Changing Course - Towards Fisheries 2010- Preface by Chief Executive
- Nature's limits: The challenge
- Net gains: The change of course
- Fisheries 2010: The twelve founding principles
- Guardianship: Our children's future
- Foresight for the future: Strategic issues
- Our common future: Working with stakeholders
- Next steps for the Ministry: Where to from here?
- Project 2010
- Conclusion
- Glossary
Copies of this document are available from the Ministry of Fisheries. Changing Course: Sustainable fisheries in a healthy aquatic ecosystem Our common future: Working with stakeholders to achieve healthy fisheries New relationships Achieving different relations with stakeholders is the single most important external feature of the way in which the Ministry must change if it is to succeed in achieving healthy fisheries. Under the status quo, tension between groups of stakeholders remains likely because different values are held, different things are sought from the resource, and common agreement on goals is lacking. The Ministry will take a proactive approach to stakeholder relationships and new frameworks within which to take the next steps. It will lead the effort towards building the consensus as to what must be achieved for healthy fisheries in the longer term by:
|
|
- |
Facilitating discussions among stakeholders which address their views on the management of this fishery. |
- |
Working with stakeholders through the options for access to the resource in ways that guarantee healthy fisheries in 2010 and beyond. | Helping to achieve the consensus depends on:
|
|
- |
Social participation in fisheries decision-making processes:The active and informed contribution of fisheries stakeholders to processes of government and the community to establish fisheries law and policies that govern the management of the aquatic environment. |
- |
Fisheries information:Information about the aquatic environment, and the economic and social links with it, from research, monitoring and other sources to assist sound decision-making by individuals, central and local government and businesses. |
- |
Effective fisheries laws and policies:A body of laws and government policies that provide certainty, have the support of stakeholders, and achieve fisheries goals effectively and efficiently. |
- |
A competitive enterprise economy:A growing economy, and profitable fishing industry that can compete internationally and provide for social needs and for the protection of the environment. | 
|
|
Collaboration - not direction In leading the effort towards achieving healthy fisheries, the Ministry will forge new relationships with stakeholders based on a collaborative approach while still being aware of its direct accountability to the Minister of Fisheries. Fisheries 2010 will provide a means to allow stakeholders to look and work for healthy fisheries and not merely focus on their own short-term interests using the ecosystem. Improving stakeholder relationships will involve a move from the Ministry holding on to fixed positions, to collaboration through:
|
|
- |
changing structures, processes and styles for working with stakeholders to ensure their input is heard, valued and included in the new frameworks; |
- |
placing the focus on people by enhancing our technical knowledge with facilitation skills. This means ensuring that the Ministry can provide stakeholders with knowledge they can use; |
- |
providing user friendly information to stakeholders on the fishery ecosystem to enable them to effectively participate in dialogue and in decision-making; |
- |
greater involvement of stakeholders in decisions concerning sustainability and use. There also needs to be new ways for stakeholders to take responsibility for managing the access/allocation of rights and the obligations that go with them. | Leadership Model |
|
|
Move towards 'virtual' resource management organisation The Ministry will face continuing change as it enters the new millennium. The concept of a virtual organisation suggests that in the future a wide variety of groups will impact on, influence, and have responsibility for the management of natural and physical resources. The Ministry will ensure:
|
|
- |
that its focus is driven by the goals and principles enshrined in Fisheries 2010; |
- |
the development of open and transparent decision-making processes; |
- |
new ways of working internally and with other natural resource management organisations. | |
|
|