A CHARACTERISATION OF FIORDLAND’S FISHERIES Beneath the Reflections Compiled by: The Guardians of Fiordland’s Fisheries 1999 Photo courtesy Nicole Goeble Acknowledgements The Guardians of Fiordland’s Fisheries would like to gratefully acknowledge the following people for their contributions toward compiling this document. Tony Brett Geoff Clarke Rose Grindley John Jillett Stephen Logie Lesley Raj Hayley Suter Laurel Teirney Contents 1 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................ 6 2 THE GUARDIANS OF FIORDLAND’S FISHERIES .................................................. 7 2.0 The Guardians of Fiordland’s Fisheries 1999....................................................................8 3 PROCESS OF COMPILING INFORMATION ............................................................ 9 3.0 Map Exercise/Working Group Knowledge .......................................................................9 3.1 History of Fishing ..............................................................................................................9 3.1.0 Oral Histories.............................................................................................................9 3.2 Bibliography ....................................................................................................................10 3.3 Identification of Research Needs.....................................................................................10 4 MAORI IN FIORDLAND .......................................................................................... 11 4.0 Creation............................................................................................................................11 4.1 Published Accounts of Maori History in Fiordland.........................................................12 5 EUROPEAN ARRIVAL............................................................................................ 16 5.0 EARLY HISTORY..........................................................................................................16 5.0.0 Cook Explores Dusky ..............................................................................................16 5.0.1 Vancouver’s Return.................................................................................................18 5.0.2 The First Traders Arrive ..........................................................................................18 5.0.3 Spanish Explorers Visit Doubtful Sound.................................................................19 5.0.4 Dusky’s First Shipwreck..........................................................................................19 5.0.5 Bass Proposes Southern Fisheries Monopoly..........................................................20 5.0.6 Sealers and Whalers.................................................................................................21 5.0.7 The Acheron Survey ................................................................................................22 5.0.8 Gold Miners and Loggers ........................................................................................23 5.1 Commercial Fisheries......................................................................................................23 5.1.0 Rock lobster fishery.................................................................................................24 5.1.1 Paua Fishery.............................................................................................................25 5.1.2 Wet Fishery..............................................................................................................26 5.2 Recreational Fisheries......................................................................................................26 5.3 Other Activities................................................................................................................31 5.3.0 Cruise Ship Visits ....................................................................................................31 6 THE FIORDLAND MARINE ECOSYSTEM ............................................................. 33 6.1 Physical Characteristics ...................................................................................................33 6.2 Biological Characteristics............................................................................................35 7.0 FISHERIES LEGISLATION...........................................................................................38 7.1 Evolution and Definition of Fisheries Rights ..................................................................38 7.1.0 Commercial Rights ..................................................................................................39 7.1.1 Customary Maori Rights..........................................................................................39 7.1.2 Recreational Stakeholder Rights..............................................................................40 7.1.3 Environmental..........................................................................................................41 7.2 Stakeholder Management ................................................................................................41 7.2.0 Overlap with Other Legislation ...............................................................................42 8 COMPLIANCE......................................................................................................... 43 8.0 Compliance Objectives....................................................................................................43 8.1 Compliance Services........................................................................................................43 8.2 Geographic Considerations for Compliance....................................................................44 8.3 Legislative Controls on Fishing in Fiordland ..................................................................44 9 FISHSTOCKS AND FISHERIES ............................................................................. 45 3 9.0 Customary non-commercial.............................................................................................45 9.1 Commercial......................................................................................................................45 9.1.0 Rock lobster.............................................................................................................46 9.1.1 Biology/Distribution ................................................................................................46 9.1.2 Development of the Fishery.....................................................................................47 9.1.3 Fishing Methods ......................................................................................................49 9.1.4 Harvest .....................................................................................................................49 9.1.8 Sea Cucumber (SCC)...............................................................................................58 4 Cascade Point Big Bay Milford Sound Poison Bay Bligh Sound Sutherland Sound George Sound Caswell Sound Thompson Sound Charles Sound Secretary Island Nancy Sound Doubtful Sound Bradshaw Sound Dagg Sound First Arm Crooked Arm Vancouver Hall Arm Arm Breaksea Sound Broughton Arm Wet Jacket Arm Resolution Island Dusky Sound FIORDLAND Edwardson Sound Cunaris Sound Long Sound Chalky Inlet Preservation Inlet Waiau River Mouth Puysegur Point Figure 1: Map of Fiordland 5 1 INTRODUCTION Beneath the reflections, the Fiordland marine environment is home to a vast range of life. This amazing, unspoiled world supports customary, recreational and commercial fisheries as well as ecotourism and other recreational ventures. Traditionally, the fiords have been used extensively for commercial blue cod fishing, rock lobster fishing (cray fishing) and latterly, paua diving. The fiords are also renowned for recreational fishing, especially harvesting rock lobster and blue cod. The Fiordland coast supports the most important New Zealand rock lobster fishery, with approximately 20% of the national harvest coming from this region. In addition, the commercial paua fishery supports 12% of the national paua harvest. The recreational fishery for rock lobster and blue cod is superb, with an active charter boat industry continuing to develop around recreational fishing and ecotourism. There is an increasing awareness among recreational fishers that Fiordland offers an exceptional fishing experience within a truly special boating and diving environment. As a consequence, Fiordland is attracting fishers from throughout New Zealand and overseas who are looking for a rare and exciting experience. Improved access to the area, in particular by road to Doubtful Sound via the Wilmot Pass, but also by way of larger boats, yachts, charter vessels, float planes, and helicopters, is also contributing to the increase in fishing effort in Fiordland. Against this background, the Guardians of Fiordland’s Fisheries (Tautiaki Ika O Atawhenua) was formed in 1995. The group’s primary objective is to manage and conserve Fiordland’s fisheries resources for the use and enjoyment of future generations. To identify and understand potential issues, the Guardians require a comprehensive account of Fiordland’s fisheries, their development history and possible future fisheries changes. While much has been written about various aspects of Fiordland,