TAIAPURE-LOCAL FISHERY RECOMMENDED FOR SOUTHERN HAWKES BAY

Minister of Fisheries Hon Doug Kidd announced today he has accepted the recommendations of the Tribunal which conducted a hearing on the proposed taiapure-local fishery at Porangahau in the southern Hawkes Bay.

The establishment of a taiapure-local fishery area at Porangahau has been officially recommended by the Tribunal. In its report the Tribunal recommended a degree of flexibility in regards to the final boundaries and made a recommendation in respect to the composition of the management committee which is to be established.

The report of the Tribunal and decision of the Minister will be publicly notified in the Gazette.

The taiapure-local fishery proposal was initiated by the Ngati Kere Hapu and was put forward by the Porangahau Taiapure Steering Committee. The area ranges from Cape Turnagain in the south to north of Blackhead Point, and includes the beaches from mean high water springs of Porangahau and Whangaehu.The area also includes the estuarinal and tidal waters of the Porangahau and Waikaraka Rivers. In making its recommendations, the Tribunal considered the size of the proposed taiapure-local fishery and the composition of the management committee. 2

Mr Kidd said today that in determining the final boundary for the taiapure-local fishery, he had taken into account the practicality of the various options. He also said, I note with satisfaction that the proponents are clear in their view that they want a range of interests represented on the management committee. Mr Kidd said the local management focus of taiapure enabled those with the best knowledge of the fisheries problems in their areas, namely the local community, to propose common sense solutions. It was up to him as Minister of Fisheries to consider the management committees proposals and, if approved, arrange for them to be implemented. Mr Kidd stressed that any regulations within the taiapure-local fishery would apply equally to all New Zealanders.
The involvement of the community in local fisheries management can only be beneficial in terms of sustaining the resource. There has been obvious concern over the decline in the fisheries around Porangahau. These concerns can not be solved by government alone - taiapure-local fisheries management provides a good opportunity for people to take an active part in conserving the fisheries that are important to them, said Mr Kidd.