Chch fish prices likely to leap

Press, 25 November 1986, Page 1

Chch fish prices likely to leap

By

JOCELYN McNEE

Christchurch fish retailers are predicting local fish supply problems and big price increases in the wake of the Government’s new fishing policy. The Christchurch Fish Retailers’ Association will launch a petition today in opposition to the policy of individual transferable quotas and total allowable catches. The association’s spokesman, Mr Mike Reitsma, of Fendalton Fish Supply, said the policy would reduce the amount of fish available and push prices up. Most of the fish sold locally is bought by retailers through the Christchurch Fish Auction Market.

If the new policy remained in force, less fish would be available and the fish which would normally be sold by auction would be snapped up by fish processing companies for export, Mr Reitsma said.

He said fish supply would not be a problem

over the summer, but retailers would then experience a drought. “After June or July until about November there will be no fish,” Mr Reitsma said. . Some retailers would buy already processed fish from the fish processing companies, but few would be able to afford it, he said.

“The small shops without the buying power or the contacts to buy processed fish will be hardest hit. “Prices could be anything. Personally I think that within six months half the shops in Christchurch will not be able to get any fish,” he said.

Consumers would be faced with less variety and less fresh fish. The association wants the policy changed so fishermen are not forced to dump fish caught in excess of their quotas. It maintains that this fish should be available for consumption.

It also wants the existing deep-sea fish quotas

available to non-quota holding companies changed so that exporters do not encroach on the local supply. The association hopes about 10,000 people will sign the petition which will be placed in fish outlets throughout the city. It will be presented to the Minister of Fisheries, Mr Moyle.