Thread: New Whitebait laws anyone heard anything?

Looks like doc have started to firm up their ideas. Dunno why you wouldn't be allowed a sock net without traps? Their preferred dates for the season aren't ideal either.....

https://www.doc.govt.nz/get-involved...n-new-zealand/

Looks like pretty much all the rivers on the west coast si north of kahurangi would be closed?

I put in a submission and was told I would be emailed and kept up to date. Heard nothing so far. Hopefully with the change in minister and the very large number of submissions (I was told it was almost unprecedented) it's died a natural death.

Some good news, a whitebait farm is being developed in westport.

Its been tried up here twice and both have fallen over.

Was marking up my duck pond the other day and spoke to the Doc guy that patrols our whitebait fishery (they were checking trap lines). Asked him about any changes for this season and he had not been told anything yet.

If it does a natural death then all that will happen is that the white bait will die an unnatural one due to greed and over fishing

Yep, greed.
Just make it illegal to sell the stuff. End of story. Then everyone can still go get a feed, they just have to get off their arse to do so!

Was recently speaking to the local DOC bait compliance officer @ Fox and asked the very same question.He stated his office hadnt heard a dicky bird from higher up the food chain.He had a casual comment that his feeling was still no change to the current regs for the upcoming season due to factors of Covid,New Minister,no noise from above.And so the bueracrats dither into the future after starting the bait review on day one of Euginie's reign 4 odd years ago.I seem to recall, according to her bull shit proaganda @ the time that they'd be extinct by 2020!Yeah right. By the way I heard on the grape vine she's now working for Dr.Goebells Ministry

Ok thoughts?. How will it affect your local fishery?

https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-re...g/#regulations

Not a great deal of change for me as a coast baiter.Was fearing a lot worse with Euginies rhetoric leading up to the review.Thank Christ Cindy on this issue was able to form her govt without Green coalition cling ons.Mizz Sage didn't get her way.The only time I,m happy with a labour govt

Rumour has it the Greens demanded the name "Whitebait" is being changed to something more PC and inclusive.

Originally Posted by berg243

did not see any specific mention of traps being outlawed , was that part of the diversion bit. if doc had actually enforced the regs the fishery wouldnt be in this position. better to enforce exsisting regs with a slightly shorter season and stop people selling it for a couple years.

This final regs adopted by the current labour majority govt under Minister Allen is no where near as draconian as Doc,s stated preferences under previous minister Sageone of the many recommendations preferred by Sage was the outlawing of traps.So between the removal of minister Sage @ the 2020 election to this week's anouncement under Minister Allen there has been political manuvoering to arrive @ a more pragmatic set of regs.Cant help but wonder whether Allen had pressure from her Maori base to moderate Sages forest and bird base.

Shouldn't be able to sell it at all in my opinion. It just encourages the rape and pillage to make some cash.

said it before...if we REALLY wanted to give the little wigglers a fair deal....NO FISHING at all on tuesday wednesday or thursday..none at all.... the equates to what?? 40% reduction in possible take.....still allows long weekend but gives them a bigger chance to slip through on a "other day"