Fishing for Votes

Well I tell you what my new job is a political hot potato at the moment. It is beginning to turn into the biggest political leverage opportunity for the opposition parties now who see the sheer volume of the New Zealand public up in arms about our right to have a meaningful fishing experience now and into future generations. Fishing is part of the kiwi culture. We are surrounded by sea and have an amazing coastline that provides for the social and healthy well being of a nation.

Our Primary Industry Ministry wants us to step aside and allow big private commercial fishing companies to command greater control of our fishery. They seek to reduce the public right to fish for food and recreation further and further as our population grows however our fishery is improving as the recreational sector take up their own measures of respect and conservation management.

The structure of the commercial fishing industry, the methods and the rules that govern it see them killing millions of juvenile fish and dumping healthy sized fish to protect themselves against fines or worse still, target higher grade fish.

It's disgusting. This shot was taken at a public meeting set up by LegaSea ( the non profit organisation I now represent). The person is David Shearer. Leader of our current opposition Labour Party. Labour is now making policy statements in support of the LegaSea policy goals which should see the whole issue turned on it's head and me facing a very busy job over the next year as we go into the election count down.