Source: Radio New Zealand
Ross McNaughton
ACT MP Cameron Luxton is a self confessed good, keen fisherman. Asked about his biggest snapper, he recounts catching a 23-pounder (10.4kg) from a kayak.
“I tell you what, when I flipped that into the boat, I was bloody stoked.”
He seems to be angling for a few fishing votes as well. Ahead of the recent Auckland on Water boat show he put the call out on social media, asking to talk “to fishers about what they see happening on the water and what needs to change. If you’re there, come and have a chat.”
First Up took up the invitation, asking Luxton if fishing was a hot topic as he stepped off an exhibitor’s boat.
“It certainly seems to be, but it’s always been a topic that’s dear to me.”
Luxton’s not the only politician engaging with anglers. Sam Woolford, spokesperson for recreational lobby group Legasea, said he was definitely getting more attention from politicians.
“I think the easiest way to describe it is it must be an election year,” he said, “because, yes, it definitely feels like suddenly all of the political parties are a lot more attentive to what the public interests are.”
Ben Chissell organised last year’s One Ocean demonstration, protesting at some aspects of the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill, which allowed some commercial fishing in areas that prohibited recreational fishing. He also had a number of politicians getting in touch.
“Yeah, we’ve had a lot reach out. We’ve heard from Labour, National, ACT and New Zealand First.”
He said the parties were taking the issue very seriously.
“One of the two major political parties has put this between top three and top five on their manifesto for the election.”
SeaFood New Zealand recently told members seafood, commercial fishing and marine sustainability was becoming an election issue. CEO Lisa Futschek said it was in ongoing talks.
“So we have had discussions with the National Party, with the Labour Party, with ACT, with New Zealand First, with the Greens as well. We haven’t at this stage had success in meeting anyone from Te Pāti Māori.
“Our conversations and our engagement across the political spectrum is ongoing. And obviously, given that it’s election year, will be wanting to maintain those connections on a regular basis.”
Two weeks ago while out fishing, Luxton filmed a commercial vessel targeting a school of jack mackerel and skipjack tuna, describing the fish being encircled by the net.
“They’ll all be gone by Friday afternoon, all that bait,” he said in the video posted on his Facebook page.
“We’ve seen manta rays and stuff here on Friday afternoon, but who knows what’s in there at the moment”
But Luxton was not biting when asked if he had any concerns about commercial catchers.
“I think that New Zealand’s got to have adult conversations about the way we manage the marine resource. And, you know, I think a lot of people have seen things on the ocean that worry them.”
Seafood New Zealand has also been keeping an eye on Luxton’s posts.
“Yes, we have seen those posts” Futschek said, “and we have tried to understand if there was a particular issue or particular conversations that needed to happen between the recreational sector and the commercial fishing industry in Cameron’s electorate.”
Last month, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka indicated National would remove commercial fishing from Hauraki Gulf high protection areas if re-elected.
Labour would do the same. In a statement, Labour’s acting oceans and fisheries spokesperson Priyanca Radhakrishnan said: “Oceans and fisheries are hugely valued sectors to New Zealand and certainly an area we are actively engaging in. A key focus for Labour is around sustainability of the sector, and ensuring it can grow to create skilled, well-paid jobs, while also protecting the health of our oceans.”
The debate around fishing policy was set to intensify, with a proposed amendment to the Fishing Act expected before Parliament this month.
Shane Jones is the architect of the bill, but was not available for comment – fuel, rather than fishing, his priority this week.
Futschek said the commercial fishing industry was supportive of the reforms.
“They are essentially common sense changes and updates to an act which has been around now for 30 years.”
Legasea though believed the changes were weighted far too heavily in favour of the commercial sector.
“We’re talking about legalising dumping and discarding the fish at sea, or allowing the fishermen to actually turn off cameras at transition periods, or even the most ridiculous one, which will actually make it illegal for future ministers to take into consideration the impacts of fishing techniques when setting allowances.”
Politicians from across the divide are keen to ensure this election issue will not be the one that got away.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
