Wildside - Felt- Soled Boots

Felt-sole move putting boot into anglers
 

© Zane Mirfin, Wildside Column, Felt-sole move putting the Boot into Anglers, Nelson Mail, 30 August 2008

AT RISK: River crossings will be more dangerous if felt-soled fishing boots are banned and replaced with rubber soles.

October 1, 2008 may be a black day for New Zealand recreational fishermen.

On October 1, set netting will be banned around much of the New Zealand coastline, fishing for blue cod in the inner Marlborough Sounds will cease, and in the latest bombshell for freshwater anglers, the right to wear felt-soled wading boots may be removed after a decision by the Minister of Conservation on the advice of Fish and Game New Zealand.

For the uninitiated, felt soles are glued to the sole of most trout fishing boots to allow safe wading in rivers. The felt soles wear out over time and are readily replaced but they give safe passage for anglers on slick cobbles and rocks.

Make no mistake – felt soles are an essential piece of equipment for successful trout fishing, and as Nelson fishing guru Tony Entwistle pointed out recently, ‘‘felt soles were instrumental in creating a whole range of fishing opportunities for anglers’’.

I agree and believe rubber soled boots are going to make trout fishing less effective, less enjoyable, and definitely a whole lot less safe.

The reason for the felt sole ban is supposedly to stop the spread of the invasive alga Didymosphenia geminata (didymo), a native of the northern hemisphere that is now established in the South Island. It is considered that didymo can survive longer on felt soles than other less porous surfaces, which may increase the risk of transmission to another waterway.

Fears of the alga spreading to the North Island and further contamination of South Island rivers are the reasons cited for the ban. Anglers are feeling victimised by the decision and by Fish and Game, the organisation that they believe should represent their interests.

Many believe Fish and Game has closed the door when the horse has already bolted. Those of us who have been cleaning our gear conscientiously since 2005 when didymo turned up in the Nelson-Marlborough region don’t believe
that banning felt soles is going to achieve anything. If anything, rubber soles may mean anglers take less care cleaning
their equipment.

The new regulations only affect anglers, and have nothing to do with other spreaders of didymo such as
swimmers, kayakers, dogs, stock, Department of Conservation vehicles, hikers and native birds such as black shags, which have no such restrictions placed upon them.
 
Interestingly, many brands of wading boots have up to five layers of fabric in their construction, so removing the felt soles is unlikely to make much difference at all in the transmission of didymo but will certainly increase the risk of injury and drowning for anglers through a lack of in-stream traction.

Rob Wilson, of Evolve Outdoors Group in Wellington, is a major importer of waders and wading boots and believes
that anglers have no choice but to embrace the change to rubber soles.

Wilson points out that there will be a lot of new boots for importers and retailers to sell. By his estimate, there may be only 3000 pairs of alternative soles available in New Zealand at present and up to 120,000 NZ anglers requiring new boots by October 1. Many anglers are hopping mad that they will need to buy new boots (commonly $200-plus per pair) with no compensation in sight. Lodges and guides often have dozens of pairs of feltsoled boots to outfit customers. My
guiding business has in excess of 20 pairs in various states of repair, from old to brand new, available for use. Grinding felt soles off existing boots and replacing them with inferior rubber soles is going to be a big job.

However, the threat of a Fish and Game conviction and a maximum $5000 fine will motivate most anglers to comply
with the new regulations.

Fish and Game staff have been caught in the crossfire by angry anglers.

Nelson-based Fish and Game manager Neil Deans believes that most anglers want to do the right thing to minimise the chance of spreading didymo. He concedes that the decision is contentious but says it is based on public consultation and that proper process was followed at all times. He rightly notes that ‘‘the whole tale of didymo is one of missed opportunities’’.

I also spoke to the national director of Fish and Game, Bryce Johnson, who reasoned that the decision was a ‘‘probability argument’’ and that banning felt soles was ‘‘an opportunity to minimise a potential vector’’.

He said the ‘‘strategic border’’ between north and south islands had to be protected and that ‘‘anglers need to think
beyond self-interest and to think about the threat didymo poses to the resources that they currently enjoy’’.

Was the decision to ban felt soles the right move? Not according to every angler I’ve talked to. The fallout will be costly to Fish and Game in terms of future support from anglers and in future licence sales from both local and overseas anglers.

One bright angler observed that Fish and Game is ‘‘fiddling while Rome burns’’.

Myself – I’m not looking forward to getting back in the stream with a recovering broken ankle, dodgy rubber boots and rocks like oiled bowling balls. Believe me, I know all about slipping on wet, icy rocks with rubber boots.

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