Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2002

Presented to the House of Representatives pursuant to Section 39 of the Public Finance Act, 1989

Contents

• Letter to Minister
• Our Vision
• Chief Executive’s Overview
• Strategic Context 2001/04
• Key Achievements
• Fisheries Research
• Ministry Performance For The Year Ended 30 June 2002
• Statement of Resources
• Terms and Definitions Used
• Legislation Administered by the Ministry of Fisheries at 30 June 2002
• Ministry Directory

Vote Biosecurity - Fisheries
Output Class D11 Marine Biosecurity Advice

Description: Services related to the management of risks to the marine environment.

Objectives: The objectives of this output class are to:

• Provide policy advice on building a marine biosecurity system and contribute to achieving the Biodiversity strategy. This will include measures to prevent organisms arriving, detect organisms if they do arrive, respond to those incursions and manage pest species.
• Monitor compliance with New Zealand biosecurity requirements.
• Provide advice on regulatory measures for marine biosecurity.

Scope: The outputs in this output class are:

• Policy Advice: the provision of policy advice to support the development of a biosecurity framework.
• Regulatory Advice: the provision of advice on regulatory matters to support the development of a biosecurity framework.
• Compliance: development and implementation of measures to ensure compliance with New Zealand’s biosecurity requirements.

Achievements during the year

Policy Advice

To promote the development and adoption of an international protocol for the management of ballast water discharge, officials from the Ministry of Fisheries attended the International Maritime Organisation Maritime Protection Committee meeting in London in March 2002. New Zealand’s negotiating mandate was presented at the meeting.

Input was provided into the inter-sessional work of Maritime Protection Committee on the treatment standards and ballast water exchange areas sections of the draft protocol, prior to the March meeting and the next meeting that is scheduled for September 2002.

The Ministry has received positive feedback received from the Associate Minister for Biosecurity on advice relating to the values to be protected by marine biosecurity risk management. The values provide a context for the risk management framework for marine biosecurity. Draft risk assessment criteria have been developed.

To enable risks to marine biosecurity to be prioritised and resources deployed where most effective, the Ministry initiated the development of a Risk Management Framework for marine biosecurity. A contract to establish the framework was let, and by the close of the year a draft of the final report on Risk Management Framework had been received.

As part of its requirements to undertake ongoing reviews of existing marine biosecurity arrangements (eg the Import Health Standard), to ensure these reflect current knowledge and risks to New Zealand, the Ministry has updated its pre-arrival ballast water procedures and held preliminary discussions with the Quarantine Service of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on development of a training module for inspectors.

Since its introduction to New Zealand in the mid to late 80's, Undaria has spread around the coast by natural dispersal and by human-mediated vectors. Given the high costs of attempting to eradicate Undaria, a vector management programme was initiated in January 2002 to slow its spread around the mainland and reduce the chances of it reaching remote locations.

The programme focuses on vessels and marine farming vectors, and consists of:

• Dive surveys of vectors in a number of locations around New Zealand
• Distribution of educational material to vector owners and operators
• Collection of information on vector movements
• Development of vector management plans for the Chatham and sub-Antarctic Islands.

Work on developing risk profiles for marine species that may arrive in New Zealand is nearing completion. This work will provide a basis for informed risk assessment of the pathways by which these species could arrive in our waters, and prioritising further policy, regulatory, and research work.

By the close of the year, work on the programme was well advanced, with draft codes of practice developed under vector management programme for Chatham and sub-Antarctic Islands. The Ministry actively contributed to the development of a National Biosecurity Strategy, which was in a draft form at the end of the year.

Regulatory Advice

Fouling on vessel hulls is regarded as the most likely pathway for marine pest organisms to enter our waters. The likelihood of pests being introduced and spread in our waters are considered greatest whilst vessels are berthed and/or undergoing hull cleaning.

The Ministry undertook public consultation on measures to control the cleaning of vessels, imposed by way of regulations made under the Biosecurity Act, to prevent the discharge of fouling material back into the sea. A discussion document was widely distributed and 73 submissions were received. By the end of the year the Ministry had completed an analysis of submissions, with a view to reporting the outcome of the consultation process to the Minister for Biosecurity and providing advice on measures to mitigate the risks associated with hull cleaning in the first quarter of the 2002/03 year.

An Import Health Standard is in place requiring vessels to exchange foreign ballast water with high seas water before discharging ballast water in our ports. Ballast water clearance procedures were streamlined from March 2002 when a pre-arrival clearance procedure became operational for in-coming vessels.

Compliance Advice

Ballast water related research was undertaken into the feasibility of contingency ballast water discharge areas within the territorial sea, and identifying worldwide areas for exchange ‘outside areas of coastal influence’. This research confirmed the high probability of discharged ballast being returned to the coast or retained in coastal gyres if discharged anywhere within the territorial sea, and that ballast water should be exchanged 85 to 200 nautical miles (nm) offshore and preferably beyond the 200nm as adopted by the IMO.

Compliance with the ballast water import health standard was enforced by the Quarantine Service of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, under contract to the Ministry. Preliminary discussions were held with the contractor on developing a training module for its inspectors.

Biodiversity Strategy

Detailed reporting on the implementation of biosecurity projects developed as part of the Government’s Biodiversity Strategy has been undertaken through the Biodiversity process, with monthly updates to the Biodiversity Chief Executive’s Group on progress against milestones. In addition, regular consultation occurred with other Biodiversity agencies.

The main ports where ballast water is discharged to take onboard export cargo are the most likely places where new organisms will arrive in New Zealand waters, and first become established. Baseline surveys of marine flora and fauna in 7 main ports of entry for overseas shipping were undertaken, with further ports to be surveyed in 2002/03. A contract has been let for regular surveillance to commence in 2002/03 of the likely sites where new organisms will first become established.

Work was completed on guidelines for acceptable hull cleaning facilities, including standards for the collection and disposal of the solid matter from vessel hull cleaning.

Contingency plans have been drafted that will be activated in the event of a “high-risk” pest species in New Zealand waters.

The wreck of the Seafresh 1 (which sank off the Chatham Islands in March 2000 with Undaria on it’s hull) was monitored to confirm that the Undaria has been successfully eradicated. A treatment plan was put in place and Undaria has not been found since heat treatment was undertaken in June 2001. The monitoring and eradication programme will continue until the Ministry is satisfied that there is no further threat from this marine pest at this site. The Chief Technical Officer responded to a number of “incursions” of exotic and native organisms, including the discovery of Caulerpa taxifolia (a highly invasive weed) in Auckland Zoo aquarium.

Statement of Resources
For the Year Ended 30 June 2002

Honourary Fisheries Officers

These officers operate in an educational role and provide active surveillance of recreational fishing activities to ensure recreational fishers comply with fisheries legislation

Wage workers and seasonal staff are also employed

Information Resources

Research The Ministry owns a set of approximately 30 fisheries research databases. They are derived primarily from the information collected as a result of fisheries research projects and used essentially for stock assessment, environmental performance management, and policy evaluation. Examples are:

• A database of fish caught during trawl surveys by research vessels;
• A database of fish abundance detected by sonar during studies by research vessels; and
• Several databases of subsets of Catch Effort and Observer Trawl Catch Effort data that have been further groomed to improve their accuracy for stock assessment purposes.

Specimen Collections Fisheries research specimen collections. An example is a collection of otoliths (fish ear bones) used for determining the age of fish.

Catch Effort Derived from information supplied by commercial fishers describing what they caught, when, where and how. Theoretically has 100% coverage of commercial fishing in New Zealand. Time series extends back to 1990. Used for stock assessment, environmental performance management, policy evaluation, evidence of misreporting of catch effort and monitoring overall integrity of the fisheries management regime. FishServe is contracted to enter and groom the data. The Ministry operates the Catch Effort computer system and sets specifications and standards for the services provided by FishServe.

Observer Trawl Catch Effort Derived from information supplied by Ministry observers stationed aboard commercial trawlers. The data describes what the vessels caught, when, where and how. This is theoretically more accurate than Catch Effort data but with a much lower percentage coverage. The time series extends back to 1986. It is used for stock assessment, environmental performance management, policy evaluation, evidence of misreporting of catch effort and monitoring overall integrity of the fisheries management regime. The Ministry carries out all aspects of the operation of this database.

Quota Management Systems Fisheries utilisation management system comprising quota holdings, transfers, deemed values, vessel registration and permitting. FishServe owns these systems with data transferred daily to the Ministry.

Compliance and Enforcement Information Information systems, including the Vessel Monitoring System and the Fisheries Intelligence Network 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 Financial 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.