Colder water temperatures might be hampering snapper fishing so far this season, but the Ministry of Primary Industries' fisheries compliance team are warning when it bites, they will be keeping a close eye.
After a busy festive period out on the water and on the boat ramps, MPI officials are now turning their attention to what is the most popular fish caught by recreational fishers in the Bay of Plenty.
MPI senior fisheries officer Gary McAneny is ready to stop illegal catches during the Bay's upcoming snapper season. Photo: Bruce Barnard.
The warmer temperatures coincide with a change from winter fishing from terakihi to snapper.
'It's still late, and it hasn't arrived as yet,” says MPI senior fisheries officer Gary McAneny. 'There are issues with current as well as water temperature that has stalled it.
'But we think it will kick-in in February big time, and when that happens there will be a lot more concerted enforcement going on.”
From April 1, 2014 snapper bag limits for recreational fishers were reduced from nine to seven per day, with the minimum size rising from 27 - 30cm.
MPI figures, in a detailed report published late last year, state snapper continues to be the fish of choice with Kiwi recreational fishers catching and keeping 4.5 million snapper, 1.17m kahawai and 682,500 blue cod in 2011-12.
The National Survey of Recreational Harvest 2011-12 is the most comprehensive survey of recreational harvest undertaken to date in New Zealand nationwide.
For snapper in SNA 1 – the fishing region covering the Bay of Plenty through the Hauraki Golf to east Northland – the average weight of fish kept was 1.06kg, giving a total harvest that year of 2980 tonnes.
Despite this sedated start to the season, officials are still out promoting the message about catch limits and fish sizes via patrols and compliance checks.
'There is still a high level from all the Honorary Fishing Officers who are all particularly busy at the moment doing the rounds waiting for things to kick in,” adds Gary.
'It hasn't happened yet and most people would tell you the fishing is still pretty hard.”
Information of all limits, sizes and other related rules can be found at: www.mpi.govt.nz
MPI encourages people to confidentially report any suspicious fishing activity to: 0800 4 POACHER (0800 476 224).
1 comment
Poor buggers
Posted on 21-01-2015 23:40 | By Bobby
I really feel for these guys, just trying to do their job, they will cop a lot of abuse due to government decisions that are complete crap...
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