Conversion Factors

Executive Summary

1. The Conversion Factors Working Group (CFWG) reviews on an annual basis conversion factor (CF) sampling data collected by MFish Scientific Observers on certain priority species/states. Following this peer review, recommendations are made to the MFish Chief Executive on any changes to CF rates in the Gazette Notice for the new fishing year.
2. This year MFish proposes to review the CF rates for four species states – oreo dories in the dressed state (OEO DRE), orange roughy in the dressed state (ORH DRE), school shark in the dressed state (SCH DRE) and silver warehou in the dressed state (SWA DRE).
3. The CFWG will this year also –
   1. Review some existing and new principal landed state definitions and illustrations for the Fisheries (Conversion Factors) Notice 2005; and
   2. Review a draft research proposal into the feasibility of greenweight weighing at sea.

Introduction

4. Section 187 of the Fisheries Act 1996 (the Act) provides that all references to the weight of fish under that Act are to be to the greenweight of fish, that is, the weight before any processing commences. The Act provides for the use of CFs, as a ratio of processed weight to greenweight, to convert the weight of processed fish back to greenweight. Under s 188 of the Act, the chief executive of the Ministry of Fisheries (MFish) can set such factors by Gazette notice after consultation with such bodies or persons as the chief executive considers appropriate, including Mäori, environmental, commercial and recreational interests.
5. MFish Scientific Observers collect CF data as part of their duties. The data is based on the species caught and the final product states of those species. Vessel owners may apply to MFish for Scientific Observers to establish vessel specific CFs for species and states produced on a vessel.
6. MFish is proposing to review the CFs for four species processed states listed below:

Table1: Species and Processed States

7. The Initial Position Paper (IPP) contains summaries of the sampling data and recommendations. The complete papers (that include a detailed discussion of sampling methodologies and tables) are available on request to: Ministry of Fisheries, P O Box 1020, Wellington, Attention: Robert Johnston, phone (04) 470 2670 or e - mail: johnstonr@fish.govt.nz.

Observer Sampling

8. Following each review of CFs, MFish develops a sampling schedule of priority species/states for sampling by Scientific Observers at sea over the following 6-12 months.
9. Before each fishing trip, the MFish Scientific Observer Programme shore staff brief Scientific Observers on the CF sampling schedule and ask them to sample the priority species/states wherever possible.

Promulgation of Changes

10. The recommended changes to CFs, if approved by the chief executive of MFish, will be promulgated in an amendment to the Fisheries (Conversion Factors) Notice 2005 to be published in the Gazette. MFish’s intention is to allow a period of two to three weeks between publication in the Gazette and the Notice taking effect on 1 October 2006. This should ensure that fishing companies have sufficient time to make any changes necessary to relevant documentation and procedures before the changes become effective.

Additional Issues for Discussion

11. In addition to the recommendations contained in the papers, MFish has identified the following issues for discussion by the CFWG.

Principal Landed States

12. In 2005 MFish undertook a review, in consultation with the fishing industry, of the principal landed state definitions in the Fisheries (Conversion Factors) Notice 2005. The revised processed state definitions and accompanying illustrations were gazetted in the Fisheries (Conversion Factors) Notice 2005, which took effect on 1 January 2006.
13. The purpose of the review was to (among other things) provide more clear, robust and unambiguous landed state definitions for the benefit of both MFish and the fishing industry.
14. During the review, MFish indicated that further work would take place on other definitions and illustrations for a further amendment to the Notice in 2006. MFish proposes this year to:
    1. Review the definition of anatomical landmarks for the head cut in the “dressed” definition and the pectoral fin cut definition (as noted in the 2005 review);
    2. Review additional definitions and illustrations to be included in the Notice. MFish welcomes any suggestions from stakeholders for additional species/state combinations for inclusion.

Greenweight Weighing – Research Proposal

15. In 2005 the CFWG held preliminary discussions on the feasibility of greenweight weighing at sea. MFish has long-standing concerns about the on-processing of hoki fillets into products such as “loins”,“steaks” and “centros” and the difficulty of the CF system in translating the processed weight of these portions into greenweight. MFish undertook to develop a research proposal to investigate the feasibility of greenweight weighing at sea, with a view to introducing such a system in the deepwater trawl fishery for certain non-defined product states.
16. A copy of the research proposal will be made available to the CFWG for discussion and evaluation.

Conversion Factors Working Group

17. The above matters will be discussed by the CFWG at a meeting to be held in late June/early July 2006. Stakeholders wishing to attend this meeting should contact Robert Johnston (see contact details in paragraph 7 above).

Acknowledgements

18. MFish would like to thank Owen Anderson and Ron Blackwell of the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd (NIWA) for their analysis of the Scientific Observer CF sampling data.

Preliminary Recommendations

19. MFish recommends that:
    1. Consideration be given to the recommendations contained in the following papers concerning:
       1. oreo dories dressed;
       2. orange roughy dressed;
       3. school shark dressed;
       4. silver warehou dressed.
          
    2. Stakeholders note that the CFWG will be reviewing some principal landed state definitions and a research proposal into greenweight weighing at sea.