OIA Request to the Department of Conservation

Monday 16th September 2019

Kia Ora Koutou

Eel Activists Wairarapa made an Official Information Act Request to the Department of Conservation on the questions below. It is heartening to see that no permits have been given to commercial fishers in the Conservation estate in the past two years and it seems unlikely that they would be given in future.

Thank you for your Official Information Act request to the Department of Conservation, dated 25 August 2019. Your request was regarding concessions authorising the commercial fishing of longfin eel – tuna tuwharewhare.

Your questions and our responses are listed below:

1. Does the Department of Conservation allow commercial fishers of the longfin eel to catch longfin eels - tuna tuwharewhare within the Conservation estate?

A concession application can be made for the commercial fishing of longfin eels. However, on assessing the application the Department must consider the statutory plans relevant to the specific location/region of where the proposed activity would occur (and whether such an activity is authorised in this location). The Department would also consider the threatened status of long fin eel and the impacts of approving the commercial fishing of this species. Such an application is unlikely to be granted.

2. If the answer to 1/ is yes, does this include national parks?

To undertake a concession in a National Park consideration must be given to the relevant statutory plans which includes the General Policy for National Parks (2005) and the National Park Management Plan (for the specific National Park).

Policy 4.4(g) of the General Policy for National Parks provides strong direction that commercial fishing in national park waters should not be permitted unless certain criteria is met. This includes ensuring the preservation of indigenous freshwater fisheries and maintenance of stocks within the waters where fishing is to occur is not adversely affected. Additionally, the General Policy states concessions should only be granted if they existed prior to the National Park being in existence and should be phased out. It is unlikely an application to commercially fish longfin eels in a National Park would be granted.

3. Has DoC given commercial fishers permission to catch longfin eel - tuna tuwharewhare within the conservation estate anywhere in New Zealand over the past two years?

No, the Department has not granted any concessions for fishing longfin eel – tuna tuwharewhare in the past two years. The most recent applications to fish for longfin eels was received in 2014. These were declined.

4. If the answer to 3/ is yes, where have they been given permission to fish.

N/A

5. Has DoC allowed commercial fishers to fish for longfin eel - tuna tuwharewhare anywhere in the Wairarapa within the past two years?

No, the Department has never granted any concessions for fishing longfin eel – tuna tuwharewhare in the Wairarapa.

6. If the answer to 5/ is yes, where have they been given permission to fish?

N/A

7. Are any commercial fishers allowed to catch longfin eels - tuna tuwharewhare in the Wairarapa at the present time?

No, see previous responses.