Departmental Output Expense – Fisheries Compliance
Scope of appropriation
Services to promote high levels of voluntary compliance with fisheries laws and create effective deterrence against illegal fisheries activity.
Description
Fisheries Compliance will support the sustainable utilisation of New Zealand fisheries and protection of the aquatic environment through two core strategies designed to achieve optimal levels of compliance with the fisheries laws:
Promoting high levels of voluntary compliance with fisheries laws
This relies on a combination of Ministry initiatives aimed at obtaining stakeholder and public understanding and support for fisheries laws.
Creating an effective deterrent against illegal activity
This involves detecting illegal activity and implementing an enforcement response that will create a deterrent to both current and potential offenders.
Commercial fisheries
Services will be delivered to monitor, inspect and investigate commercial fishers, to support the integrity of the Quota Management System and the application of international fisheries rules and agreements.
| Expected achievement |
|
Actual results |
Improving levels of voluntary compliance |
Vessel inspections |
|
|
Number of inspections |
1,500 |
1,404 |
Percentage where breaches found |
< = 20% |
Achieved; rate was 16% |
Act or regulation breaches followed up in inspection |
100% |
Act or regulation breaches can result in warnings, infringement notices or prosecution. In 2008/09 1,571 infringement notices were issued and 179 prosecutions commenced. |
Licensed Fish Receiver inspections |
|
|
Number of inspections |
200 |
375 |
Percentage where breaches found |
<5% |
Not achieved; rate was 14%; 53 breaches occurred |
Act or regulation breaches followed up in inspection |
100% |
As a result of Act or Regulation breaches 1,571 infringement notices have been issued and 179 prosecutions commenced. |
Monthly harvest returns |
|
|
Percentage of returns not received within due date |
<= 10% |
Achieved; rate was 8%. |
Late returns followed up within 14 days of due date |
100% |
100% |
Unfurnished returns followed up within two months of due date |
100% |
100% |
Creating an effective deterrent |
Investigations |
|
|
Commercial investigations commenced |
11 |
7 |
International investigations commenced |
2 |
3 |
Number of investigations finalised (where a decision to prosecute or otherwise has been made) |
10 |
9 |
Investigations undertaken categorised as high and medium risk against the Ministry’s ‘Risk-based Compliance Strategy’ |
75% |
100% |
Other fisheries compliance
Services will be delivered to:
- educate, monitor, and inspect recreational and customary fishers
- detect and prosecute key offenders and disrupt the supply of poached or black-market seafood through effective monitoring, inspection, and investigations.
| Expected achievement |
Actual results |
Improving levels of voluntary compliance |
Inspections (vessels, vehicles and persons) |
|
|
Number of inspections |
15,000 |
26,250 |
Levels of compliance with Act and regulations |
>90% |
Achieved; rate was 94% |
Act or regulation breaches followed up in inspection |
100% |
As a result of Act or regulation breaches, 1,571 infringement notices have been issued and 179 prosecutions commenced. |
Kaitiaki trained and/or further developed |
100 |
445 |
Planned stakeholder and public education activities delivered |
2,500 |
3,994 |
Honorary Fishery Officer volunteers trained and warranted |
160 |
175 |
Dealer in fish inspections |
|
|
Number of inspections |
1,000 |
1,403 |
Creating an effective deterrent |
Number of poaching and black-market patrols to be undertaken |
400-500 |
693 |
Investigations |
|
|
Number of investigations commenced |
10 |
3 – Ministry staff were focused on complex high volume high value offending in the commercial compliance area. |
Number of investigations finalised (where a decision to prosecute or otherwise has been made) |
8 |
4 – Prosecutions work from previous operations deflected staff from other activities. |
Investigation undertaken categorised as high and medium risk against the ‘Risk-based Compliance Strategy’ |
75% |
100% |
Prosecutions
The focus of these services is on successfully prosecuting serious fisheries offending and achieving deterrent penalties.
| Expected achievement |
|
Actual results |
Percentage of prosecution decisions consistent with Crown Law Office guidelines and compliance policy statements |
100% |
100% |
Percentage of prosecutions that are successful under the Fisheries Act 1996 |
> 90% |
96% |
Percentage of prosecutions that are successful under Fisheries regulations |
> 75% |
99% |
Percentage of prosecutions initiated within statutory timeframes |
100% |
100% |