Consultation update – 7 December 2015
Government's decision
Consultation has closed and the Government has made a decision on the reopening of the recreational blue cod fishery in Doubtful Sound, and the review of the bag limit that applies to the internal waters of Doubtful Sound, and Thompson and Bradshaw Sounds. The changes will come into effect on 20 December 2015.
The Government's decision letter provides the details of the decision and the reasons for it. Further information can be found in the decision document.
- Decision letter [PDF, 696 KB]
- Decision document [PDF, 532 KB]
- Blue cod amended rules effective 20 December 2015 [PDF, 1.7 MB]
In summary, the changes will reopen the recreational blue cod fishery in Doubtful Sound and amends the blue cod daily limit that applies to the internal waters of Doubtful, Thompson and Bradshaw Sounds to a daily limit of 1 per person with no accumulation. Elsewhere within the internal waters of Fiordland the blue cod daily limit is 3 per person but excluding the internal waters of Milford Sound, which remain closed to blue cod fishing.
Within the Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Area and outside the designated internal waters, the blue cod daily limit is 20 per person with no accumulation. This can include 3 blue cod taken from the internal waters of Fiordland, or one blue cod taken from the internal waters of the Doubtful, Thompson and Bradshaw Sounds fiord complex. The internal waters of Milford Sound remain closed to blue cod fishing.
Also in the decision letter
- Implementation of WCPFC measures on shark conservation
- Removal of fee charged to vessel operators for observers to supervise returning fish to the sea
- Akaroa Harbour Taiāpure
Table: New settings following consultation and the Minister’s decisions on recreational blue cod regualtions for the Fiordland area
| Area | Amateur fishing rules | Settings from 20 December 2015 |
|---|---|---|
| Doubtful Sound (Patea) internal waters of Fiordland | Blue cod closed area | Doubtful Sound (Patea) internal waters are reopening to recreational blue cod fishers effective 20 December. New recreational blue cod daily limit of one blue cod per person applies within the internal waters of the Doubtful Sound 3-fiord complex (no accumulation) |
| Doubtful (Patea), Thompson and Bradshaw Sounds fiord complex internal waters of Fiordland | Blue cod daily limit | New recreational blue cod daily limit of one blue cod per person applies within the internal waters of the Doubtful Sound 3-fiord complex (no accumulation) |
|
Internal waters of Fiordland, but excluding Milford Sound (Piopiotahi) internal waters and Doubtful (Patea), Thompson and Bradshaw Sounds internal waters |
Internal waters of Fiordland blue cod daily limit | Blue cod maximum daily limit taken within internal waters of Fiordland is 3 per person (no accumulation) |
| Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Area fiord entrances and outside coastal waters | Blue cod daily limit | Blue cod daily species limit of 20 per person (no accumulation). Includes 3 blue cod from internal waters of Fiordland, or one blue cod taken from internal waters of the Doubtful (Patea) Sound 3-fiord complex |
| Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Area, (but excluding internal waters of Milford Sound). | Combined finfish bag limit | Total combined finfish bag limit of 30 finfish per person with no accumulation. Includes 20 blue cod species limit (which includes 3 blue cod from internal waters of Fiordland, or one blue cod taken from internal waters of the Doubtful (Patea) Sound 3-fiord complex |
| Milford Sound internal waters of Fiordland | Blue cod closed area | No change to the recreational blue cod fishing closed area that applies to the internal waters of Milford Sound (Piopiotahi) |
| Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Area | Blue cod minimum size limit | No change to blue cod minimum size length 33cm |
| Internal waters of Fiordland | Blue cod pot prohibition | No change to the blue cod pot prohibition within the internal waters of Fiordland |
Background to consultation
MPI sought feedback from tangata whenua and stakeholders on proposed changes to management of the recreational blue cod fishery in Doubtful, Thompson, and Bradshaw Sounds. Consultation ran from 20 April 2015 to 18 May 2015.
The proposal
MPI is consulting on the future management of the recreational blue cod fishery in Doubtful, Thompson, and Bradshaw Sounds, and asks for stakeholder feedback on the following three options:
- Retain the status quo;
- Reopen the recreational blue cod fishery in Doubtful Sound, and amend the bag limit that applies to the internal waters of Doubtful Sound, and Thompson and Bradshaw Sounds to set a bag limit less than 3; and
- Lift the closure but do not amend the daily bag limit. The daily bag limit for Doubtful Sound would be captured by the current regulation, which sets a daily bag limit of 3 blue cod for the internal waters of Fiordland.
Consultation document
How to make a submission
Consultation on the review of the recreational blue cod fishery closures in Fiordland is open until 18 May 2015.
You can send your submission to MPI by email, post or hand delivery.
Email: FMSubmissions@mpi.govt.nz
Post:
Inshore Fisheries Management
Ministry for Primary Industries
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140
Note that your submission is public information. Submissions may be the subject of requests for information under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA specifies that information is to be made available to requesters unless there are sufficient grounds for withholding it, as set out in the OIA. Submitters may wish to indicate grounds for withholding specific information contained in their submission, such as the information is commercially sensitive or they wish personal information to be withheld. Any decision to withhold information requested under the OIA is reviewable by the Ombudsman.
