NETTING IN THE HARBOUR

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 13738, 23 April 1945, Page 2

NETTING IN THE HARBOUR

• Sir —I notice in your .issue of April 19 a report of the Chamber of Commerce regarding fishing or netting in the harbour. Some of the speakers appeared to think that the commercial interests should have the big say, when the official investigation takes place. Their idea is -to catch the fish and spend the money in Tauranga, a most short-sighted idea. I may point out that many people came and settled in Tauranga for the sport of fishing. They have spent and are still spending money in Tauranga, many times more than that a few fishermen Avould spend from harbour fishing. , During the season many parties of fishermen come over from the Waikato, which is-a good advertisement for Tauranga. They, too, spend money in our toAvn. If the policy of alloAving trawling in the harbour is persisted in, it will be on a par with our deteriorated lands. I am informed on the best of authority that nets have been used in the harbour several hundred yards long, and that they bring thousands of small fish of various kinds on to the beach our flshin gaud spawning grounds, come feed for sea birds. I am also informed by travellers in the Bay of Plenty that traAvlers come close inshore at night, Just (outside the breakers, a few hundred yards from the shore. The three-mile limit has no meaning to them. Any member of our Chamber of Commerce, to condone commercial interest raking may be spent in Tauranga, is just without any regard to the future, in on a par Avith our past deteriorated Any settler or resident of Tauas at present, one section penalised, lands policy. A policy of selfishness and greed will get us noAvhere. fact tha tthese young men probably ranga should .be allowed to net for family use, but trawling, in our spaAvning grounds in the harbour, certainly not. I trust that those giving advice to the in\'estigator will insist that there should be one policy for the whole harbour, and not, as at present, one section penalised. —I am, etc., W. H. ALLEN.