Fishing host Matt Watson has been quick to voice disapproval with a bill proposing to remove almost all minimum legal-size limits for commercial fishing operators.

The proposed laws would apply to a range of popular fish species, including snapper, trevally, butterfish and tarakihi - and recreational fishers will still have to follow all current minimum size limit rules.

Watson says this won't address destructive fishing methods - and that these terms are 'madness'.

"The notion that - well, these fish are gonna die anyway, we might as well keep them and sell them is ridiculous, because the reason that there is a size limit is because fish have to be able to get to reproductive size to be able to restock the ocean. So instead of addressing - stop catching undersized fish, you're legitimatising it."

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Fishing host Matt Watson has been quick to voice disapproval with a bill proposing to remove almost all minimum legal-size limits for commercial fishing operators.
The proposed laws would apply to a range of popular fish species, including snapper, trevally, butterfish and tarakihi - and recreational fishers will still have to follow all current minimum size limit rules.
Watson says this won't address destructive fishing methods - and that these terms are 'madness'.
"The notion that - well, these fish are gonna die anyway, we might as well keep them and sell them is ridiculous, because the reason that there is a size limit is because fish have to be able to get to reproductive size to be able to restock the ocean. So instead of addressing - stop catching undersized fish, you're legitimatising it."
LISTEN ABOVE

News, opinion, analysis, lifestyle and entertainment – we’ve got your Sunday morning listening covered with The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin on Newstalk ZB.

The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Matt Watson: fishing host voices disapproval with new fishing rules proposed by Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/e355fd7d-0e78-4934-b9b6-b414016b45d4/transcript