Forest & Bird is calling for a ban on commercial whitebait sales, and a quota for recreational fishing on the seafood, until stocks recover. The season starts today for most areas of the country and Forest & Bird is reminding people that most whitebait species are in danger of extinction.
But whitebaiters say a ban won't stop the fishing and won't do much to boost numbers anyway.
Ian McCracken, past President of the Southland Recreational Whitebaiters Association explains.
