Around 200 New Zealand fishers and fisher-adjacent people gathered in Christchurch this week for the NZ Federation of Commercial Fishermen Conference. The vibe was great. The take home message - please listen to us.
The Feds Conference has a long and storied history. It has been going for nearly 70 years. Front line fishers from all over the country get together to talk, listen, learn and have a few drinks. The mood in the past could sometimes be described as grumpy. This year, by the closing hours, people were commenting on the distinct positivity in the air.
Perhaps it started with the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries opening the Conference. In the past, it's been unusual to get a Minister there in person because it often clashes with the delivery of that year's Budget. This year Shane Jones was very well received. He was also given something to think about by Captain Andy Smith. Andy asked Minister Jones what could be done to get more front-line fishers into the various forums and discussion bodies that exist to make decisions about ocean management. The scientists, the regulators and the civil society groups are there, but we can't make a difference if more of us aren't included. We know the sea and we can tell you what's out there.
That became a theme for the morning, as fishers across the audience spoke up and asked questions about how we can be listened to more often.
For too long, fishers have felt like we were being spoken about or spoken to, not spoken with. In the media, we see stories about the oceans, stories about seafood and the impact of commercial fishing. But it's been a hard road making sure that media remember we need a voice in those stories. Fishers want people to understand that they have expertise and knowledge that they are happy to share.
Luckily, as well as our knowledge and experience, we now have independent data to back up what we say.
An example of that? The NIWA presentation which reported on the progress of Swath Cam. This is a set of five cameras arranged on a rig that take high resolution photos of the sea floor. They have recently completed extensive survey work in the Hauraki Gulf. The survey shows overwhelmingly that the bottom of the Gulf is mostly sand and mud. This is what fishers have been explaining for years. When we trawl, we are trawling on sand, mud and maybe gravel surfaces. On those substrates, we are not creating the damage you might hear about from some environmental groups who perhaps are not on the water like we are.
Richie Kibblewhite stood up to ask a question of Emma Taylor and Duncan Petrie from MPI - fishers have given you our data for seven years via electronic monitoring. What benefits and results have we seen from this and why aren't we using it more? In other words, we are sharing our knowledge with you - please listen and keep us in the loop.
Another example of the sharing of knowledge by the commercial sector is the Area 2 Survey that Seafood New Zealand recently delivered. Three vessels undertook scientific research tows and collected heaps of information to allow for a rigorous analysis of what fish are out there and in what abundance.
The results of the survey are yet to be fully analysed, but they appear to show a substantial increase in snapper stocks since the 1990s. And by substantial we mean it looks like there might be five times as many snapper out there as there were. Snapper was also the most frequently caught species and the largest overall catch during the survey, unlike the surveys during the 1990s. We've all been talking about this increase for some time, but yes, it's great to have the science to back that up.
We managed and led the science by making our vessels available and opening factories to scientific staff to measure thousands of fish. We are really happy to contribute to the conversations.
So, here's a plea to all the regulators and decision makers who were at the Feds Conference and all those who weren't - if you are starting a process of consultation, we can supply you with ten fishers who have already raised their hands and want to help.
With the business out of the way by 5:30pm, the fish and chip dinner and the auction got underway. The auction is a famous Feds fixture - all money raised goes the NZ Shipwreck Relief Society. Over thirty thousand was raised to support family left behind or coping with the results of accidents or losses at sea.
Some of the auction items are silly, some are impressive, and the entire event is hilariously run by amateur auctioneer Richie Kibblewhite. Fishers nobly put their bodies on the line to model the clothing on offer. It gets messy. But the mood really is fun, caring (loving even) and affectionate. After some hard times lately, the people in the room last night were all survivors - even the young ones. They well deserve a bit of love, a few laughs and a lot of listening
