We saw this story a couple of days ago and the mouth watering thought of pigeon stew tonight reminded us of the other big foodie opportunity that we are missing.
Sanfords Eric Barratt says its time to lift the commercial ban on trout fishing and he is very right.
As New Zealanders we have this odd habit of doing little to protect our native species but bend over backward in the name of sport to protect introduced species like trout, salmon, Canada geese and mallard ducks. We find it strange that we are not able to harvest the young mallard flappers in the creek bordering our property in what would be a targeted sustained way. We would be happy to register the numbers we caught as well. Similar to fish management. If you know what level of harvest the population can sustain then there should be no restrictions on how you harvest them.
We digress , back to Trout farming - its simply logical and smart and will provide us with another export stream. The fears of disease are unfounded. Wild trout would still be the domain of the gun nuts so there would be no harm to that "industry" either. And it would also see trout served as a dish at top restaurants. And sea run trout will be much better eating than their cousins in muddy creeks. There is often very little difference in the taste of a sea run trout and salmon.
This is not a new idea from Eric, he has been pushing this issue for years and rightly so. He is a big fish in the NZ aquaculture industry and he, better than most, knows the potential for fish farming in this country and the need for diversification of that industry.
Now Fish and Game will squeal at anyone having a right over their precious domain. But it is time for some creative thinking, some bold actions and a change to some legislation that could provide the country with another high end high value niche export.
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8 comments:
Every time people bleat about the Australian ban on NZ apples, I think that it is entirely justified while we prevent trout being imported into NZ.
I was actually stunned that you cant farm trout, what daft idiot came up with that idea. I remember feeding them as a kid in a farm in the yorkshire dales. I quite like the idea and would love to put money into one, its a healthy food and FFS we are a country of farmers.
Yes to Eric's trout farming push - a supermarket trout would be just another alignment with the joys of Aus - a delicacy for "the many - not the few" protectionist privileged fly fishers
It is also illegal to import trout for sale under a Customs Prohibition Order renewed in 2007. The grounds for prohibition in this case are that "in the opinion of the Governor-General, the prohibition is necessary in the public interest." Hard to know what that means precisely, but Customs Prohibition Orders are generally because the item would be injurious to public health or public order or endanger New Zealand's biosecurity. I can't see how the import of trout for sale as a food for people would endanger the nation any more than the already permitted import of trout in quantities of less than 10kgs for personal use.
Hey it's great roarprawn has finally cottoned onto something Federated Farmers started last year (and Mr Barratt acknowledged that in his media statement). I think the National Business Review's Liam Baldwin deserves plaudits for breaking this last November and following it up again late January. So, where to now? Time to bombard the National-led Government reminding them that it's good to be an entreupreneur. You can work out the potential for yourself - the farmgate return for trout is US$5 a kilogram. Watch Fish & Game trout old a broken record - it will hit tourism (doesn't seem to in Scotland, Canada, Norway...); it will introduce disease (why would we need to import brood stock); that it will lead to poaching (actualyl, more rustling from farms but farmers put up with that already). It's time to get over an old trout.
Hey Anon , sure did miss it. Perhaps you guys need better PR. Looks like the time is right to turn up the heat on this one. Happy to help.
The only thing mudfish are good for is smoking.
Coming from Yorkshire, i miss trout too.
It has also become very affordable in British supermarkets, just like salmon.
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