FISHING

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LVII, Issue 10035, 26 March 1929, Page 3

FISHING

MEN AT WHITIANGA UNEASY

PROTECTED AREA

A meeting of fishermen was held at Whitianga on March 19 (says the Thames Star’s correspondent). The object was to discuss ways and means of protecting areas in which Mercury Bay boats work (wholly with hand gear) against thinning and depletion by trawlers and Danish Seine vessels.

Twenty-nine fishermen were present. Mr C. A. Wells was elected chairman.

The following matters were brought up by the various speakers and Hilly discussed by the meeting;

The falling off in the Thames landings of schnapper in the past two years, which has compellc several Thames small boats to shift to Mercury Bay and Tauranga to get a living; tho scarcity of schnapper generally in the Hauraki Oulf and inshore waters, through trawling and Danish Seining; and the general extension of the Danish Seine operation into these local waters, from the partly depleted waters further north.

The necessity of immediately approaching the Hon. Minister of Marine through Mr Samuel, M.P., and the Chief Inspector of Fisheries, through Captain Daniel, now here on an official visit, was urged with a view to further extending tho lines inside which the trawling and Danish Seine methods of fishing are prohibited, and ensuring for the hand line fishermen working alongshore a chance of making a living wage. Also preventing further depletion of schnapper in inshore waters by the power-driv-en methods of trawling and Seining.

It was proposed by Mr S. Bileyeald and seconded by Mr S. Woodhead that a line from the eastern point of Kennedy’s Bay entrance round tho Great Mercury, Never Fail, Red Mercury Island, to Castle Rock, thence round north-east and east of Slipper Island to tho ■main land, be the limit. This was carried unanimously.

It was proposed by Mr Ekland and seconded by Mr Gordon, that, with a view to covering the areas worked by boats' working hand gear at Whangamata, Mataura, Waihi, Katikati and Tauranga, that an extension of the above proposed line bo continued from northeast, or outer point of Slipper Island to Karewa Island, thence to the light at Mt. Maunganui.—• Carried unanimously. It was suggested that Mr B. Woodhead should send a copy of the minutes of this meeting to the fishermen concerned at Whangamata, Mataura, Katikati, Waihi and Tauranga asking for their support in seeking protection in these inshore waters, before they are drowned out by the Hauraki Gulf boats looking for new grounds.