Instead, they filled the void with chatter they heard on social media and fearmongering.
There was an abundance both on the land and in the sea - "but people don’t know that", she said. New Zealand was fortunate it had many great products to export.
Those working in the fishing industry saw what was there and they cared about the sustainability and the environmental impact of everything they did because they wanted longevity of those fish stocks, she said.įood security was a massive consideration.
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It was about working out how to do it fairly "without political posturing and a lot of misguided facts". If there was an abundance of fish stocks, then there was access but, if there was nothing to fish, then you could not have access. Put simply, Ms Gardner said the seafood sector came down to abundance and access. Most laws passed in the last few years had been "kind of shoddy", benefiting lawyers, she said. That voice was continuing to be discounted. "They may not have a degree or work in Wellington but they know what they are talking about," she said. Yet policy makers and decisions were excluding people who had that first-hand knowledge. There could not be a better caretaker of them, and also a port-of-call for decision-makers about fisheries - not just rock lobster but other species and the industry in general. They knew the environment, best practice, how the species worked, where they thrived and what they needed. The rock lobster industry had "fought tooth and nail" to rebuild it "from nothing". There was an abundance of healthy crayfish in the area for customary, recreational and commercial fishers. The reality was fishers were as concerned, if not more, as the general public about the environment, she said. She saw a need for engagement and to help grow the understanding in the wider community of the importance of not just fishers but the industry as a whole. She described herself as a good advocate and, it was not just from her legal background perspective, she was passionate about the seafood industry, and she was also good at bringing people together. When Ms Gardner considered the ORLIA role, she asked herself what value she would add to the organisation, like she did with any role she took on. In the intervening years, she consulted for Harbour Fish on national policy issues, keeping the business and its fishers abreast of developments in the industry and filing submissions. She initially studied zoology at the University of Otago, and was aiming for a career in marine science, but the arrival of her eldest daughter when she was 21 made her reassess things.ĭeciding she "couldn’t have a baby on a boat", she was accepted into law school and she completed double degrees in law and arts, majoring in political science.Īfter graduating, she practised in Dunedin, focusing mostly on relationship property and civil litigation, until motherhood intervened - she has four daughters aged between 5 and 19 - and she stepped away from legal practice. That connection was further cemented through her partner Damon Cooper, a fisherman who also operates successful seafood business Harbour Fish with his brother Aaron. Ms Gardner said she was keen to help "demystify" the sector to the wider public, believing education about the industry was lacking in New Zealand - "a basic understanding of what’s right at our doorstep" - while also highlighting the good things going on.ĭunedin-born and raised, her love of the sea initially came from diving and living in such close proximity to the ocean. She also has first-hand knowledge of an industry which provides her family’s livelihood. Ms Gardner talks to business editor Sally Rae about her passion for the seafood sector and why Otago should be held up as an example.Ĭhanel Gardner, the new executive officer of the Otago Rock Lobster Industry Association, is a passionate advocate for the seafood sector. The Otago Rock Lobster Industry Association has a new executive officer with Dunedin woman Chanel Gardner officially taking over later this week. Chanel Gardner is the new executive officer of the Otago Rock Lobster Industry Association.
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