Aramoana mole reserve on agenda

A controversial marine reserve at Aramoana was a talking point at a Dunedin meeting last night.

About 50 people attended the Otago diving and spear fishing public meeting in the Clarkson Room at the Regent Theatre.

Dive Otago manager Virginia Watson said her group organised the meeting to get the dive community together to discuss two topics: diver safety and a voluntary marine reserve near Aramoana mole.

The reserve was established in the early 1980s, after an agreement was signed by every diving club in Dunedin, stating members would not fish the area.

The reserve was established because spear fishing was affecting several marine species in the area.

A sign to educate the public about the reserve was put up at Aramoana but was "ripped down'' by people against the reserve.

Port Otago had recently approved the installation of a similar sign.

Ms Watson wants clubs and businesses in Dunedin to support the continuation of the reserve.

"We believe it's a good place to regenerate [marine life] because the shipwrecks provide a lot of shelter for the species.

"It's a really interesting place and if it was left to grow, you'd get some really interesting fish in there.''

She did not want people acting aggressively towards spear fishers hunting in the area.

Senior Sergeant Bruce Adams, of the Police National Dive Squad, talked at the meeting about recent diving accidents around New Zealand and about how to reduce diving-related incidents.

shawn.mcavinue@odt.co.nz

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