By ELEANOR BLACK
TAURANGA - Recreational fishers in the Eastern Bay of Plenty have won a five-year battle to stop commercial trawlers from coming within 2 nautical miles of shore.
The ban, extending from Haurere Pt east of Opotiki to Cape Runaway, takes effect early next year.
It gives small operators and weekend anglers a chance at fish targeted by trawlers and Danish seine vessels, which work with spotter planes and trap whole schools of mackerel, trevally and tuna in huge nets.
Fisheries Minister Pete Hodgson hopes the no-go zone, already in place throughout the rest of the Bay of Plenty, will end a dispute which has pitted tangata whenua, recreational fishers and commercial operators against each other.
The minister took into account a 1996 survey of non-commercial catch rates for snapper from North Cape to Cape Runaway which found the lowest rates between Omaio and Cape Runaway - where there was no 2-mile restriction.
Rates in the adjoining area between the Tarawera River and Omaio, where there was a restriction, were the highest of the coastal areas surveyed.
"We are pleased that Pete Hodgson has actually taken the bit between the teeth," said Ross Gildon, vice-president of the Recreational Fishing Council.
"Right around the country there are disputes going on about localised depletion.
"It has always been a bone of contention."
Mr Gildon said seine fishing was one of the most efficient methods but left little behind for the occasional fisher armed with only a rod and bait.
Night seine fishing close to shore particularly angered recreational fishers, he said.
The vessels came within two nautical miles of the beach, dropped nets, motored back outside the restricted zone and then started hauling.
But not all commercial operators were "bad guys," said Mr Gildon.
Some trawlers had offered to observe a voluntary ban within 1 nautical mile of shore.
Mr Hodgson said most of the fishing grounds used by Bay of Plenty commercial operators were unaffected.
Eastern Bay joins trawler no-go zone
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