Region's whitebait season opens with whimper

YVETTE BATTEN yvette.batten@tnl.co.nz - Taranaki Thursday, 16 August 2007
Jean Keith of Waitara chose to open the whitebaiting season rather than spend the day bowling.
Taranaki's Jean Keith had no trouble choosing between bowls and whitebaiting yesterday.
She wasn't going to miss the start to her 40th year fishing from the banks of the Waitara River for anything.
"It was a matter of going to bowls or coming to opening day," she said.
And she fishes the "hard way" - scooping a large net through the water in time to the music wafting from her trusty little radio.
"I find it easier putting this net in the car rather than one with poles and screens," she said.
But bending and pulling the net through water can be hard on her muscles. "Tomorrow I will know all about it," she said.
While the effort was first class, the catch wasn't with barely enough for a fritter.
"Like any fisherman, we all hope it (this season) is going to be a good one," she said.
But the season wouldn't be opened properly unless the traditions were adhered to.
"The first few you catch, you put back in the water. It gives you a clean conscience," she said.
Mrs Keith can spend up to five days a week, during the season, at her sunny riverbank spot on the Karaka flats.
"Sometimes you've got to get up fairly early to get a posie. Once it gets out that they're running the river bank, it's like race day."
And at the end of the day she gives most of her catch away. She recommends turning the whitebait into a big fritter by cooking with four or five eggs in butter, seasoned with salt and pepper.
Department of Conservation programme manager biodiversity Bryan Williams said yesterday's catch was average.
"Some people caught up to three kilograms, while others just got a cupful."
Mokau whitebaiters got the best catch, while Waitara and other smaller rivers weren't too good.
DOC had a couple of complaints about people fishing illegally, which were followed up, but the people had moved on. Copies of the regulations are available from the DOC offices.
"There's really no excuse," Mr Williams said.