The point I had better get around to is, the praise I would like to give you and your writers for some of the most interesting and accurate accounts and stories that are written. Since October 5, 2011 the stories of the Rena, the container ship that grounded on the Astrolabe reef, Tauranga, have been many, by the media. I have looked forward to getting each copy of Professional Skipper with Rena stories and await for many more to come. Keep up the excellent writing and stories that make the magazine so interesting to so many of us that subscribe to it. John Hunter, Papakura
RECREATIONAL QUOTAS Dear Sir
I have had some feedback on my rather provocative article on recreational fishing being fully quota'ed (Professional Skipper, May/June 2012).
Some believe that it could be achieved by other means, such as purchasing from a limited number of tags, then applying each tag to a fish as it is caught. However, the basic principle I tried to convey still stands. Whether by number of fish or by weight of catch, the small amounts involved in amateur fishing in relation to the administrative effort required, means that cost per unit will be extremely high. If reccies are to catch against quota, there will have to be a system, and it will be expensive.
R Lea Clough, Ohoka
While your article was a bit tongue in cheek, the debate should not lose sight of the fact that as New Zealanders we all have a birthright to harvest seafood for sustenance. Meanwhile, commercial have a right to harvest a sustainable allowance (TACC) after the Minister has set the TAC that ensures that the sustainability of the fish stock, allows for customary and recreational harvest and all other mortality associated with fishing before any TACC is set. Ed…
CLARION CALL Dear Sir
It was refreshing to see the letter from RG Smith Thames. He is bang on with all the points he made in his 'Letter to the Ed' May/June 2012. Perhaps we should vote him in as the CEO for Maritime NZ? We do live in a democracy after all don't we? Who votes these guys in anyway? Is it a club? During World War II, Hitler forced his German officers to comply with his crazed regime and these individuals had little or no choice but to comply. Many of our parents fought in WWII so we could have the right to freedom o f choice, and of free speech. We applaud RG Smith from Thames for his actions and his exercising of this choice. In doing so he honours these men and women. We call upon all right thinking representatives of not only MNZ, but MOF as well, to do the same. C'mon guys, you know this power has gone over the top, it's time to kick it overboard! As authorised persons working for these departments, can you honestly say you go to work and have a good day? Do you wrestle with your conscience at night? We are doing what we can to protest. We held out for twelve months and didn't sign up to the Charter Boat Reporting idiocy. We finally signed under the threat of a $10,000 fine! We now sign all our log books: "signed under protest and duress". Now, in a knee jerk reaction to the Easy Rider and K-Cee losses, I see that commercial boat operators may not be able to use their vessels for private use. Are charter boats included in this? They better not be! Good luck policing this one! This is just another example of government departments behaving like little Hitlers treating us like mindless crowds
• Marine Diesels • Complete Marine Engineering • Drivelines • Hull Repairs • Stainless Fittings • Precision Manufacturing • Specialised Fabrication
Scupper
Ph (09) 376 0010, Email sales@mge.co.nz 8/1 Westhaven Drive, Auckland, New Zealand
www.mgemarine.co.nz July/August 2012 Professional Skipper 5
VIP.S84
