As we count down to our Nationals in the far north, a little under two months away, it is awesome to make this announcement.
Thanks to the efforts of several people and an appreciation of our competition, Great Exhibition Bay will now be part of the fishable area. Access will be via Everitt’s Farm off Everitt’s Road. Access is from 5am Friday to 10am Saturday and we ask that there is no entry during the hours of darkness. PLEASE NOTE: There is a complete fire ban on this beach.
NZACA News & Chat
Hello to all of you at this time. We are closing in on Christmas at an alarming rate. Just where has the year gone?
Along with my colleagues, I have just spent one of my most intensive days of negotiations with the Port of Napier. Acting for the Angling & Casting Assoc, Pania Surfcasting Club and LegaSea HB, I joined my colleagues to achieve some resolution to several issues surrounding the Consent. Our intention was to Appeal the Port of Napier’s Consent for Extensions but at this point we have received a Letter of Intent signed by the CEO’s of the Port and Regional Council and this will allow for us to have agreements put in place to protect the existing environment including Pania and Town Reef’s during the expansion process.
Two weeks ago I travelled to Auckland for the NZSFC Fisheries Management Committee meeting. Another very constructive meeting and many issues regarding allocation, Ministerial decisions and the future of our inshore stocks were discussed. We live in a very unique time when considering our fisheries. For many, many years the recreational fisher has said that our fisheries cannot sustain the continual abuse and reckless commercial effort and for just as long we have been rebuffed. By Industry and indeed those charged with managing the resource. Well now it is all come home to roost. Some 14 of our inshore fisheries are under threat, some below the soft limit whereby they should be closed. Why aren’t they, well it isn’t entirely because of Industry Leaders but as much because of NZ Firsts, Shane Jones and Winston Peters. What we are witnessing is sad. It is as we knew it would be.
I would like to spend a little time on our Annual Trophies. It is my wish to see more of them given out but to do that I need more participation in attempting to achieve. Each has a challenge and these are detailed in the Online Manual. Have a crack Nigel. While I am at it the “Masters Award” is also there for those willing to give it a go. It is a test of your fishing prowess.
I have received the latest Newsletter regarding the AAA Nationals in Australia and they are attached to this. These are being held in Sept 2019. Have a look at the programme and maybe we can get a team over there again.
We are Casting again at the Rotorua racing Club on the 8th & 9th Dec. Casting will start around 10.30 with Saturday being for those looking for tuition and training.
Our Okuma Nationals Committee have done an awesome job of preparing the 2019 Nationals. Clubs and Fishers will have the opportunity of fishing the mecca for Surfcasters and it would be awesome to have representatives of all our clubs competing. We are offering some minor incentives but the real reason to be there is to challenge for the right to be called “Top Club” I am looking forward to being back in the far north and wetting a line with you all.
The Website is slowly but surely being bought up to date. Apologies but we are doing this in house and saving some considerable cost by doing so. I think we have all relevant contact details on there now.
Lastly and I know I keep harping on but!!! The NZACA is facing an issue that needs to be addressed sooner rather than at the devils moment. My role as President ends at the 2019 AGM under the Constitution. It was hoped that a clear successor would be being introduced to the role by now but the reality is no one has put there hand up. I have a great supportive Executive Committee who do a lot behind the scenes but all have indicated there is no desire to take up the Presidents role.
We have a very strong organisation that stands alongside all its peers and has the due relevance and respect it should. We can’t lose that. Some decisions by the membership as to how we overcome this situation is needed. I will not allow the NZACA to be leaderless. I am more than happy to continue the advocacy role if someone will accept being the figurehead but I also assure everyone I will continue as President if that is how the members see it. If that is the case, I will need to see some measure of succession put in place. Either way the choices need to be made quickly. Nationals and the AGM are only a little over 2 months away.
Tight Lines
Jim Yeoman
President
Remember, you are all part of the Recreational Fishing Industry’s 1 Billion Dollar annual return to the Governments coffers. We earn our right to be represented.
NZACA News & Chat.
As we await the Ministers decision on how heavy the TAC cuts to the Tarakihi Fishery, I felt it was time to let you all know just what we have been doing and what is happening.
Firstly we have been heavily involved in discussions surrounding the serious demise in the Tarakihi stocks. It is sitting below what is called the soft limit, ie 13% of its accepted Biomass. A very unsatisfactory situation. On behalf of our members, I have attended three presentations and two discussion meetings where I put forward points of view and made it quite clear that it is a failure of those managing our Fisheries and also Industry, who should be monitoring their resources. This is a slap in the face for the current TV advert from Industry which says “with our new technology we know how many fish there are”
We have allied with our peers in presenting a very robust and comprehensive submission. I have written to the Minister and we have submitted a joint letter also to the Minister.
This is a sad indictment on both Fisheries NZ and Industry when considering the massive cut of 80% in the Rock Lobster TACC in Cray2 recently and now this. We are asking for a minimum of 65% cut.
This is to be ongoing as there are some 12 inshore stocks that are in decline.
The recent decision by the Courts to revoke the license for Seabed Mining off the Taranaki Coast is a huge win for all of us. Once again we stepped up and though our part may have been small, we were there.
Here in Hawkes Bay, I have been very active in working towards a better decision surrounding the dumping of 3 million cubic meters of spoil only 1.6nm south east of Pania Reef. The Port of Napier are wishing to expand and have recently had their Consent hearing to which I spoke against their proposal. I felt I presented well and have had several complimentary messages from others against this. We are all for expansion but not at the cost of our inshore ecology.
I am also very actively involved in the HB Marine & Coastal Group. This group is leading the way in New Zealand in its manner and success by bringing all entities, that share our inshore, together, to create a well managed eco system from the ranges out to the 12nm limit with the understanding that only by doing this can we have an abundant healthy and sustainable fishery that is beneficial to all. What has been achieved here is remarkable and I put it to you all that you need to engage with your Councils and implement a similar entity. The Marlborough Sounds Regional Council has recently set up a similar group and we are being followed by several other Councils as well as at Government level.
On the Home Front:
A very interesting evening was had when I spoke to the Feilding Surfcasting Club.
Many were surprised at the level of advocacy work being undertaken on behalf of our membership. Yes it is right up there and we engage at the highest level. We are requested to participate and many would be surprised at what, where, who and when.
It was my pleasure to attend the Wellington Surfcasting & Angling Clubs Prize Giving. I was there to present a NZACA Life member Award to Jim O’Brien. A man, whom in my opinion, deserved this recognition many years ago. However perhaps in this case it was left so that I could have the Honours of bestowing this prestigious Award on him. Jim, along with Gordon and Betty Jones are very worthy recipients of life membership to the NZACA.
Absolutely fantastic to have an affiliated club in the eastern BOP again. While it is my belief that clubs need to look further than their doors when offering representation to their members, it is also beneficial for growth. Larger and of more benefit than that, it gives those who are engaging at the next level more solidarity and strength. I was hugely appreciative of the members of the Rotorua Fishing & Casting Club for allowing me to share their day and for giving me the opportunity to address them. Welcome, it is great to have you back supporting the NZACA.
It was with a very aching heart that I shared the news of the passing of Karla Tardieu. Karla was the Senior Vice President up until she received the news of her cancer. To say she was my rock is an understatement. She gave me the strength and the will to take this organisation back to the relevant representative body it has become. We stand as tall and equal to all our peers and we are participating at every level for our membership. We are the fastest growing organisation in New Zealand. I watched quietly as Karla fought a great battle and drew strength from her will to give everything she had to her family in the time given to her. She will be missed.
In two weeks I will be attending the NZ Sport Fishing Councils AGM in Auckland and this time I will have the support of Derrick Paull. It is important that this liaison with the Sport Fishing Council remains positive and engaging and it is important to have someone to follow in my footsteps. It is important to our growth and it is imperative for the ongoing protection of our inshore fisheries and our rights to feed our families.
Casting: The following weekend will see me in Rotorua for another NZACA Casting event.
These are once again growing in attendance with Casters from all around the North Island joining us.
Affiliation Fees: I am aware that clubs are unable to access their data base. We are working to solve this issue and are halfway there. In the meantime if Secretaries go to our Website www.nzaca.co.nz and click on Annual Subscriptions the relevant info is there for paying. Club Secretaries should know their membership numbers and criteria. While I am on the subject, we are overhauling our Website. So much has been cleaned out now it is time to bring all the outdated details up to date. This is being done at very minimal cost especially when considering some prices that have been going around.
Nationals: These are well in hand and our Committee is doing a great job. In a couple of weeks some of the Nationals Committee are heading to the far north to finalise the details up there and when they return they will be sending out all the necessary info to clubs. Look out for it as this is going to be worth being there.
Well that is it from me. The year is flying by very fast but engagement and fisheries management doesn’t stop. There are clubs out there that I will be chasing up and there are clubs who need to archive history and think about who is actively working for their rights and their fisheries. You need to support these efforts. The door is open and all I ask is the chance to be heard.
Take care and tight lines
Jim Yeoman
President
KARLA TARDIEU
President of Gisborne Surfcasting Club, Senior Vice President of the NZ Angling & Casting Association inc.
This lady was the inspiration that gave me the will and desire to bring the NZACA back to the relevant organisation it has once again become. Her passion for the organisation was one that is hard to find in people these days, unwavering. An insistance to remain involved during the turbuent and sometimes ugly moments that made one wonder why we just didn’t walk, gave me focus and demonstrated her strengths.
It was only the discovery of her cancer that she made the correct decision to be with her young family.
The times I received a phone call or an email that commenced “Mr Yeoman” I knew I was in for a caution but they were always full of reason and sound advice. Yesterday Karla lost her battle with Cancer and has said goodbye to us all.
As the President of the NZACA I wish to say,
To Nadia and the extended Whanau, you have been the epitome of what family stands for during this time.
To Dave, a better man this lady could not have wanted, your strength has been unwavering. The silent tears, those that cant be hidden and those to follow are who you are Bud, strong but loving. Be proud.
To Zara and Jade, your Mum has given you purpose and direction, remain the people you are.
To Zane, the next Try is for your Mum.
To the beautiful Spirit that has left us, thank you for giving me the time you did, the advice, the inspiration and the will to succeed, it will never be lost. Travel lightly into your next adventure, I was hugely privilaged to have been a small part of your life.
It is only time that will heal the pain. It wont fill the hole that has been left, it will only make it smaller.
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