b'FeatureSnapper along with blue cod, kahawai and red gurnard top the list of fish most targeted by fishers.Recreational fishers spend almostRECREATIONAL HARVESTharvest estimates are not gathered a billion dollars a year on theirRESEARCH by LegaSea or pulled from thin air. fishing, to catch less than 10% ofWe dont know what theRecreational harvest is estimated by total harvest from marine waters.recreational fishing sector isthe National Panel Survey which is This generates around 1.7 billiontaking?Some guy on Facebook. conducted by the National Research dollars in economic activity aroundIts a comment we see usuallyBureau (NRB) under contract New Zealand. Commercial fishingfrom people trying to deflectfrom Fisheries New Zealand earns around 1.6 billion dollarsthe conversation away from theand various onsite boat ramp annually exporting wild-caughtongoing use of destructive fishinginterviews for more specialised fish overseas, much of this is soldtechniques, and from someonefisheries such as crayfish and pua.for less than five dollars a kilo. convinced that because theyThe National Panel Survey was There is no doubt thathavent been interviewed atcompleted in 2011-12, 2017-18 recreational fishing contributesthe boat ramp it never happensand 2022-23. Each year, 30,000 to both the national wellbeingto anyone. Therefore, harvestrandom households are interviewed, and the economy while using lessestimates must be made up.and 5,000 - 7,500 fishers are destructive fishing methods toRight? Well lets break it down. recruited to take part in detailed capture that take-home meal. In New Zealand, recreationalsurveys throughout the year.40FISHING IN GODZONE MAGAZINE'