It is reported that Massey University last week called for a moratorium on commercial long-finned eel fishing to prevent the at-risk species’ dramatic decline. Mike Joy, a freshwater ecologist from Massey, believes a ban is needed to protect the eels until more is known about their population numbers. Dr Joy explained that eel fish has been severely affected by loss of habitat, pollution and fishing causing a 75 percent reduction in elvers (young eels) caught at hydro dams’ trap and transfer operations.
He also states that chances of pulling down dams and stopping pollution to the eels are pretty slim but banning commercial fishing is the one thing they can do. He added that the eels’ Department of Conservation classification meant killing them for export was the same as harvesting the great spotted kiwi.
Mokau eel fisherman Murray Reed informed that the proposed ban was “total rubbish”. Reed also told that he is one of the only commercial eel fishers left in Taranaki after catch allowances were cut by 78 percent in 2004, making fulltime eel fishing unsustainable. Chairman of the North Island Eel Enhancement Company Mike Holmes said the commercial allowance for long-finned eels in Taranaki was currently nine tonnes the short-finned eel allowance 23 tonnes and it takes about 25 tonnes to support a commercial fisherman each year.
