Editorial: Preserving fish stocks key for future generations

I don't like seafood but I know plenty of others who do. They rave about delicacies from the deep and will go to great lengths to collect them.

It's a fine Kiwi tradition and one I would like to share in if only my tastebuds would allow me to enjoy the fruits of such labour.

The appeal of kaimoana might be lost on me, but I appreciate its importance as a food source and the importance of protecting stocks for future generations.

Thankfully, most fishers and shellfish collectors take only what they need but a small percentage abuse the system - taking way more than the law allows. Sometimes this is done to sell on the black market.

Such cases often hit the headlines, accompanied by photographs of vast amounts of illegally taken seafood which has been seized, along with boats and equipment belonging to the perpetrators. The scale of the abuse often beggars belief. That was certainly the case three years ago, when the Ministry for Primary Industries revealed details of a Western Bay black-market ring that was so large and sophisticated it threatened the region's snapper fishery and the country's quota management system.

The ministry used every tool in its armoury to smash the ring, which had illegally disposed of at least 13 tonnes of fish - mainly snapper.

In that case and many others, fisheries officers were the main line of defence.

It's a daunting job, often carried out in isolated areas.

The importance of their work cannot be overstated but not everyone appreciates it.

A spokesman for the ministry issued a warning this week after the recent conviction of a Tauranga commercial fisherman, who has been fined $3000 after he deliberately drove at a fisheries officer.

Bruce William Clifford Roberts, 50, was sentenced in the Whakatane District Court on August 3 after he pleaded guilty to a charge of behaving in a threatening manner.

In March, Roberts was driving his four-wheel-drive vehicle from Port Ohope when the officer standing about 100m away signalled him to pull over.

When Roberts got within about 30m to 40m of the officer he headed straight towards him, speeding up as he did so, the court heard.

The fishery officer, who yelled out "Stop, fisheries" several times, had to move out of the way to avoid being hit.

Roberts had to pay a $1500 redemption fee for the return of his confiscated vehicle and $130 court costs.

It was not the first time Roberts had been convicted of fisheries offences. In December 2010 he was fined $13,000 after being caught setting crab pots in Mount Maunganui's Matatitai Reserve in August that year, and for obstructing a fishery officer.

The ministry says such offending is rare but confirms there "is a small percentage of people who do have a lot to say to our fisheries officers on occasions, and some people can be quite aggressive or even abusive".

Sometimes people resist having their catch inspected, even though they are later found to be fully compliant. If you're doing nothing wrong, why would you kick up a fuss?

The work done by fisheries officers is crucial to preserving our fish stocks for future generations - surely that's something all fishers should support.