Departmental Output Expense – Fisheries Policy Advice
Scope of appropriation
Advice on the development of policies relating the sustainable and efficient utilisation of New Zealand’s fisheries, promotion of New Zealand’s interests in an international context and provision of Ministerial servicing.
Description of activities
This includes the services that:
- ensure development and review of policy and legal frameworks to enable best value from the sustainable and efficient use of fisheries resources;
- promote New Zealand’s fisheries interests in an international context;
- assist the Minister of Fisheries and Select Committees as required.
New Zealand fisheries
The services provided by the Ministry’s Fisheries Policy group over the next five years cover a range of policy development activities in the following broad areas:
Adding value to fisheries sectors
This activity covers reforms to enable stakeholders to take responsible initiatives to add value and tools to ensure efficient delivery of services. This area includes contributing to the Government’s work programme on sustainability and economic transformation and reforms to improve the management and allocation of shared fisheries.
Environmental performance
This relates to reforms to improve the environmental performance of the fisheries sector, such as managing the impact of fishing on the environment and at-risk species, and the interactions of other activities with fisheries resources and habitats.
Fisheries strategy, outcomes, and monitoring
Under this activity, the Ministry will be developing a vision and strategy for the future, revising fisheries outcomes, and developing monitoring approaches.
Treaty Policy, Treaty settlements, and foreshore and seabed
Supporting and reviewing implementation of the Ministry Treaty Strategy, and contributing to the settlement of the Crown’s obligations to Māori (in relation to the fisheries and aquaculture settlements, settlement of historical Treaty claims of individual iwi and hapū, and negotiations over the foreshore and seabed).
Expected achievement |
Actual results |
| The work programme is agreed between the Minister of Fisheries and the Chief Executive of the Ministry and amended during the year as required. |
A revised work programme was signed by the previous Minister on 6 November 2008. A further revised version of the work programme for the final quarter of the year was submitted to the Minister on 26 April 2009 and approved. |
| The Minister’s expression of satisfaction with the quality of the reports and achievement of deadlines – a six-monthly satisfaction rating of at least 90 percent. |
A briefing paper was submitted to the Minister requesting his preferred feedback mechanism on the quality of policy advice. Based on feedback, 97 percent of the papers from January–
June 2009 met requirements. |
Develop a long-term fisheries management strategy:
- Proposed strategy released for consultation by December 2008.
- Final strategy reflected in the Ministry’s Statement of Intent for 2009/10.
|
Cabinet agreed in March 2009 to engagement with tangata whenua and stakeholders to confirm a shared direction and plan of action for the fisheries sector for the Minister to report back on at the end of July 2009. A draft Fisheries 2030 strategy was subsequently prepared in April and May 2009. A draft cabinet paper with the proposed final strategy was provided to the Minister in June 2009. Consequently, the final strategy is not reflected in the 2009/2014 Statement of Intent. |
Establish a framework and indicators to monitor performance of fisheries by 30 June 2009. Agreements or processes in place to begin collection of data by July 2009. |
Draft outcomes for the fisheries sector have been finalised but need to be aligned with Fisheries 2030.
The next steps are to confirm Ministry outcomes and measures in the first quarter of 2010/11 to inform the Statement of Intent and support implementation of Fisheries 2030. Agreements to collect the data will be put in place once this is finalised. |
Review the Fisheries Act:
- Review completed by March 2009.
- Advice on reforms provided to Minister by 30 June 2009.
|
Advice on reform priorities was included in the Cabinet paper on Fisheries 2030 considered in August 2009. |
International fisheries
The Ministry’s International team provides the following services in order to further New Zealand’s fisheries policy objectives and interests internationally:
Policy advice
This is provided to the Minister on a broad range of international fisheries issues including the development of international principles and standards to promote the sustainable use of fisheries resources, New Zealand’s negotiating position in regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs), and the advancement of New Zealand’s fisheries interests multilaterally and bilaterally, including trade policy.
Representing New Zealand
The International team actively engages in multilateral forums such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Trade Organization and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development to negotiate improved principles and standards to promote the sustainable use of fisheries resources. It plays a lead role in negotiations in regional fisheries management organisations to ensure sustainable use and secure access for the New Zealand fishing sector and represents New Zealand in bilateral fisheries discussions and negotiations.
Capacity development with Pacific Island countries
The International team leads and coordinates the Ministry’s input into capacity-building work with Pacific Islands countries, including work with the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee (FFC).
| Expected achievement |
Actual results |
The work programme is agreed between the Minister of Fisheries and the Chief Executive of the Ministry and amended during the year as required.
The Minister’s expression of satisfaction with the quality of the reports and achievement of deadlines – a satisfaction rating of at least 90 percent. Advice papers for international meetings provided to the Minister in advance of the meetings by at least two weeks. |
The work programme is focused on issues related to New Zealand’s membership of international fisheries organisations. The Minister was provided with briefing papers on a wide range of international issues within the required deadlines. No adverse comment has been received on the standard of these briefings.
Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT): Broad agreement was reached on setting a rebuild strategy for the Southern Bluefin Tuna stock and on progressing a strategy for the Commission.
Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC): Significant outcomes were achieved in the conservation and management of bigeye and yellowfin tuna stocks.
Forum Fisheries Committee (FFC): Important decisions were made on regional strategies for management and development of Pacific tuna resources. Port State Measures: Progress has been made in the development of a multilateral, legally binding agreement on measures to prevent, deter, and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. A small number of issues remain unresolved. |
Feedback on the Ministry’s capacity-building initiatives with Pacific Island countries will be sought, both from the countries themselves and from NZAID, on the extent to which the Ministry’s capacity-building work is achieving positive results and contributing to desired outcomes – with a satisfaction rating of at least 90 percent. |
Relationships with Cook Islands fishery officials have been strengthened through joint surveillance patrols of the Cook Islands EEZ, conducted under the Ministry of Fisheries Pacific Security Fund programme. A separate initiative relates to the development of a sub-regional cooperation arrangement between fisheries ministries to improve management of albacore and swordfish shared fisheries. No adverse comment has been received from Pacific Island countries on the Ministry’s work during the year. |
Ministerial services provided
This service includes the drafting of reports and advice to Ministers and to Select and Cabinet Committees, replies to ministerial correspondence and responses to Parliamentary questions.
Expected achievement |
Actual results |
Ministerial correspondence |
Drafts provided to the Minister that are:
• error-free
• within 15 working days of receipt unless urgent
• replies completed error-free and within 5 days. |
100%
95%
100% |
337 drafts provided, 313 error-free.
337 provided, 323 on time.
5 urgent requests, provided on time and error-free.
|
94%
96%
100%
|
Parliamentary questions |
Draft responses provided for the Minister’s signature:
• error-free
• delivered on time. |
100%
100%
|
15 questions provided, all error-free.
15 questions provided, all on time.
|
100%100%
|
Select and Cabinet Committees |
Advice delivered to Select and Cabinet Committees:
• within prescribed requirements
• error-free
• on time. |
100%
100%
100%
|
20 provided, all within requirements.
20 provided, all error-free.
20 provided, all on time.
|
100%
100%
100%
|