Former All Black Kees Meeuws is ''outraged'' consultation on sharing recreational paua fishery in Otago and Southland with commercial paua divers has been extended.
Minister of Primary Industries Nathan Guy announced yesterday a decision to extend the consultation to review the commercial fishing restrictions in the Otago and Southland paua fishery.
''The importance of this fishery to recreational users has been made very clear over the past few months,'' Mr Guy said.
The ministry wanted all stakeholders to provide more recommendations in the next few months to reach a ''constructive solution''.
Mr Meeuws said he was ''outraged'' at the announcement yesterday, because more than 99% of the 2740 submissions had wanted the areas to remain closed to commercial paua divers.
Paua to the People Spokesman Hamish Forrester said he was confused by the announcement.
''We have well and truly proven to the ministry that the areas proposed to be opened are in fact well used by recreational fishers and local Maori, and that allowing commercial paua fishing in these areas would have significant negative impacts on all other users.''
Seafood New Zealand chief executive Tim Pankhurst said the announcement was a ''welcome step''.
''More discussions will take the heat out of what has become an emotional debate and allow an informed scientific understanding of what the effect of commercial and recreational divers sharing the fishery will be.''
Otago and Southland residents had been misinformed on the proposed new shared areas and the impact of commercial paua diving, Mr Pankhurst said. He was confident a paua stock assessment would reveal the paua fishery was healthy and growing.
The industry was eager for more discussion with recreational and customary stakeholders, Mr Pankhurst said.
''This extension gives us a great opportunity to work out the issues.''
