The government is inviting public input on proposed changes to the Fisheries Act, which Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones describes as the most significant sector reforms in decades.
The proposed amendments aim to remove regulatory barriers, improve sustainability measures, and enhance privacy protections for fishers, particularly those working on vessels equipped with onboard cameras. The consultation document outlining these changes was released today, and submissions will be accepted until March 28, 2025.
Jones stated that the Coalition Government is committed to the success of the fishing industry, which generates around $1.6 billion in exports each year and employs 9,000 people directly. He said the proposed changes will remove unnecessary regulations that impede productivity and potential within the sector, adding that reforms like these will help New Zealand fight its way back to economic prosperity.
The proposed changes focus on several key areas.
They include new options to set sustainable catch limits based on the strength of available data, fish stock characteristics, and socio-economic and environmental factors. Privacy protections for fishers recorded at sea will also be enhanced, clarifying when monitoring is necessary and when exemptions apply. Additionally, the government aims to make fish discard rules more practical and workable, particularly where onboard monitoring is in place.
Jones highlighted the need to reduce bureaucratic barriers, making decision-making more responsive, efficient, and certain.
The proposals were developed in consultation with the seafood industry through a forum established last year. The Ministry for Primary Industries is now seeking feedback from industry stakeholders, environmental groups, and the public. The consultation document and details on how to make a submission are available on the MPI website. Submissions close at 5pm on March 28, 2025.
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In 1989, the government gave Maori 20% of the commercial fishing quota plus customary rights to exceed fish limits and $100 million of taxpayer dollars thrown in for good measure, all based on the false, fraudulent English version of the TOW which has been interpreted as “full exclusive and undisturbed possession of their fisheries”.
So, Mr Jones can you reverse apartheid travesty, and return out taxpayer capital adjusted for inflation, along with interest please.