Fishing bans 'could cost jobs'

Proposals to create marine protected areas on the West Coast could have a detrimental effect on Nelson-based inshore fishermen if they go ahead, according to a fishing industry representative.

The West Coast Marine Protection Forum made up of commercial, recreational, iwi, environmental, tourism, council and government interests has spent nearly four years going through policy documents, classification standards and investigating areas suitable for marine protected areas and marine reserves on the coast.

It has now identified nine areas totalling 96,673ha four main sites at Kahurangi, Punakaiki, Okarito and Gorge, as well as five education sites at Tauranga Bay, Mahinapua Creek, Jackson Head, Hapuka River and Ship Creek.

The areas will largely be a combination of marine reserve and marine protected areas.

Reserves are no-take areas for all users, while protected areas excluded all trawling, dredging and danish seining the most common commercial fishing methods for finfish.

Recreational fishermen can still fish in protected areas provided they do not disturb the sea floor.

Challenger Finfisheries Management Company chief executive Carol Scott, who is a member of the forum, said if the areas currently identified were accepted, it would have a huge effect on those targeting finfish, crayfish, paua, tuna and eel.

"The West Coast fisheries, like many regions around New Zealand, are multi-species finfish fisheries which means you get a mix of different fish when you go fishing.

"Taking out an area that has over 20 per cent trawlable ground will have an impact on the fishers and jobs could go, which could be dire in the latest economic climate."

It would also have a flow-on effect to those who supply the fishing industry and local communities.

Ms Scott said she was currently in the process of finding out from the industry what stock they caught in the closed areas and the entire West Coast region, and what it was worth to them and those who relied on the catch.

Two fishermen she had already spoken with had identified a wide range of species including flatfish, red cod, elephant fish, gurnard, john dory, groper and kahawai.

She said at least 12 trawlers fished in the 66,542ha Kahurangi site alone, including many from the Nelson fleet, and it would not be a case of simply fishing somewhere else.

Things such as fuel, catch mix, quota availability and crew would all be affected.

"So it's not as simple as saying `Oh, you can just go somewhere else', as some forum members find it easy to say."

Ms Scott said commercial fishermen were not against marine protection, but she had some concerns about the process and how the policy and classification standards were being applied.

"To us, it's a loss of fishing area that doesn't have to go.

"We have proposed areas that apply least cost and minimise impact on users but these were not allowed by the Ministry of Fisheries or Department of Conservation, or the rest of the forum."

Forum chairman Bruce Hamilton said once the areas had been finalised, they would go out for public consultation and hearings.

He acknowledged not everybody would be happy with the proposals, but they would have the opportunity to have their concerns heard and put forward more evidence.

"Our whole ambition has been to minimise those costs to everybody."

DOC West Coast conservation projects manager Campbell Robertson said New Zealand's coastal area had been split up into 14 biogeographic regions.

The West Coast from Kahurangi Point to Awarua Point is one such region.

The forum's role is to look at the implementation of the Government's MPA policy, which aims to protect marine biodiversity by establishing a network of protected areas that is comprehensive and representative of New Zealand's marine habitats and ecosystems.

Mr Robertson anticipated the plan would go out for public consultation in late May or early June.

Go to www.westmarine.org.nz for more information.

- © Fairfax NZ News