A major review of New Zealand’s fisheries will not affect recreational fishers’ bag limits or fishing quotas, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy says.
The minister said the Fisheries Act was nearly 20 years old and it was time to review its strengths and weaknesses.
The review, which was confirmed at Seafood New Zealand’s annual conference today, would focus on “refreshing and improving” New Zealand’s fisheries management system, but not replacing it.
It could lead to changes to fisheries regulations or changes to the Fisheries Act.
“We’re not going to get down into the minutiae of bag limits and quota and all those things. It’s very high level,” Mr Guy said at Parliament today.
The review would not undermine the quota management system, Treaty settlements or the existing rights of commercial and recreational fishers.
Mr Guy said it was important that the review included a focus on new technology, in particular cameras and GPS for commercial boats.
“So we know where they’re operating, so we know how much fish they’re taking, how much is potentially being dumped,” he said.
By October, all commercial trawlers were expected to have cameras on board, which was part of a plan to maintain stocks in the Snapper 1 fishery.
Ministry for Primary Industries officials would begin contacting stakeholders in the next few weeks.
Allied Press Limited 2007