Dunedin residents who live, work and play in and around Otago Harbour expressed their support last night for the concept of a mataitai reserve, although some believed there should be at least some room for commercial fishing.
About 60 people attended the public meeting, at the Dunedin College of Education auditorium, organised by the Ministry of Fisheries.
In a presentation, ministry spatial allocations manager Randall Bess gave an overview of the application, saying that while a mataitai excluded commercial fishing, legislation allowed for its reinstatement for takes of specific species, if recommended by the mataitai management committee and if also approved by the Minister of Fisheries after public consultation.
Also being considered by the ministry was a special permit application to fish for clams in the harbour, he said.
In question time, the application committee was asked if members thought ministry regulations were not enough and what expertise the management committee would have in looking after the harbour resource.
Mataitai application committee project manager Hoani Langsbury said a mataitai would bring management back to the local area, to people who lived alongside it and made use of it.
The committee would seek expertise from the University of Otago, with applications for studies into baseline levels of species in the harbour already being looked at, he said.
Monarch Wildlife Cruises owner John Milburn called for balance, saying while he supported the mataitai, he believed there needed to be room for commercial endeavours.
Mr Langsbury said it would be up to the mataitai committee to make a call on whether it would allow a degree of commercial fishing in the area.
Cathy Morrison, who lives on Quarantine Island, said she was delighted by the proposal, which would signal to the community what a precious resource the harbour was.
