Fishing: One in ten anglers doesn't care about bag limits

MFish has the staff and technology to identify locations where people are likely to land catches that can be massively over the legal limit or undersized. Picture / Glenn Jeffrey

Fisheries compliance officers are gearing up for a big summer targeting poachers, armed with police back-up and loads of intelligence from the public.

Officers are changing their tactics to get smarter and pursue specific people, boats and vehicles, says the head of Auckland recreational fisheries compliance, Matt Cowan.

They have spent the winter months poring over maps to identify spots where illegally taken fish, shellfish and crayfish might be landed, pursued information from the public and have already identified persons and locations to monitor.

From December 1, three MFish officers would spend a lot more time on the water and anglers should expect to be asked to show their catches, Cowan said.

"When the fish start to run there are a lot of boats out there and from December to March we intend to maintain a good presence.

"The inspections at sea will be backed up by the honorary fisheries officers doing their work at boat ramps.

"Nine out of 10 people are happy to see us, they know the rules and understand why we have to enforce them and they abide by the rules."

Then there are the 10 per cent who don't care and "in a city the size of Auckland that's a lot of people".

In some areas, especially in South and West Auckland, shellfish beds were suffering.

"When we are there there is 100 per cent compliance. As soon as we are not there there is 100 per cent non-compliance," Cowan said.

Duders Beach was an example. MFish was taking new tacks in addressing the problem, such as education and setting up multi-language signs.

"But the signs work only up until someone decides they don't want it there."

Enforcement measures will include road blocks near popular beaches. Fisheries officers will have police help in checking vehicles.

Cowan has been pleased with the level of compliance with scallop regulations as the season hits its peak.

Beds from Northland to the Firth of Thames and Manukau Harbour are all, for some reason, in better shape than they have been in the past.

Apart from the greedy lawyer whose case was published in the Herald last week, there have been few major breaches.

But in court this week was one South Auckland man who lost his boat, motor and trailer after being convicted of taking 771 grey mullet from the Manukau, a mere 751 in excess of the limit. He was also fined and sentenced to 250 hours' community work.

The first marlin of the season has been caught, though not registered through the NZ Big Game Fish Association so it's thought the angler was not a club member.

Several boats have been out at the 350m mark from the Mercury Islands up to Great Barrier in recent days, with reports of surface-feeding marlin chasing big schools of skipjack tuna.

The water temperature has been as high as 19.5C in patches as the northeasterly flow pushes warm currents south.

Snapper fishing round Auckland is great, with many anglers landing fish from 2-5kg in the area near Rangitoto, in the channels, round Tiri, Waiheke and Rakino.

Further out at Anchorite Rock and the Ahas, big kingfish have been seen schooling up kahawai. The best bait for them is a slimy mackerel and they can be caught in numbers between Rakino and Waiheke.