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Big fish operation planned for East Coast20 October 2005Fishery officers are planning a major operation to catch fishers breaking the rules on theNorth Island's east coast during Labour Weekend.And they are encouraging fishers to dob in offenders.The Fisheries Ministry announced today the operation, which will cover an even greater area than theone staged last Labour Weekend, will see boats, fishery officers and honorary fishery officers (HFOs)at work from Mangawhai Harbour in Northland south to Tauranga.District compliance manager Matt Cowan said people going fishing in the area could expect to bechecked by fishery officers "at least once"."During last year's operation, fishery officers checked over 800 boats and spoke with more than4000 fishers," he said."We detected 38 reasonably serious offences, resulting in both infringement notices andprosecutions."The operation, the start of the ministry's summer campaign, will be followed by similar operationsthroughout the season.It is aimed at ensuring compliance of fisheries rules and regulations."We know that 90 per cent of those who go fishing keep to the rules and want to play their part inensuring a sustainable fishery in the Hauraki Gulf," Mr Cowan said."However, the remaining few unfortunately refuse to stick to the rules and insist on taking more thantheir fair share and, this summer, we will be there to deal with them."Mr Cowan says the ministry was encouraging people who see others flagrantly breaking the rules tocontact them on VHF Channel 88."We often get calls from fishers who see the boat next to them keeping way too many fish orkeeping fish that are obviously undersized. While we act as quickly as possible, we are not alwaysable to get there in time," he said."However, this Labour Weekend we will be in a position to respond very quickly and are thereforeactively encouraging people to contact us as soon as they see any wrong-doing."Both the ministry and the vast majority of fishers had the same aim – "a sustainable fishery forourselves and for future generations", he said.Education will again play a big part in the campaign with all officers and all vessels carryingpamphlets and posters outlining the rules and offering official stick-on measuring rulers for thosewho need them.The ministry will also be promoting its successful Junior Fishery Officer programme, introduced ayear ago."This popular initiative encourages all members of the family to understand the fishing rules by'appointing' younger members of the crew to be Junior Fishery Officers," Mr Cowan said."These Junior Fishery Officers are then 'responsible' for monitoring the fish caught on the boat, makingsure they are all of legal size and that no more than the daily legal limit are kept." The operation will runthroughout the long weekend and will also regularly involve the region's harbour police.Greenpeace Fined For Damaging ReefNewsRoom.co.nz Agency Story at 7:20 AM, 02 Nov 2005Environmental group Greenpeace has been fined almost US$7,000 for damaging a coral reef at a WorldHeritage site in the Philippines.Its flagship Rainbow Warrior II ran aground at Tubbataha Reef Marine Park, in the Sula Sea, 650kmsouth-east of Manila. Park officials said almost 100 sq m of reef was damaged. Greenpeace blamed theincident on outdated maps provided by the Philippines government, but agreed to pay the fine.The incident happened while the Rainbow Warrior was on a four-month tour of the Asia-Pacific region.Greenpeace divers were at the Tubbataha park, off the coast of Palawan island, to inspect the effect ofglobal warming on the coral reef.
Blueprint drawn up for national park at seaMarine park plan. Herald graphicBlueprint drawn up for national park at sea19.10.05By Tony GeePlanning is under way to create New Zealand's first marine national park off Northland's east coast.The 1800sq km park, running north from Whangarei Heads to Cape Brett, would not be as restrictive as a marine reserve.Recreational fishing would be allowed throughout 90 per cent of its area, but commercial fishing would be banned.The concept originated from the Northland Conservation Board which wants feedback on the initiative from economic, social,cultural and environmentally sustainable viewpoints.A proposal is now being floated by Jeroen Jongejans a director of Northland diving charter company Dive! Tutukaka, who is topresent the plan and an accompanying discussion document to a Northland Regional Council meeting in Whangarei today.Mr Jongejans said yesterday the park would be several steps down in environmental and fish stock protection levels from aformally designated marine reserve."We've seen issues around the proposed [Department of Conservation] reserve for Mimiwhangata and wherever a marinereserve is proposed, it seems to engender a lot of controversy."What we're proposing could be a blueprint for other places. It's about a level of protection for the marine environment andincreasing fish stocks."We have national parks on land so why not at sea?"The park discussion document suggests that recreational fishing would still be allowed over 1620sq km but with allowablecatches of only half normal bag limits.The 180sq km no-take zone would include the existing 20sq km Mimiwhangata no-take area and the current 24sq km areaaround the Poor Knights Islands.Mr Jongejans said the rules would have to be simple.There were also likely to be employment spin-offs through fishing, tourist and other charter operators working the area, as wellas shore-based eco-enterprises supplementing the park's attractions.Details of who would manage a park have not yet been decided and will be one of a number of issues still to be discussed intalks with the Department of Conservation, Ministry of Fisheries, Ngatiwai and other coastal hapu, Whangarei District Council,commercial and recreational fishers, charter operators and tourism representatives.A public meeting may also be called to consider the proposal.The regional council's manager of planning and policy, Glenn Mortimer, is recommending to today's council meeting that themarine national park concept should be supported in principle.But he notes that for the proposal to advance, it would need support from DoC, the ministry and the district council.
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âWas that a little taste of a sunny Spring the other day?â