A lot of whitebaiters believe the season now finishes on October 31, but Doc instead set the end date as October 30 — at 9pm to be exact
The head of the West Coast Whitebaiters’ Association said Doc told him that it was an oversight to set the last day of fishing as the 30th rather than allowing the extra day to the end of the month.
Previously, the majority of New Zealand’s whitebaiting season ran from August 15 to November 30, while the West Coast season ran from September 1 to November 14.
Shortening the season from this year was one of the biggest changes to the rewrite of the West Coast Whitebait Fishing Regulations confirmed last year.
Adding to the confusion, the West Coast Regional Council’s newsletter which has gone to all ratepayers, said the season now finishes on October 31.
Doc said it simply chopped one month off the old date — but the West Coast season previously finished in mid-November.
Whitebaiters Association president Rob Roney said Doc had told him it was an oversight and would be corrected to the 31st in the next review.
"I can’t imagine Doc being in a position to prosecute, when the wrong date was published ... and the West Coast Regional Council," he said.
The regional council has jurisdiction over whitebait stands, while Doc enforces the fishing regulations.
"Though I think the weather will solve the problem," Mr Roney said, with heavy rain forecast for the weekend.
Mr Roney said he wrote to Doc a few months ago raising concerns over the date after being contacted by members.
"There’s certainly confusion," he said.
DOC said the October 30 end date "reflects the decision to reduce the season by one-month from the previous November 30 date."
More changes next year will limit the maximum overall length for fishing gear to 6m nationwide, including for stands. — Greymouth Star/additional reporting Steve Hepburn
