Northland sports fishers opposed to new marlin rules backed by NZ First’s Shane Jones have received support from local National MP Grant McCallum.
McCallum not only opposes the new rules, allowing commercial fishers to sell dead marlin caught as a bycatch, he believes he can convince his coalition partner to change his mind.
The rules are part of 19 proposed regulatory amendments floated by Fisheries NZ in October. When submissions closed on November 28, more than 22,000 people had responded.
Critics of the changes include TV fishing personality Matt Watson, who said the proposals threatened New Zealand’s world-class big game fishing industry, on which Northland’s economy relies.
Jones, as Ocean and Fisheries Minister, said opponents were “catastrophising” the changes and sustainability would remain a key part of the Fisheries Act.
The marlin proposal would allow the 300 to 400 marlin caught incidentally by commercial fishers to be landed and sold, instead of the dead fish being left in the ocean, as currently allowed on the west coast, he said.
But McCallum said he and Jones recently met with representatives of Northland’s sports fishing sector, who put forward a good case to keep the rules as they are.
Sports marlin fishing is “big business” in Northland, particularly in the Bay of Islands, as it requires specialised boats and gear, often through charters, McCallum said.
“The value of sport fishing to Northland is significantly more than any bycatch would bring. I saw two boat-building businesses, worth $30m each, based around marlin fishing,” he said.
“The Bay of Islands is one of the marlin fishing capitals of the world, which is great.”
McCallum disagreed with Jones that opponents were “catastrophising” the impact of the changes, with the swordfish industry showing what could happen.
In the early 1990s, the Government allowed the sale of dead broadbill swordfish caught as a bycatch.
“The bycatch went from 100 tonnes to 1000 tonnes in a few years. Instead of being a bycatch, it was brought into the Quota Management System and had a value attached,” McCallum said.
“We don’t want the same thing happening to marlin. Our swordfishery used to be the best in the world and it’s not now.”
McCallum acknowledged he still had work to do to convince Jones, but he was reasonably confident the fellow Northlander could be shown the light.
“I’m confident, given the representation by the sports fishing sector and the clear value to the north, that I can get him to change his mind on the marlin fishery.”
McCallum also did not support a proposed change that would remove protections for 19 reef fish species, including red moki, boarfish and red pigfish.
Overall, he was not against commercial fishing. McCallum said he loved fish but, like many New Zealanders, was either not in a position to go fishing or not able to catch them.
He said tensions between recreational and commercial fishers required a delicate balance of rules.
Jones previously indicated he could change his mind on the marlin rules, calling it a “molehill not worth dying on”.
But he defended overall changes to the Fisheries Act, saying they were about increasing jobs and growing the fishing industry while ensuring sustainability.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.