You know you must be getting close to the truth when officials propose to change the law to reduce accountability. So it is with crayfish.

After losing a string of court cases challenging recent Ministerial decisions, Shane Jones has arbitrarily decided to amend the Fisheries Act to severely limit the public’s time and ability to challenge management decisions.

Only having 20 days to respond to decisions by the Oceans and Fisheries Minister is outrageous.

Even more so when officials had recommended a minimum of three or six months, depending on the issue.

This proposal will be part of a package of changes that Jones wants to provide more certainty, to support ‘business investment and planning’.

This comes at the expense of the environment. What about rebuilding the severely depleted crayfish population on the northeast coast of the North Island? (Or just about anywhere around our coastline.)

We expect the package to be part of an Amendment Bill that will emerge by December this year.

We need to be ready to respond.

Throughout the judicial processes, and after years of submitting in favour of more cautious decisions, we have collaborated with many experts and organisations to consistently strive for more fish in the water.

A 20-day limitation on challenging Ministerial decisions is a clear sign of desperation, but sadly a reflection of how this current government is administering the public estate. Because no reasonable thinking person would blatantly defy Court rulings that seek to improve management practices and enhance the marine environment.

We must retain the ability to increase the number of crayfish in the water or make the tough decisions when crayfish numbers collapse.

As other commentators have highlighted, the executive layer in Aotearoa is thin.

Letting Ministers get away with changing the law to fast-track decisions and give the business sector priority is not in the public interest.

Being able to get in the water and find a crayfish for dad’s 50th or nan’s 90th birthday is surely one of life’s pleasures in Aotearoa. It’s what makes us special.

LegaSea, the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council, the New Zealand Angling & Casting Association and New Zealand Underwater are all on standby to respond to the expected Amendment Bill. Then the Select Committee process.

Unless the government decides to bypass us and fast-track this process. If that happens, the gloves are off.