An overhaul of fisheries rules will allow greater catch limits when fish are abundant and stop on-board camera footage being made public.
The changes announced by Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones on Wednesday are part of a proposed new law that will be introduced later this year.
The reforms would help the fishing industry achieve its “enormous potential for sustainable growth”, Jones said.
“These changes are the most significant reforms to the Fisheries Act for decades and they reflect my commitment to the success of our fishing industry which generates around $1.5 billion in exports each year.”
Jones has also taken a swipe at environmental groups, who he accused of indulging in “an orgy of litigation” to try and prevent fishing companies making a living.
He didn’t believe it would lead to more fish being caught, instead it would provide greater certainty and better planning for fishing companies, he told Morning Report.
It would also get rid of “the yearly carnival” and “an orgy of litigation” indulged in by environmental groups and instead allow companies to get on with making some money for the country.
“We will still be consulting with stakeholders but rather than the limit for a specific species of fish being confined to 12 months we’re going to have in the law the ability for it to go to 24 months or 36 months.”
Officials would still be able to intervene if information revealed a need to reduce the quota.
“It’s 40 years in the making and I think it’s an interesting level of flexibility the industry needs.”
Greens appalled
The Green Party is critical of the changes, calling them “a handout to the fishing industry”.
“Instead of pandering to industry interests, the Minister must wake up to the reality that he has a responsibility to protect our oceans so that future generations can enjoy what we have today,” Oceans and Fisheries spokesperson Teanau Tuiono said.
“We’ve seen what can happen on boats when operators are left to their own devices. Hiding camera footage from the public and expanding catch limits will only lead to more harm for our oceans, taonga species, and our international reputation.”
Tuiono accused the government of rolling back protections for what was ,most pecious to people and the planet.
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“Our oceans are the lifeblood of Aotearoa. We must protect them, not only for their beauty, but for their essential role in sustaining life on our planet.
However, Jones said the changes to catch limits would mean some fisheries will be allowed to “automatically respond” to fluctuations in the number of fish in the sea, for up to five years, Jones said.
The current process was slow and each change must be considered separately, he said.
“These rules will be subject to the usual scientific evaluation and consultation processes but will allow for greater catch when there are more fish in the water and more responsive intervention when fisheries need to recover.”
Footage from onboard cameras would no longer be subject to the Official Information Act, but would still be used to “contribute to fisheries management”, he said.
More than 150 vessels have had cameras installed since the former Labour government’s push to improve under-reporting of bycatch of species like penguins, dolphins and seals.
Jones said the change would protect the privacy and confidentiality of people going about their legal business.
He previously told media the courts should deal with illegal fishing, not the “court of public opinion”.
“Fishers won’t need to worry about private or commercially sensitive footage being publicly released and either deliberately or unintentionally misconstrued,” Jones said.
The reforms also set out new rules around when fish must be landed and when they could be returned to the sea.
“As long as the catch is monitored and accounted for under the Fisheries Act, fishers will be able to decide whether to land or discard relevant catch,” Jones said.
An amendment Bill would be introduced later this year, and people would be able to provide feedback during the select committee process.
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