Op-ed: Plenty of local fishers still catching your Friday feed

In response to an article published in The Nelson Mail (‘How red tape and corporate giants swallowed Nelson’s independent fishers,’ 5 September), Federation President Doug Saunders-Loder published an op-ed pushing back against claims that fish processing companies are the main reason there are fewer small, owner-operated fishers on the water today.

He wrote:

“There is no doubt that many independent fishers are facing difficult economic conditions. However, … attributing these challenges to large fishing companies ignores the truth about the pressures from land-based environmental degradation, fuel costs, regulatory burdens, changing market conditions, ageing vessels and workforce shortages.

Seafood remains one of the healthiest and most natural food sources available. Wild-caught fish are free from growth hormones, food additives and antibiotics, making them a valuable source of nutrition for New Zealand families. Commercial fishers play an important role in supplying this food while operating under one of the most regulated and carefully monitored fisheries management systems in the world.

A balanced discussion of the future of New Zealand's fishing industry requires consideration of all these factors. Many inshore fishers continue to invest in their business, their people and their communities, and conversations with them would provide a more accurate picture of how commercial fishing works in and for our region.”