Fishing grounds under threat?

 

That age old hobby and sometimes productive pastime of recreational fishing is felt, by many locals, to be under threat with the recent news that the Government has proposed a new Recreational Fishing Park for the Hauraki Gulf.

Commercial fishing will be restricted across the inner Hauraki Gulf to Omaha Bay.

If fishing and diving is restricted further many local businesses may be effected as this area becomes less appealing due to the restrictions.

Fishermen believe that drawing the line at Omaha will mean that commercial fishing operators become more concentrated around the Mangawhai/Langs/Waipu area.

The Government is consulting on the proposal for the next eight weeks, and it may be in all of our interests to develop a submission seeking for the boundary for the Recreational Fishing Park to be moved further north.

The submission would need to demonstrate that a significant number of recreational fishers, and the businesses that rely on their custom, would be affected if more commercial operators are pushed up into the Bream Bay/Mangawhai area.

If you are interested in being part of a submission please contact Mike Hanlon or Chris Major; hanlon@domainortho.co.nz, or chris.major@skytv.co.nz. The full consultation document can be found online at www.mfe.govt.nz. Submissions are due Friday March 11.