Snapper cuts would be taking food from families says group

Ocean and twinspot snapper. Photo / Getty Images

Recreational fishers say the Government will be taking food from the tables of New Zealand families if it goes ahead with cuts to the snapper catch limit.

The Ministry of Primary Industries is currently consulting on three different options for new size and bag restrictions.

They are designed to rebuild what's known as the the 'snapper 1 fishery' spanning East Northland, the Hauraki Gulf and Bay of Plenty.

The group LegaSea is rejecting all three options put forward with spokeswoman Mandy Kupenga saying they all strip fundamental rights.

She says they would mean a loss of food on the table for families.

"People who fish in New Zealand actually fish for sustenance, not only for their own families but for elderly people in the community, their wider families.

"A lot of people don't have the chance to go out fishing.

"There's a lot of people that share what they get from the ocean."

Information sessions are to be held in the areas which will be hardest hit by proposed changes to the recreational snapper catch limit.

Ms Kupenga says a series of meetings will begin in Whakatane on August 5.

"Where we can share information with people, answer questions and let everyone know what's happening here.

"And also talk through their concerns and get a really good handle for what people think about this issue so that we can represent it."

More details about the meetings can be found on LegaSea's website.