Stop the 52mm concession

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Opinion

Re: Cray catch limit cut, April 5.

A “responsible step” as CRA3 commercial fishers reduce their overall catch by 30 percent for  2024/25, above the 20 percent cut set by Fisheries Minister Shane Jones last month.

Us recreational fishers were cut by 50 percent last month, from six per person to three.

Why can’t Shane Jones use some common sense and stop the commercial fishers from taking 52mm male crays? I am pretty sure the Mahia commercial fishers are not doing it, but the Gisborne guys are — and that might well by why the Gisborne area is pretty stuffed.

Look at the area from Young  Nicks Head to Mahanga Beach that has been stripped by Gisborne commercial boats — or is that just the one boat?

What show do the Mahanga recreational fishers have of catching a legal male cray when there are 60 pots laid from Mahanga to Young Nicks Head?

Again, why can’t Shane Jones stop customary permits being issued for 110mm paua when the recreational and commercial measure is 125mm?

Both the paua and cray undersize measures quoted have been going on for years.

My opinion is that the 52mm crayfish concession should have been stopped by the commercial fishers years ago, or the Minister.

I am sure 99 percent of commercial operators will back up what I have said. If not, please speak up.

Am I right or am I right?

Merv Goodley