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    Re: MAF Archived Message

    Posted by Jase on 4/10/2008, 11:44 pm, in reply to "Re: MAF"

    Phew. Thought for a moment you'd put ya foot in it big time.

    At the end of the day, if we keep taking faster than stocks can replenish we're screwed. Recreational fishermen are screaming drop the TACC. Customary has their own way of dealing with unsustainable stock levels (and I support it). One issue I do take exception to is this sudden desire to slap a label on an area and call it a marine reserve. They instantly become no take zones. This has been thrashed out many times, but if this going to be the norm then I'd like to see it opened to line fishing only (rod and/or handline only - no longlines).

    I think the "green brigade" has had too much influence in our country. It almost seems if they had their way we'd be riding bikes everywhere and we'd all be eating grass. It's time to find a balance here. 10% of our coastline into marine reserves is a lot of coastline that suddenly becomes a no go zone. These areas, sadly are often the areas we use most often, and it stands to reason that those are the areas that need most protecting. However, it restricts shore fishos more and more to areas that come under additional pressure with more people using them. Boaties get a benefit because on the whole they can move around more have more opportunity. Combine this situation with further access restrictions due to privatisation and it's no wonder we're starting to really stomp our feet.

    I dunno what the exact solution is, and maybe there isn't one, but we're sliding backwards. More education, more enforcement and less tolerance of those that break the rules (zero tolerance if necessary) is a good start.

    Reducing the amount of knowledge required to make these decisions cannot be a good thing. How can anyone make an informed decision without first being informed?

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