Calming Kaipara's troubled waters

A report due out this month is crucial to preserving a sustainable fishery, reports ARNOLD PICKMERE.


Problems of overfishing in the Kaipara Harbour, the fuel of conflict and friction between some harbour users, have many causes.

That is a main reason the 12-member Kaipara Harbour Sustainable Management Group has taken three years to prepare the report due to reach Fisheries Minister Pete Hodgson this month.

The problems vary from too many commercial fishermen (perfectly legally) targeting the waters contained by its 3350km of coastline to some recreational fishermen, including groups from elsewhere, taking illegally sized, or too many fish or shellfish.

In between those is a whole raft of issues which have been discussed with the community, trying to come up with some acceptable answers. They include net length, mesh size, wastage of fish through nets being unattended too long and how to make sure juvenile fish live long enough to breed before they are caught.

The overriding aim is not a shrunken fishery but a sustainable one.

There have been shots fired to keep commercial boats away from a rahui (ban) area near Tinopai, fishing gear stolen and cars, boats and trailers vandalised. The rahui was imposed by local Maori in 1997 and was later endorsed by the Government for three years.

But that was only until July last year when Mr Hodgson, who asked the group to do the report, refused to continue it. The value of such bans is now doubted, as they are held to move fishing pressure elsewhere in the harbour and not address the basic problem.

Kaipara District Mayor Graeme Ramsey, who has chaired the group representing fishing interests, iwi and the community, says he became involved "because the community came to us and said 'This matters, this is a priority for us'."

Mr Ramsey was an independent choice who knew the Kaipara through long family ties but (fortunately, he says) does his fishing elsewhere on the ocean beaches of the west coast.

The condition of the Kaipara fishery has been worrying many people, including Maori. They say they cannot now readily catch snapper, flounder, grey mullet or dogfish (rig), despite a treaty settlement recognising their customary rights.

A study of the commercial flatfish, grey mullet and dogfish fisheries in the harbour by Niwa scientist Bruce Hartill found catch rates of all three species peaked in the mid-1990s but have declined in recent years.

Grey mullet landings in 2000-2001, for example, had declined to about half the level of the peak in 1996-97. In that year 53 per cent of the 870 tonnes of grey mullet landed in the whole upper North Island quota area were caught in the Kaipara. The total allowable catch for the year of 1006 tonnes was not reached, a situation which persisted through the 1990s.

Communities in the Kaipara also want research into the impact that trawling at the mouth of the harbour is having on the snapper fishery. The scallop beds (off Tinopai and Shelly Beach) are seriously depleted. Depletions in pipis and cockles are also being reported and the reasons seem less well understood.

All signs are that fishing in the Kaipara will worsen unless the report resulting from three years of community debate produces a cohesive response from Mr Hodgson.

Fishing is important to many people in the economically depressed Kaipara District, encompassing Dargaville and the land beside the great harbour above Rodney District.

Its population is only about 17,500 and the most popular occupation, according to the Census, is agriculture and fisheries worker. The median annual income (Census 2001) of people in the district was $15,800. The median for Maori people was $12,800. Almost 60 per cent of people in the Kaipara aged over 15 had an annual income of $20,000 or less, so those who cannot catch fish could have trouble paying fish-shop prices of around $20 a kilogram.

At least two significant outside influences are having an increasing effect on the Kaipara . The first is the catches of flatfish, grey mullet and shark (dogfish, rig) are lumped in with the quotas for the very large upper North Island fishing quota areas for these species.

These run from Kawhia, on the west coast, southwest of Hamilton, around North Cape and down to Cape Runaway.

But although catches within the Kaipara are falling, research shows that an increasing percentage of the fish caught in the whole quota areas is actually being caught in the Kaipara. The reasons are simple.

The 65km-long Kaipara has a dangerous sea entrance with a bar. But it also has access from numerous boat ramps. And a significant part of the commercial fishing fleet is now trailer-borne boats able to move widely though the quota area.

That contrasts with traditional Kaipara fishermen working from launches which are not easily transported elsewhere.

The Kaipara is attractive to outsiders for two reasons. The first is that it is a good place to fish when the weather turns nasty off the coast.

And the other is that it is handy to the major, Auckland, market. Probably the most difficult but most important question Mr Hodgson will face from the Kaipara report is the suggestion of having a separate Kaipara quota area and how that would be achieved to the satisfaction of present quota owners.

The study group has already shown some favouritism for a regulated licensing or permit system, aimed to effect a gradual reduction in the number of people fishing.

The growth of Auckland and the demand for seaside properties is adding another pressure. Ten years ago Kaipara was a quiet backwater. Now it is attracting increasing attention. The debate over Kaipara fishing's future is bound to be robust. Nevertheless, the study group will tell the minister that doing nothing is not an option.

It is likely that would damage the economic viability of Kaipara commercial fishing, increasingly dissatisfy recreational fishing people, cause localised depletions of fish stocks, affect Maori customary rights and worsen conflict for space on the harbour.


The Kaipara

Biggest harbour in New Zealand.

Tidal river valley system.

Area 500sq km.

Coastline 3350km.

Length 65km.

Catchment for half Northland's waterways.

HISTORY

1888: Snapper caught in Kaipara at rate of 60 or 70 an hour per line off two hooks. Weight about 9lb (4.08kg). Mullet average 2lb (0.90kg), 120 dozen netted by two men in a day.

1928: 100 fishermen employed on harbour.

1950-70: Japanese long-liners target West Coast snapper outside harbour.

1970s: Rapid decline. Pair trawlers off coast. Within Kaipara, modern nets set by using dories adds pressure.

1980s: West Coast snapper fishery significantly depleted. Impact on Kaipara Harbour fish nursery and fishery.

Suggested management plan promotes fishing for the future

Goals include: Sustainable fishing of the Kaipara Harbour, so it meets economic, social and cultural needs of present and future generations.

That means a management plan that is simple, effective and affordable. Among the ideas:

COMMERCIAL FISHING

1. Fish size

As fishing pressure has increased many commercial fishers have targeted minimum-sized flounder and grey mullet. Research suggests 40 per cent of 25cm female flounder, for example, have not bred.

Smaller net mesh size also increases juvenile damage and mortality. Small fish attract market resistance and lower prices, so the fishers try to catch more to compensate.

Suggestion: Increase flatfish minimum size from 25cm to 27cm and encourage catching grey mullet over 35cm. (A minimum size for mullet is considered impracticable because of damage to the fish caused in netting.)

2. Net size

Present minimum net mesh sizes tend to catch smaller, lighter fish and more juveniles, especially for flounder and grey mullet. Webbings of nets have changed significantly in 20 years - today's are stronger, finer and very efficient. Damage to juveniles and the taking of fish in their first breeding cycle have a flow-on effect for future stock levels.

Suggestion: Increase the mesh size for flounder from 100mm to 121mm and for mullet from 90mm to 92mm.

3. Net length

The maximum net length allowed for flounder, grey mullet and shark in harbours is now 1000 metres. The practice of working the nets regularly while they are set is no longer common, meaning more damage or mortality to juvenile fish or non-target species. Catch quality also suffers.

Suggestion: Reduce the total length of set nets to 800m and monitor results.

4. Soakage time

The maximum soakage (time between setting net and removing it) is 18 hours for flounder, grey mullet and shark. Long times mean that fish which die lose quality. Predators such as sharks, rays and sea lice attracted to area. Juvenile or non-target species can be damaged or die.

Suggestion: Reduce times nets may be set.

RECREATIONAL FISHING

(As well as similar measures as described for commercial fishing)

1. Undersize fish

Some fishers are landing undersized fish by filleting them first. Young fish do not reproduce until a certain age. Minimum-size restrictions are an important part of fisheries management.

Suggestion: All fish to be landed whole. No filleting at sea, except where fish to be eaten on board. Gutting on board permitted.

2. Scallops

Scallop beds in the Kaipara are severely depleted. Night dredging can provide cover for illegal activity.

Suggestion: Study group wants up to two-year halt to let beds recover. After that, open season from October 1 to January 14. Ban night dredging. Improve design of amateur scallop dredges to reduce damage to undersize shellfish.

3. Juvenile snapper (voluntary)

Kaipara Harbour is a nursery for juvenile snapper. Many are caught by recreational fishing people, especially in summer. A number will die when released, especially if gut-hooked or mishandled. (Commercial fishers very seldom target snapper in the harbour.)

Suggestion: Target legal-sized snapper by using a minimum hook size of No 6. Encourage research into use of specially designed hooks that promote lip hooking of fish. Possible banning of stainless steel hooks which may resist being dissolved in gut-hooked fish.