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From: JENNY ENDERBY
_: 5
Date: 21-01-10
Time: 08:00
Hi all I thought I better update you all on what's been happening since my last email about the poachers at Goat Island. Firstly some facts. I believe that 75% of the current fishermen caught have been totally ignorant of the boundaries, which I feel is quite different to fishermen in the past who have deliberately snuck into the reserve to fish. It's not a lack of signage - you can't force people to read the signs that are on all the boat ramps. Most of these people are just ordinary kiwis mostly in the 50+ age group. Most have no previous convictions. There are good photographs of most of these, which clearly show them fishing in the reserve. Fishing gear and any dead fish have been confiscated. Live fish have been returned immediately to the reserve. Details have gone to DoC and action is being taken. There have been plenty of successful prosecutions in the past with one person receiving a prison term ( served concurrently with other offences). But the publicity in the past for offences has most likely been a good deterrent and a good way of informing people that there are some areas where they are not allowed to fish. The best news is that there is most likely going to be some publicity on TV and in the news. Surveillance is also going to be stepped up (which may mean we catch more!) and we are looking at other ways of getting through to more people. Public shame is indeed another way - perhaps a blog site with all the fishermen's names and photographs, once they have been prosecuted. Education is the main way to get through to people. The message that you have to have a life jacket on a small boat seems to have got through to all of these fishermen. Knowing where they are at sea and where they can fish is another matter and most don't have GPS, charts, fishing books or any other information that includes marine reserves. The idea of having more information at fishing shops and at places that sell bait, sounds good. These are the sort of people who don't belong to fishing clubs either. In the past we have caught 2-3 boats with fishermen during summer at Goat island, who have been prosecuted, but why we have an increase this year with so many ignorant fishermen can only be guessed at. Good to hear everyones comments and suggestions and we thank you for your interest in what is happening. There's absolutely no doubt that marine reserves work and on a dive on Monday Tony and I saw 5 juvenile Sandager's wrasses at Goat Island, so the changes there are still happening. Maybe we'll have lots of friendly Sandager's in ten years time, just like the Poor Knights Islands and who knows what other changes we're going to see. Hope to see you all in Leigh for Seaweek. Best Regards Jenny
Tony & Jenny Enderby
Last changed: 21-Jan-2010