No-one can seriously suggest that commercial fishing will cease within 50 years due to overfishing. Something will be done, probably very late in the piece but extinction will not be allowed. It would ver very worthwhile if fishing interests and environmentalists took a good look at NZ's close shore fisheries. While claims are made that our QMS is working our marine environment is badly damaged in many places around our coast. We need to look much closer on the impacts on habitat by some traditional fishing techniques, such as scallop dredging are having on the seabed. Good inshore fisheries management that is based on the health of the habitat and our place in it could be much better that current practices. We don't really need more marine reserves- we need better fisheries management which is not just based on commercial fishing interests. Lookig at each regional environment and designing specific responses to local issues can work much better. Local responsibility for the local community would create a stronger vested interest and healthier coastal marine environments. Environmental groups crying doom and gloom will never win the day. The community has to be the driver for change. The people who eat the fish and spend time with the fish understand the processes much better than those who champion the cause butt have never seen a fish in its own place.
This film actually Premieres in Auckland at Rialto cinema in Newmarket on Saturday 6 March at 1.15pm - it is part of the Documentary Edge Festival.
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