Measures for Snapper (SNA7) and Red Gurnard (GUR7) for 2020/21
Introduction
Fish Mainland is a recently incorporated not-for-profit organisation designed by a Working Group comprising South Island and Stewart Island recreational fishers. They designed it to be a fully functioning professional organisation that coordinates, represents and promotes the diverse interests of the 100,000+ fishers who fish in the marine environment, and works to restore and sustain fisheries resources to maximise fishers’ experiences and opportunities.
Fish Mainland is a Member-based organisation. The Members have democratic control over the organisation through the power to nominate, elect and remove five Regional Directors of the Board. Also, the South Island Mandated Iwi Organisations can appoint and remove two other Directors. The Board appoints two more Directors and an independent Chair of the Board.
Elected and appointed Directors of the Board demonstrate Fish Mainland’s mandate to represent recreational fishers in the South Island and Stewart Island. The election and appointments of Directors will occur soon.
Accordingly, this submission is made without any mandate to represent. However, it does reflect what the Working Group, as acting Directors, considers is aligned with the views of the majority of South Island and Stewart Island fishers. It is also aligned with the views of the Tasman and Sounds Recreational Fishers’ Association Inc and the Mapua Boat Club.
Submission
Fish Mainland supports Option 3 for SUR7 that increases the TAC and TACC by 100 tonnes and keeps the allowances unchanged. This support is based on the expectation that a 100 tonne increase is within the yield estimates that will maintain the stock at or above the target biomass.
Fish Mainland does not support Option 2, as it would constitute a 50 tonne reallocation from the recreational allowance to the TACC, while the recreational catch rate has likely increased recently and will likely continue to do so.
Fish Mainland supports Option 1 (status quo) for GUR7 since the recreational allowance is inadequate and should be increased to account for the current and future level of recreational effort. Any future increase in the recreational allowance would be more difficult to obtain if the TACC is increased (Option 2).
Yours sincerely,
James Crossland
Acting Chair of the Board
