Some Otago and Southland fishermen are refusing to take out Ministry of Fisheries observers under a new programme aimed at helping save endangered dolphins.
They are annoyed at the heavy-handed approach of the ministry which has threatened fines of up to $250,000 if they refuse, the Otago DailyTimes reported yesterday.
The ministry is implementing a two-month observer programme to assess whether regulations announced last year to protect endangered Hector's and Maui dolphins have been effective and what impact commercial fishing is having on the mammals. Up to 50 observers would be working around the South Island and west coast of the North Island this month and next.
The newspaper reported Port Chalmers Fishermen's Co-operative president Steve Little as saying the fishermen had their "backs up" over what they saw as a "threatening position" in a letter from the ministry, which stated they had a legal obligation to take the observers or face a $250,000 fine.
Many of the 26 members of the society had signed a document saying they would not take the observers out, but when faced with a $250,000 fine "some of these guys backed down".
Fishermen at Taieri Mouth and most in Bluff were still refusing, he said.
Ministry national environment manager Steve Halley said there had been very good co-operation from "by far the majority", but if fishermen deliberately ignored the legal requirement to take an observer, the ministry had little choice but to consider action.
Mr Little said the programme had also brought to the surface unresolved issues surrounding by-catch which meant it was not in the fishermen's "best interests" to have observers on board, he said.
Any video footage taken could lead to prosecution down the track.
New Zealand Commercial Fishing Federation chief executive Peter Dawson said there were concerns from fishermen around the country at the impact of requiring observers on in-shore vessels.
