The Government's rushed proposal to increase snapper restrictions for recreational fishers is being slammed as 'plain dumb” by independent Tauranga MP Brendan Horan.

Earlier this month Ministry of Primary Industries released a paper outlining three options for snapper regulations in Snapper Fishery 1, which spans the Bay of Plenty, Hauraki Gulf and East Northland.

From left: Sportcraft Marine Limited boat builder Wayne Kennedy, mechanic Phillip Green and sales consultant Roger Beauchamp with Brendan Horan's snapper petition.

The release opens up a six-week consultation process where recreational and commercial fishermen are debating over who should be responsible for replenishing the fishery.

Instead, Brendan has a put petition in businesses throughout the Bay of Plenty attempting to gain signatures in the short time frame offered by Government.

'This is something that all New Zealander's need to get up and start making a stand on. Every single option punishes the average New Zealander on wanting to catch fish for his or her family.”

Snapper 1 is New Zealand's most popular recreational fishery and is the country's fifth-most-valuable commercial fishery by asset value.

But according MPI, recreational options include reducing bag limits from nine to three, increasing the minimum legal size from 27cm to 35cm, or opting for a combination of the two.

During the next four weeks, the petitions will remain in stores for people to sign before being taken before parliament – and Brendan is hoping they collect many signatures.

'I'm hoping that it will initially be in the tens of thousands but then hundreds of thousands.

'Apart from being unfair it's just plain dumb and doesn't make any economic sense. The fishing industry in New Zealand brings in over $1billion.”

A more realistic option for fishers will be keeping the quota at nine, and if there was any cause for concern put the size up, says Brendan.

Sportcraft Marine Limited sales consultant Roger Beauchamp is pleased with Brendan's decision to oppose the proposal in what he describes a lack of forward thinking impacting on the wider fishing community.

'I personally would be happy to make the catch size 33cm and catch limit to six – otherwise to fill up a 20 litre tank of fuel at over $50 means I may as well not go,” says Roger.

'Would you? If you'd been looking at nice $30,000 boat and then someone says ‘oh but you can only go and get two fish'. [You may think] well maybe I don't need a boat anymore,” says Roger.

'As long as Brendan doesn't go in waving guns and pistols I think he's got the right attitude.”