Do we need an Honorary Fishery Officer? MPI talks about investigation into local poaching
Three patrols over five days — and a 100 percent non-compliance rate among the people inspected by MPI. At first glance, the number is a gut punch.
They found more than 40 undersized crayfish, including soft-shell crayfish and females carrying eggs. Some had allegedly been speared. Others were hidden in catch bags. Dive gear was seized and prosecutions are likely.
And remember: taking red rock lobster is currently completely banned along the east coast of Northland, including Whananaki.
Now, there will always be someone who says: “Oh, it’s only a few crays.”
But that's precisely the attitude that gets us into trouble.
Because they're not our crayfish.
They belong just as much to the kid who hasn't been born yet who might want to dive off Whananaki in 30 years' time.
If you're taking undersized crayfish, egg-bearing females and soft-shell animals from what may effectively be a nursery area, you're not sticking it to the Government.
You're ripping off your own community.
Here in Whananaki we've got one of the most magnificent little corners of New Zealand.
The challenge is making sure we look after it.
Not because Wellington tells us to.
Not because there's a Fisheries Officer hiding behind a pohutukawa.
But because this place is ours to protect — and only ours to borrow.
Here, MPI's Swazi Lal speaks to Whananaki FM about what happened, how we can help Fisheries Officers do their job and what we can expect to see from MPI in the lead up to summer. Listen to Swazi below:
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