Niwa’s Hawke’s Bay fishing surveyors ‘not there to enforce the law’

If you see a Niwa staffer with a clipboard at your local boat ramp this summer, don’t panic.

The organisation has assured Hawke’s Bay anglers that volunteers stationed at the region’s boat ramps over the summer are there only to enquire about your catch for environmental reasons, not catch you out.

It’s all part of a large information campaign around fishing practices and the catch of an estimated 600,000 people who participate in recreational fishing every year.

“We would just like to know a little about what you caught, and how you caught it,” Niwa fisheries scientist Dr Jade Maggs said.

“All information collected is kept private. The interviewers are not there to enforce the law, but only to collect scientific information.”

The information will go towards stock assessments and informing fisheries management settings, such as catch and size limits.

“We want to get the message out there that this is important research and we need fishers to participate. This is why we think it is important to get information out there in the community on what our interviewers are there for and that it is completely voluntary.”

Interviewers will approach people returning from a day’s fishing, enquiring about how many and what kind of fish they’ve caught, where they’ve been, the bait they’ve been using, and how long they’ve been out.

“Niwa does everything within its power to ensure the safety of the interviewers at boat ramps. This includes training and standard operating procedures for the interviewers on how to deal with difficult situations.”

Niwa fisheries scientist Dr Jade Maggs. Photo / Stuart Mackay

The reason for the survey, Niwa chief scientist Richard O’Driscoll said, was because it was really important to find out how many fish were being taken out of the ocean.

“This includes the recreational catch, which in some areas is as high or higher than the commercial take for species like snapper and blue cod,” he said.

“Our interviews, with the help of recreational fishers, provide the information needed for effective management of inshore fish stocks.”

It’s also not a new thing for Niwa to be doing, New Zealand principal scientist Ian Tuck said.

“We’ve had boat ramp surveys since the early 1990s – it’s one of the ways we get data on recreational fishing activity. This complements other research like the National Panel Survey, which is our largest recreational fishing survey, and area-specific surveys where more detailed information is needed.”

Maggs couldn’t say when they will be out there in case it influences fisher behaviour and therefore data collection, but people may see them at boat ramps on any day throughout the year.

“The people of Hawke’s Bay are keen recreational fishers. Hawke’s Bay is chosen as a survey location for this reason,” he said.

“We are sure that, like us, Hawke’s Bay fishers want their local fishery to be sustainable for future generations. We encourage fishers to get involved with the survey – it’s easy, and anonymous, and you’ll be providing information to help manage your local fishery so it can continue to provide for future generations.”

Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in late January. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture, and the community. He has a particular love for stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.