McGSP 1999 Manifesto Contents

Commercial Fisheries Thrown Overboard.

Commercial fisheries cannot control themselves. Without regulation, and driven by the dollar, they mercilessly plunder the ocean turning it into a watery desert. A McGillicuddy Serious Government will change the way we catch fish, returning to simpler, less destructive methods.

Quotas

The present quota system, intended to preserve the recreational and commercial fisheries for future generations was so poorly designed that the exact opposite is happening. Our marine resources continue to be plundered at an unsustainable rate, and the “right to fish commercially” has in itself become a tradeable commodity.

Those who own, and lease-out their Quota are raking in the cash, while the brave men and women who risk their lives on the sea hardly make a living.

The McGillicuddy Serious Government will remedy this blunder beginning with a cunning and simple two step plan.

Force the sale of all existing quota to foreign investors (At current prices, this should net billions of dollars. This may be used to pay off national debt (see ECONOMY)).

Once the last kilo of quota has been flogged off, immediately reduce the Total Allowable Catch for all species, in all areas to NIL, thus putting a stop to all large scale pillaging of our marine resources. Quota holders will be furious, but the fish will be very happy.

Recreational Fisheries.

Under present systems, the daily catch limits for recreational fishers are set at absurdly low levels, and recreational fishers are not allowed to trade, sell or exchange their catch. Once the McGillicuddy Serious Party has axed commercial fishing entirely, we will make substantial increases to the present Recreational Catch Levels, and also allow fishers to exchange their catch for sand (see REDUCING LUNAR SAND STANDARD) or barter for other food and consumables. With no convenient means of exchange, it is not expected that recreational overfishing will ever occur. Eventually, the setting of sustainable catch limits will be set by the Clan.

Today’s commercial fishing has caused a shocking decline in our fish stocks. After the Great Leap Backwards the combination of falling population pressures, a lack of commercial fishing and high-technology fishing equipment, fish stocks will return to the levels they were before Jesus became a fisheries consultant (Luke 5: 1-9).

Marine Transport and Safety Standards

The McGillicuddy Serious Party is alarmed at the increasing numbers of steel, aluminium, concrete and fibreglass boats in Aotearoa, and the consequent decline of the traditional wooden boat building industry. Every child knows that steel, aluminium, concrete and glass do not float, but that wood does, therefore boats should be built out of wood. The Party will scuttle all boats not made of wood to form artificial reefs to encourage the re-emergence of overfished reef species.

In line with McGillicuddy policy to do away with the internal combustion engine (see ECONOMY), all boats will be sail, paddle or treadmill powered. Crews will be motivated with the chanting of waiata and the singing of quaint sea shanties.