– Inquiry

Barry Torkington: It’s time we knew the truth about our quota system

June 15, 2016 What a shambles our fisheries management is in, claim and denial met by counter claim and more strident denial. The public relations outfits must be licking their lips and counting the dollars. The average New Zealander just wants to know the truth, so here is the start. Of course fishermen dump fish over the side. […]

New Zealand’s international reputation at stake

June 15, 2016 For 30 years New Zealanders have been sold the line that our Quota Management System is a world leader when it comes to both protecting fish stocks and encouraging a culture of stewardship. Kiwis and the world have been sold a pup.

Sequence of failures gives reason for change

June 3, 2016 Revelations there have been no prosecutions after investigations into blatant fish dumping, catch misreporting, and high grading aboard coastal and deep sea trawlers are alarming. Even more disturbing is the refusal of officials to acknowledge and address the underlying problems embedded in the Quota Management System (QMS). Realistically, the Ministry for Primary Industries is never […]

Richard Baker: Who’s running our fisheries?

May 24, 2016 The Prime Minister once famously said that New Zealanders care more about snapper than the GCSB spying on Kiwis – and he may be right. The freedom to go out fishing, to bring home your catch and share the experience with family, friends and whanau is an essential part of New Zealand’s way of life. […]