Tony Roach talks fishing

Tony Roach fishing out of Greymouth talking about fishing on the Coast

Tony Roach fishing out of Greymouth talking about fishing on the Coast.People working on the coast have a reputation for being hard-working, straight up and down, knowledgeable and possessing the ability to get a job done.One of the many who have gained such a ‘can-do’ reputation is skipper of the Cosair TONY ROACH, who shares some of his experiences with you.The fishing industry on the Coast is going through a period of real opportunity and the decision to upgrade the Blaketown lagoon slipway to cater for 200 ton vessels and inside a built in shed ,the commissioning of a dedicated dredge to keep the lagoon at the correct depth and the construction and installation of extra mooring pontoons will create a boom in this sector which is so important to the Coast and New Zealand.The West Coast fishery extends some 350 nautical miles from the Cascade Coast in the South, to the Kahurangi Coast to the North. Today’s fisherman fishes from the Port of Greymouth, the most populous town on the ‘coast’ (approximately 10,000 residents).The waters off the South Island’s West Coast provide everything from shallow coastal margins to deep offshore trenches, from sandy long-drift beaches to coarse gravel sea-beds, with an array of desirable species in abundance year round.Due to its proximity to turbulent weather, the West Coast fishery preserves itself by only allowing access to its harvest when the weather dictates. Combine this with the heavy rainfall from moisture-laden clouds that batter the coastline, and you have an extreme, but commanding fishery that requires knowledge, skill and determination to fish successfully. Located in the area known to mariners as ‘The Roaring Forties’ due to the severe ocean gales that occur at a latitude of 40 degrees, our fishery serves up weather that demands respect. With water temperatures that remain consistently cool, the West Coast provides a rich environment, where many species thrive, feeding on the smorgasbord bought up by the Southern Antarctic currents.

Posted by The Coasters Club on Sunday, August 9, 2020