Sneaky Law Change to Hammer Trout & Salmon

The Minister of Conservation, Eugenie Sage, has introduced an amendment to the Conservation Act that changes the way Trout and Salmon are managed in New Zealand.

There are two specific clauses that cause problems for the management of our Trout & Salmon fisheries. Fish & Game were not consulted by the Minister, and believe that the consequences are:

It allows trout and salmon to be removed from particular rivers and lakes, even if they are significant trout and salmon fisheries.
It could see trout being part of Treaty of Waitangi settlements with iwi.
The Bill also opens the possibility of allowing the sale of trout.

I am trying to get to the bottom of what is going on because if the bill passes in its present form it will completely overturn the egalitarian principles Trout & Salmon fishing is based on. The following OIA has been submitted, and I will publish the results on the Wild when I get them.

Official Information Act Request.

This request is made under the Offical Information Act 1982 and requests:

All information in relation to the Conservation (Indigenous Freshwater Fish) Amendment Bill.

This request includes all instructions and material to and from the Ministers Office to the Department of Conservation, all Cabinet and Cabinet papers and minutes, all correspondence, meeting notes, and documents set to or received from all consultation that took place before the Bill was introduced, and records of all meetings where the Bill was referred to or discussed between the Minister and any other party, including officials.

Please acknowledge receipt of this request and provide any an all correspondence and information supplied via return email to this address.

Yours faithfully

Simon Lusk