A public meeting on marine protection in Dunedin at the weekend was well attended - about 90 people came - and the discussion was heated.
''It's good that it was heated - we expected that,'' chairwoman of the South East Marine Protection Forum Maree Baker Galloway said.
''It's because people care.''
The South East Marine Protection Forum, made up of 17 community members from along the southeastern coast, is the body that has been tasked by the Government with figuring out what kind of marine protection should be applied to southeastern coastal waters between Timaru and Waipapa Point.
This is not the first time there has been a push to establish marine protection off the southeastern coast. There was an attempt in 1992 and another in 2004, both of which failed.
This time is a bit different; the forum is made up of community members representing concerned groups, and the process is driven by the forum, rather than the Department of Conservation. But that does not seem to have made it any less contentious.
There was a big showing of recreational fishers at Saturday's meeting, many sceptical about the need for any kind of marine protection whatsoever.
During the question and answer session, recreational fishing ''advocate'' Warren Lewis said ''the nature and construction of the coast give adequate marine protection''.
''The implication of another marine reserve is restricting recreational fishing activity.''
Local recreational fisherman Lloyd McGinty argued in favour of a marine protected area.
''It could suck for me personally,'' he said.
''No one wants it in their own backyard.''
''But I'm not just thinking about me; I'm thinking about my children and grandchildren ... anything that will help to ensure the sustainability of our fisheries is a good thing. If that's some form of marine protection, then yes, [I'm in favour of it].''
He said his support for marine protection put him in an awkward position, as a recreational fisherman.
''I've been diving and recreationally fishing my whole life. I've got feet in both camps.''
There were notably fewer commercial fishers than recreational ones at the meeting, which forum communications and engagement adviser Ruth White said might be because commercial fishers felt they had other means of communicating their concerns to the forum.
''They're sending letters and having meetings about this ... they're not just individuals on their own.''
Commercial fishers are slightly better represented in the forum with three members - more than any other single group represented. There are two members representing recreational fishers.
Ms Baker Galloway emphasised that the public meetings were an opportunity for forum members to learn about issues they should consider when drafting their proposal for the Government.
The draft proposal is scheduled to be sent next year, at which point it would open up for submissions from the public.
''It needs to be a back and forth,'' she said.
All of the concerns raised at the meeting were already being considered by the forum, Ms Baker Galloway said.
But, she added, ''we are always learning''.
This weekend's public meeting was the fifth the forum has held so far, and another seven were scheduled, Ms Baker Galloway said.
