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“WHITEBAIT”

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Kiwithrottlejockey
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« Reply #25 on: April 03, 2009, 02:54:29 pm »


Big effort for small fry

By MERVYN DYKES - Manawatu Standard | Saturday, 18 August 2007

SIMPLE LIFE: Whitebaiter Gus Schwamm, of Foxton Beach, sets up to catch the tide on the Manawatu River estuary. JONATHAN CAMERON/Manawatu Standard.

SIMPLE LIFE: Whitebaiter Gus Schwamm, of Foxton Beach,
sets up to catch the tide on the Manawatu River estuary.
— JONATHAN CAMERON/Manawatu Standard


The early-morning light is golden and the air crisp with an aftertaste of winter, but that doesn't stop the keener whitebaiters from turning out early at Foxton Beach.

There is a sense of having to earn your dinner and the fritters taste all the sweeter when they are flipped from the pan.

Among the more serious is Gus Schwamm, who cycles from his home in Foxton Beach to his favourite possie as early as he can and returns as late as he can.

He has a car but somehow his bike, with its cunning trailer built to carry his gear, seems more fitting for the annual ritual.

The season opened on August 15 and runs until November 30. Whitebait can be taken from 5am-8pm during New Zealand standard time and from 6am to 9pm during daylight saving, says the Department of Conservation's biodiversity manager in Palmerston North, Vivienne McGlynn.

That gives Mr Schwamm and his fellow whitebaiters a potential 15 hours of action — and he wants to be there for all of it.

There are little rituals to observe as well. "I throw the net in then have a (soft drink)," he says.

If he needs to go into the water, he doesn't mess about with fancy stuff like waders. It's off with the shoes and in there after your supper, socks and all.

DOC rangers and volunteers are patrolling popular whitebaiting areas this season to enforce regulations designed to give the tiny fish a sporting chance in the contest.

Mrs McGlynn says nets should not have a mouth larger than 4.5m measured on the inside of the frame and fishing gear must not cover more than a third of the stream width, to allow some of the whitebait to continue their migration and conserve the species.

"Whitebait are the young of six native fish species, some of which are threatened. Inanga are the most common netted, but you may also find species like koaro and banded kokopu among your catch.

"All of these native fish spend part of their life in fresh water and part in the sea," Mrs McGlynn says.

Catches have been small so far, according to reports, but if Mr Schwamm cycles home with a cupful of the delicacy, he's happy.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatustandard/4169773a6502.html
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