Fish stocks and mokopuna

As one of the architects of the ITQ fisheries management system when I was working at the NZ Fishing Industry Board in the 1980s, it is very disappointing to read that debate and inaction about the impact on fish stocks by recreational fishing is still going on (August 2).

When the ITQ system was devised it was recognised that recreational fishing would obviously have an impact but any attempts then to control it, other than daily bag limits per person, would have been difficult. Unfortunately due to the excessive and greedy behaviour of more than just a few amateur fishermen (and they are almost all males) the detrimental impact on fish stocks by recreational fishing has become a serious problem.

If the people representing amateur fishing want to do something really positive and helpful to ensure this country has healthy fish resources for their grandchildren to enjoy, they need to support all the measures being proposed to establish serious controls over all fishing including amateur, and not complain that it is too difficult.

One of the easiest things to do and the most effective and urgently needed is to establish far more no fishing zone reserves.

New Zealand has a very poor record in this area.

Some farsighted action please. Russell O Armitage, Hamilton