Like silverbellies coming to the surface of their pool to feed on hapless swimming mice, the eel men are rising. Today's Southland Times carries a letter from Mossburn Enterprises' Vic Thompson, head eel processer, lambasting Dr Mike Joy of Massey University, widely respected expert on New Zealands' native freshwater fish, telling him he's conjecturing, not using science, in order to flummox the readers of our splendid regional newspaper and that the University, at which Dr Joy lectures to wide-eyed students about the values of our endangered fishes, sux.
I've read some of Dr Joy's work. It's excellent. I've visited an eel processing facility and seen the great twisting masses of eels in the holding tanks preparing to meet their fate. Not inspirational at all. It may be that I'll hear from Mr Thompson personally, given that I gave an interview with a journalist from the Southland Times yesterday, on the topic of eels and their suitability or otherwise as pet food for wealthy Californians.
Time will tell and the eels will doubtless, rise.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
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5 comments:
Found the Southland Eel Industry Management Plan at http://www.waituna.co.nz/articles/south-island-eel-industry-association-eel-fishery-plan-for-the-south-island.aspx?sdl=true
Their section 8.3 and 8.4 seem sound and worth supporting. I doubt the QMS will help at all; where are the Kahawai that once were abundant?
Ineffective Fish passage systems and hydrodams are targetted. Consent authorities need to ensure fish passages actually work and are more than simply words.
Seems inappropriate a species classified as endangered is fished commercially; I understand the industry is concerned if classification moves to endangered.
The Management Plan needs to be carefully followed to avoid that.
Pete
Thanks, Pete. I'll take a close look at those tonight.
Re fish passages, I'm familiar with the one on the Mararoa. It's hopeless. The elvers cannot scale it. As you indicate, Councils have signed-off these things without testing their efficacy.
Mr Thompson's response suggests that you are right and that the industry is unhappy that its target species is listed as endangered. His swipe at DoC was awkward and showed a conflict in philosophy. I'll post is letter in full soon, in case you'd like to see what he said.
What's on the Mararoa that there is need for a fish passage?
Dam for the management of waters from Te Anau/Manapouri as it heads down te Awa Waiau toward Te Waewae Bay and the Ara a Kewa.
Weir rather.
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