Bleater' tag guts fisher Term unfortunate, Doc admits

Northland recreational fishers have been tagged "bleaters" by a Department of Conservation-appointed consultant for their opposition to a proposed marine reserve at Mimiwhangata.
Doc's contracted marine conservationist Vince Kerr made the derogatory comment in an email released under the Official Information Act.
In the email, discussing possible marine farms being proposed by iwi in the area around the site of the proposed marine reserve, Mr Kerr says the first of such farms could be 50 hectares in size.
"Size (of the farms) will be a critical factor for the first proposed area at Paparahi and the bleating from Rec(reational) fishers will be major in this area," Mr Kerr says in the email to Maclab NZ, which extracts products from shellfish.
Northern Recreational Fishers Association spokesman Paul Batten was outraged at being labelled a bleater.
"I feel absolutely disgusted at that. We all want to look after the resource and utilise it for the good of everybody and for the next generations," Mr Batten said.
"But we are being shut down at every step and these sort (of comments) show that they are prejudging what we have to say. They are trying to dismiss us as bleaters before we even have a say."
He said the concerns of recreational fishers were just as valid as any other group and Doc had no right to dismiss them. Recreational fishers supported marine reserves but their concerns were about where and how big they would be.
Mr Batten said Mr Kerr's comment made a mockery of Doc's claim that it would consult with the public over the reserve.
"It's not consultation when you already have a negative opinion of one of the main parties you are going to consult with," Mr Batten said.
Doc is now analysing about 1100 submissions on its proposed new marine reserve off Mimiwhangata, 50km northeast of Whangarei.
Submissions closed last week on the proposed huge "no-take" marine reserve, which could cover up to 11,200ha of sea under one option or 7200ha under another. The consultation process for the marine reserve has so far cost Doc $19,000.
Whangarei MP Phil Heatley, who uncovered the document, said the comment showed that Doc was insincere in its consultation with the recreational fishers.
"Doc's condescending and disinterested attitude is appalling. Fishers have a right to have their views taken seriously," Mr Heatley said.
Doc spokesman Jeff Griggs said consultation over the Mimiwhangata reserve proposal was not a sham as the organisation had received a large number of submissions and petitions that were in the process of being analysed.
"In addition (Doc) has engaged in a large number of public meetings and ongoing discussion with tangata whenua. The dollars spent on this consultation exercise reflects the seriousness of the department's commitment to this consultation," Mr Griggs said.
"The correspondence that Mr Heatley is referring to reflected ongoing discussions between a Doc consultant and the local tangata whenua who were investigating possible Aquaculture Management Area (AMA) sites at the time. The department's consultant was responding to questions from tangata whenua and inquiring into their proposals in the context of looking at possible marine reserve boundaries.
"This kind of discussion we would suggest needs to happen more between all parties with an interest in marine issues. As a result of these discussions, disadvantages of the Paparahi Pt site as an AMA proposal were identified and this site is no longer seen by the local Maori as a priority site and suggested western boundaries of the marine reserve proposal were adjusted to reflect the importance of this area for recreational fishing."
He said the term "bleating" was an unfortunate way to describe the situation.
"We would like to emphasise that this process was focused on bringing together information to present a proposal for informal discussion with the community. It is one part of a longer consultation process that we have only just commenced," Mr Griggs said.