Annual Report for the Year Ended 30 June 2000

• Our Vision
• Chief Executive's Overview
• Key Achievements
• 1999/2000 Financial Performance
• References

Annual Report for the Year Ended 30 June 2000

Output Class Service Performance

Vote Biosecurity (Fisheries)
Output Class D13 Biosecurity-Fisheries

Description

Under this class of outputs, the Minister for Biosecurity purchases services related to the management of risks to biosecurity from the discharge of ballast water and hull de-fouling.

Objectives

The objectives of this output class are to:

• provide policy advice on controls on discharges of ballast water and hull scrapings, compliance with such controls, surveillance for entry and establishment by unwanted organisms, and emergency response to any such entry or establishment
• provide regulatory advice for the promulgation of regulations for the control of ballast water discharge and hull fouling/defouling
• manage contracts for services delivered by other parties, including enforcement activities and scientific research
• monitor compliance with and enforcement of voluntary controls on the discharge of overseas ballast water within New Zealand
• promote specific research to support decision-making in relation to the development of regulatory regimes for the control of ballast water discharges.

Scope

There are three outputs in the output class. These are:

• Policy Advice: advice relating to controls on discharges of ballast water and hull scrapings.
• Regulatory Advice: advice relating to the promulgation of regulations dealing with the control of ballast water discharge.
• Compliance: compliance and enforcement of voluntary controls on the discharge of overseas ballast water within New Zealand waters.

Achievements during the year

Policy Advice

A comprehensive surveillance programme is being developed under a specific project funded through the biodiversity funding to assess the need for targeted surveillance for new and unwanted organisms in the marine environment.

A proposal for a national pest management strategy for undaria pinnatifida has been completed.

The work to prepare a report on current responsibilities and gaps in marine biosecurity is being included in the 2000/2001 biodiversity strategy.

The Ministry worked with other government departments and agencies to control the threat from undaria that was found on the hull of a vessel which sank in the Chatham Islands.

The Ministry has continued to work with other agencies to promote the development and adoption of an international protocol for the management of ballast water discharge in meetings of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organisation. The Ballast Water Working Group of the MEPC has made encouraging progress towards the finalisation of an international protocol.

Ministerial briefings were provided before and after each international meeting in accordance withn timeframes of 10 days before each meeting and within three weeks of its conclusion.

The issue of import health standard risk areas was discussed with stakeholders at the Ballast Water Advisory Group meeting in November 1999. Development is still continuing on the extent of risk areas.

The Ministry attended Research Advisory Group and Australian Ballast Water Management Advisory Council meetings. A proposal to develop a memorandum of understanding with Australia to cover research cooperation is being given detailed consideration.

Responses to Parliamentary questions were provided within the agreed timeframes.

Regulatory Advice

The Ministry has completed a report outlining proposed controls on hull fouling and/or the disposal of waste from hull cleaning/scraping and seeking approval for further consultation.

The discussion document has been circulated for further public input. It is anticipated that regulations will be in place by October 2000.

Compliance

The quarterly reporting process attests to the compliance work done by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to ensure that vessels entering New Zealand ports conform with the New Zealand requirements for the discharge of ballast water.

Financial Performance

Statement of Resources for the Year Ended 30 June 2000

* one vessel as part of the South Island contract enforcement arrangements with Ngai Tahu.

Information Resources

Sustainability databases

1. Commercial catch effort and scientific observer catch effort databases used for stock assessment, environmental performance management, policy evaluation, evidence of misreporting of catch effort and monitoring overall integrity of the fisheries management regime.
2. Research databases managed for MFish by NIWA, including electronic datasets such as trawl surveys, recreational surveys and acoustic data and physical specimens such as otoliths.

Quota management systems

Fisheries utilisation management system comprising quota holdings, transfers, deemed values, vessel registration and permitting.

Compliance and enforcement information

Information systems, including the Vessel Monitoring System and the Secure Intelligence Database System to monitor fishing activity and assist in the detection of offences.

Reference Files

Reference files common to fisheries management systems, including species codes, client identification and vessel identification.

Documents

Fisheries management policy and decision making documents comprising word processing documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

Accounting

Information systems comprising general ledger, accounts payable and accounts receivable, bank reconciliations, fixed assets, report writing modules and time management systems.

Human Resources

Human Resources information database, payroll systems and report writer modules.