It has been a quiet year but I now have a number of issues to bring to your attention. This afternoon the long awaited review of the Taupo Sports Fishery: EXPLORING FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE TAUPO FISHERY was released.
Nick Smith
30 July, 2013
Report released to grow Taupo sports fishery
A report which identifies a number of significant opportunities to grow the Taupo Sports Fishery has been released today by Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith and TÅ«wharetoa Maori Trust Board chief executive Tamarapa Lloyd.
“The Department of Conservation commissioned an independent review of the sports fishery after public concerns were raised about the health of the trout fishery and a 20 per cent drop in licence sales over the past five years,†Dr Nick Smith says.
“Taupo is synonymous with trout, with the fishery worth $29 million a year to the region and 300 jobs. While the review found the sports fishery is generally in good health, it identified significant opportunities to enhance it. This includes developing an overarching goal for the fishery, growing participation by anglers, improving relationships with stakeholders, and improving the fishery’s governance and management structures.
“Other opportunities include encouraging new anglers into the sport through licensing changes, working better with regional tourism operators, and more proactive communications.â€
Dr Smith says DOC will work with its partner in the sports fishery, the TÅ«wharetoa Maori Trust Board, and key stakeholders to develop a plan to implement the recommendations and ensure the ongoing sustainability of the fishery.
Mr Lloyd says NgÄti TÅ«wharetoa are looking forward to having a more active role in the governance of the fishery and are interested in some of the opportunities outlined in the report which should benefit the iwi.
“The fishery has become a valuable resource to both the region and NgÄti TÅ«wharetoa – culturally, socially and economically. The fishery is a significant contributor to the regional economy and the trust board is interested in ensuring it is well managed and governed.â€
The report can be found on.
For more information contact DOC TaupÅ Area Manager Dave Lumley on 07 384 7135 or email [email protected]
I have posted the 175 page document in our Library and in the next month or more will be able to be accessed from our home page. Key documents. There is a short term for consultation of 3 weeks. The Advocates Committee will consider their opinion on the document in the next week.
Earlier I had received a copy of Waikato Regional Council Work Plan for the Tongariro River stating work they will be doing to maintain the flood channel in the area from The Hydro Pool downstream to DeLatours Pool though the consent is downstream almost to the delta. The work is mainly maintenance work. It is worth remembering that this work is for the purposes of flood protection for Turangi and developed from the effect of the 1450 cumec flood of 2004. Massive when considered against the normal flow of about 22 cumecs. Protection is for floods slightly larger than 2004.
The third major issue which I consider the most important is the restructuring in DOC. There will be a Chief Executive but after that there will be two parts in the DOC makeup. These are Services (operations) and the second is partnerships. Information of this is on the DOC website
http://www.doc.govt.nz/
then About DOC
at the bottom of the page is the key to the new DOC structure.
Each of the URL’s on this page is worth looking at (some are very slow to open)Â but I find this the main one
http://www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/about-doc/news/issues/structure/summary-final-structure-org-chart-A4.pdf
The word Conservancy disappears and NZ is divided into 5 regions. What was the Tongariro Taupo Conservancy which is now the Tongariro, Wanganaui Taranaki Conservancy becomes a portion of the Central North Island Region. I understand that this new structure will become effective in early September.
We have worked to foster good relations with DOC staff. The issue now is to find who the staff are that we will be dealing with. I presume that much of our contact will be with the Partnership team. We have been used to dealing with staff in Turangi but the probability is that we will be dealing with staff in Taupo. I shall have to wait and see how this works out. The result is that the Turangi office becomes a much smaller office than it is today.
Today I attended a meeting of the Waikato Regional Council (WRC) Taupo Liaison committee of which I am a member.I took the opportunity to thank Laurie Burdett, WRC concillor for Taupo region, for the 12 years she has served this area. Laurie has been visible, knowledgeable and available to the constituents. She had a knack of working with people with a range of views in a manner that left people feeling that they had been heard. We appreciated her efforts and thank her for her time on Council.
The elections later this year will see new teams on Councils, WRC, Taupo District Council and Turangi Tongariro Community Board. There will be new people to work with. I look forward to the new situations to come.
I have been away for much of July and have not fished in the last month. I bought a new season license today and will be in a position to report on the fishing next time I write. I have heard of 1 great fish caught at the Delta recently. The weather is cold, -4 frosts at my house the last two mornings and probably again tomorrow, calm and clear skies. Rain is looming which should make for good fishing.
Eric Wilson
Secretary/Treasurer