It is said that the regulations offer more protection for hector’s and maui’s dolphins and the fishing industry needs to act responsibly in managing the Tasman Bay fishery. According to the government initiatives four new marine mammal sanctuaries will be introduced along with tighter regional bans and restrictions on set-netting, and increased monitoring, with observers put on fishing boats to more accurately record dolphin deaths. According to the Fisheries Ministry the measures will cost the national commercial fishing industry up to 300 jobs and $79 million in quota and lost income during the next decade.
Darren Guard, Port Nelson Fishermen’s Association vice-president, told that industry members had been shocked by the news as it is going to be devastating on a lot of people. He added that the industry would support anything based on good research. He said that there were only a few set-net fisherman based in Nelson, but the changes would affect all fishermen.
According to Guard the fishermen from heavily regulated areas would move to fishing in Tasman Bay, which was not specifically regulated in the new rules and that will be the death of Tasman Bay. Forest and Bird Nelson-Tasman branch chairwoman Helen Campbell said the new restrictions were an improvement on previous protections for the dolphins. It is now the responsibility of the fishing industry to maintain Tasman Bay fisheries which was already exploited.
