Tensions rise over Great Barrier reserve

By ANNE BESTON

Accusations are flying over the dumping of two frozen possums on Great Barrier Island and at least one fisherman says the situation could become violent.

Fishers are also threatening legal action as tension mounts over a proposed marine reserve backed by the Department of Conservation.

At more than 50,000ha, the reserve, at the northern end of Great Barrier, would be the biggest near the New Zealand coast.

The message behind the dumping of possums is significant because the island is free of the pest.

Recreational Fishing Council board member Keith Ingram and anti-fishing licence campaigner Bill Cooke are both accusing marine reserve supporters of leaving the carcasses to discredit fishers.

"This is the work of environmental extremists," Mr Ingram said. "I really don't believe it's a fisher because there is nothing to gain."

Mr Cooke, a founder of the "Option Four" group formed two years ago to fight the possible introduction of recreational sea-fishing licences, said he did not know who had dumped the animals but feelings over the marine reserve were running high.

"DoC have got a scrap on their hands."

Mr Cooke, a North Shore resident who said he had spent his life fishing at Great Barrier and wanted his grandchildren to be able to do the same, did not rule out reserve opponents taking direct action.

"There is going to be strife if this thing goes ahead," he said.

"This is all about [DoC] empire-building and we will also injunct them in court if we have to."

Dale Tawa, DoC's area manager based at Great Barrier, said security would not be beefed up at the Port Fitzroy office.

"We think we are reasonably well-established within this community and there hasn't been talk of personal attacks on staff at all."

He said even staunch opponents of the marine reserve proposal were "disgusted" by the dead possum dumping.

Submissions on the marine proposal close at the end of this month. Mr Cooke said a decision on legal action would be made then.

This year, conservation group Forest and Bird received anonymous letters from a group calling itself the Biodiversity Action Group that claimed possums had been set free on Kapiti Island off Wellington.

The group also threatened to release possums on pest-free Codfish Island, refuge of the endangered native parrot the kakapo.