New Zealand fisheries policy advice provided

Explanation

This service provides advice on policy development aimed at:

• protecting the health of the aquatic environment

• enabling New Zealanders to get the best value from the sustainable and efficient use of fisheries resources

• ensuring the Crown delivers on its international obligations relating to fishing and those obligations arising from the Treaty of Waitangi (Fisheries Claims) Settlement Act 1992

• achieving a credible fisheries management regime.

The work programme being undertaken by the Ministry's Fisheries Policy group over the next three years covers a range of policy development activities, in the following key areas:

Fisheries reform

Legislative and policy reforms to enhance the management of, and value obtained from, New Zealand fisheries, including:

i) Allocation and sector engagement

This work area includes reforms to improve the tools for intersectoral allocation and to improve Ministry engagement with fisheries stakeholders (especially non-commercial stakeholders and the public).

ii) Environmental performance

This work area includes reforms to enhance the environmental performance of the fisheries sector, including managing the impact of fishing on the environment and at-risk species, and managing the impact of other activities on fisheries resources and habitats.

iii) Adding value to fisheries sectors

This work area deals with reforms to add value to New Zealand's fisheries sectors, including tools to enable stakeholders to take responsible initiatives to add value and tools to ensure efficient delivery of services.

Work in this area will contribute to the Government's Sustainable Development Programme of Action and the Growth and Innovation Framework.

Fisheries outcomes and monitoring

This work area deals with establishing fisheries outcomes, and monitoring and reporting on indicators of their achievement.

Marine sector policy development

This work area is to provide a contribution to legislative and policy reforms to improve the management of New Zealand's marine resources, including a significant contribution to the Oceans Policy. It involves leading and/or contributing to multi-departmental and whole-of-government initiatives.

Expected results

Quantity, quality and timeliness

1. The quantity and nature of advice will be supplied on the basis agreed (as amended from time to time) between the Minister of Fisheries (the Minister) and the Chief Executive of the Ministry for 2006/07. Reporting at agreed intervals during the year will enable the Minister to assess actual performance in output delivery against those expectations.

2. All reports will comply with the Ministry's quality standards for analysis and advice outlined earlier in this document.

3. The Minister will be formally requested, at agreed intervals during the year, to indicate his or her level of satisfaction with the overall quality of the outputs produced based on these standards.

4. Timeframes will be agreed between the Minister and the Chief Executive of the Ministry for the financial year 2006/07 (amended as necessary by agreement during the year). Advice will be delivered within the agreed and/or statutory timeframes so that Ministers have sufficient time to consider the issues and take appropriate action.

5. A comprehensive range of services will be provided as agreed with the Minister. These will include:

• policy analysis and advice, and the provision of associated legislative advice

• advice on the implementation of Government policy

• the capacity to react quickly and provide support for the Minister in Cabinet Committees, including relevant briefings on significant issues and evaluation of policy initiatives with relevance to the Government's outcomes for fisheries management

• conducting consultation processes with sector stakeholders, government agencies and the public

• initial promulgation of government policy, where such communication is separate from ongoing implementation

• oral and written briefings and preparation of speech notes.

Cost