Fishermen believe proposed possible marine protection sites along the South Island’s southeast coast are too restrictive and conservation groups believe greater protection is needed.
The South-East Marine Protection Forum released a public consultation document yesterday and is calling for submissions on proposals for 20 sites for possible inclusion in a network of marine protected areas.
Each proposed site is labelled type 1 or type 2.Type 1 sites are being consulted on as marine reserves or "no take" areas.
Type 2 sites are proposed as marine protected areas with restrictions.
These would still allow some fishing and harvesting but restrict fishing methods and other activities, such as mining, in the interests of biodiversity protection, particularly those that cause seabed disturbance.
Forum chairwoman Maree Baker-Galloway, a Queenstown-based environmental lawyer, hoped strong feelings would motivate people to make submissions.
Public feedback would be crucial for the forum shaping its final recommendations to the Ministers of Conservation and Primary Industries.
The size of the coastline had made it "hard work" to get feedback.
The most vocal group were recreational and commercial fishers and Ngai Tahu, Ms Baker-Galloway said.
Recreational fisherman Steve Bennett, of Brighton, said he was opposed to the proposal for an area around Green Island.
He owned a 4m boat and the shelter of the island made it a safe area to fish from a small vessel and for people to learn to dive.
The fishery in the area was protected by nature because the number of days the weather and tides allowed boat users to "get out and fish" were limited.
Seafood was plentiful in the area.
He was not against reserves and was part of a group of recreational and commercial fishers in favour of reserves being proposed at the Waitaki River mouth, Papanui Canyon and the bryozoan beds.
Mr Bennett knew of several fishing clubs in Dunedin, and individual club members, planning to make submissions.
Forest and Bird spokesman Kevin Hackwell, of Wellington, said it welcomed the chance "to finally get some marine protection in Otago — the only region where there are no marine reserves".
The environment sector would be disappointed as "the gems of the Nuggets and Shag Point are not formally identified as proposals".
Penguin Rescue manager Rosalie Goldsworthy said she was disappointed the yellow-eyed penguins at Katiki Point, near Moeraki, were left unprotected in the proposal.
However, the proposed reserve south of the Waitaki River would protect Oamaru’s little blue penguins, which feed in the area, "and that’s great".
Peter White, of the Catlins, a commercial paua diver for 30 years, said the proposals would have a negative effect on the whole of the paua fishery.
As a commercial eel fisherman, Mr White was frustrated by the inclusion of several estuaries in the proposal.
Nelson Cross, a forum member, spoke yesterday as a recreational fisher and believed the reserves proposed were "too much".
Some commercial fishers could be put out of business, he said.
Restrictions on estuaries could affect whitebaiting and duck hunting, he said.
Forum member Khyla Russell, of Karitane, a Ngai Tahu representative on the forum, said she supported greater restrictions "but not at the expense of us being able to exercise our customary rights".
She was concerned the type 1 sites could restrict the removal of historical artefacts, such as canoes and bones, so a "guarantee" was needed to allow those items to be extracted.
The forum is expected to deliver its final recommendations to Government in April.
