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Freshwater fishing lobbyists are pushing back against suggestions the rules on fish farming be loosened as part of the Māori commercial aquaculture settlement.
Peter Trolove, the president of the NZ Federation of Freshwater Anglers, says he was alarmed by a statement from Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash that some of the current requirements are preventing iwi from accessing and developing their aquaculture settlement assets.
Dr Trolove says some of those iwi are contemplating trout farming, which would endanger a billion dollar recreational fishery.
He says while fish farming was portrayed as a wonderful innovation with rich financial rewards, it’s basically feed lot farming, akin to keeping cattle penned in barns.
Risks such as disease and warming water can make fish farming economically uncertain.
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