Plea to protect longfin eels from fishing

Academics and environmental groups are calling on Fisheries Minister Phil Heatley to stop the commercial fishing of longfin eels.

The threatened native eels have the same risk classification as the great spotted kiwi, and are included in the quota management system.

Massey University ecologist Mike Joy is urging people to sign a petition which is being hosted on the Forest & Bird website.

While longfin eel numbers were declining, Dr Joy said commercial operators were harvesting them and then exporting most of their catch.

Caleb Royal, a researcher at Te Wananga o Raukawa, said that since commercial eeling started in the 1960s, it had become rare to see adult longfin eels in the Otaki River.

"The old people talked of streams being clogged with thousands of adults heading to the ocean for spawning. Now that's a distant memory."

Forest & Bird's Kevin Hackwell said every eel caught was one less which would breed. To reproduce, mature eels migrated to the sea and swam thousands of kilometres for a mass spawning before dying.

It took up to 100 years for females to reach breeding age.

"It is not acceptable any more to harvest native birds or marine mammals for food."

Mr Heatley said he would accept the petition and was prepared to discuss the issue. However, he said he had faith in the quota system.

- © Fairfax NZ News