Govt considers snapper season

Press, 22 November 1978, Page 3

Govt considers snapper season

PA Nelson; The Government is considering a suggestion by Nelson commercial fishermen to close Tasman Bay’s snappergrounds for two months this summer, says the Minister of Fisheries (Mr Bolger). “The important thing is to make sure we are not over-; fishing the resource,” he told' about 40 fishermen in Nelson. Mr Bolger had spoken earlier to Golden Bay and; Motueka fishermen during a flying visit after last week’s' Tasman snapper row. Small fishermen have! charged the big companies! with using vessels, imported; ;to work the 200-mile zone, 'to wipe out the spawning! snapper which are schooling ; in Tasman Bay. The general manager of

i|One big company retaliated ■ by accusing the small fisherilmen of becoming increasingly > I greedy. .- Commenting on the Nelson r I Fishermen’s Association sugfigestion that Tasman Bay be I closed to commercial fisheromen within a line drawn be--'tween Adele and Pepin l|lslands, Mr Bolger said: “We .’have a circumstance where II there is clearly the capacity I in the local industry to catch i'large tonnages of snapper in if a very short time within the schooling season. ■I “What we have to decide ilnow is what tonnage of snapl per can be harvested safely I 1 — we want to make sure we are not overfishing the resource.” The Minister awaits a ref 1 search report on the matter.