The Ministry for Primary Industries is holding three information sessions in Otago and Southland from Saturday to get input from the public to help create the framework for a nationwide strategy.
New Zealand Recreational Fishing Council life member Warren Lewis, of Port Chalmers, said he found it "totally unacceptable'' commercial fishermen, such as charter boat owners, were calling for a reduction in the bag limit of 30 blue cod in Otago because the fishery was under strain from factors including an influx of amateur fishermen.
As commercial fishermen were not facing a quota reduction for blue cod, they should refrain from commenting on the bag limits of recreational fishers, he said.
"It's just not on.''
The pressure on the blue cod fishery was also coming from other groups, including commercial fishermen and hungry marine mammals, he said.
Green Island Fishing Club secretary Steve Bennett, of Brighton, said club members were waiting to get the relevant facts from information sessions before expressing a view on the strategy to the media.
Mr Bennett, a South-East Marine Protection Forum member representing recreational fishermen, said the forum's recommendations could result in recreational fishermen being excluded from catching fish in some fishing grounds.
The forum's final recommendations were expected to include proposals for a network of marine protected areas, including marine reserves, from Timaru down to Waipapa Point in Southland.
Marine reserves and a reduced blue cod bag limit would be a "double whammy'' to recreational fishermen, he said. Both men supported the strategy but wanted "local management'' of the fishery, rather than a national strategy, he said.
Mr Bennett urged recreational fishermen to "have their say'' on the strategy and attend the upcoming meetings.
National blue cod strategy drop-in information sessions
• Dunedin Centre between 3pm and 6pm on Saturday.
• Moeraki Coronation Hall between 1pm to 4pm on Sunday.
• Ascot Park Hotel in Invercargill between 5pm and 7pm on Monday.
