7. Additional information
7. 1 Working relationships
Many organisations and individuals have a stake in the health and sustainability of our marine environment and fisheries. The Ministry works with Mäori, other government agencies, commercial interests, recreational fishers, environmental organisations and service providers.
Treaty partner - tangata whenua
Mäori are now the biggest players in New Zealand's commercial fishing industry, manage their non-commercial fishing activity through customary fishing regulations and are keen recreational fishers. The Ministry works with tangata whenua in a partnership based on the Treaty of Waitangi and recognised in the Fisheries Act 1996 and Treaty Settlements.
In the commercial sphere, we work with Te Ohu Kai Moana Trustee Limited, which allocates Treaty settlement assets in accordance with the Mäori Fisheries Act 2004 and the Mäori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Act 2004. Our relationship with iwi will strengthen as these assets are allocated.
We consult with Mäori at iwi and hapü level on decisions affecting non-commercial fisheries matters (e. g. establishment of taiapure, mätaitai reserves, and marine reserves). Eleven iwi regional forums have been established to facilitate this consultation and engagement.
Government agencies
The main government agencies we work with, and their role and interests in fisheries and marine environmental matters, are:
Agency | Role and interests in fisheries and marine environment |
|---|
Department of Conservation
|
Marine reserves, marine protected areas, protection of marine mammals and seabirds, freshwater fish farming |
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry |
Marine biosecurity and safety of seafood
|
Ministry of Economic Development |
Sustainable aquaculture development, environmental certification, and other aspects of the economic transformation agenda |
Ministry for the Environment |
Policy issues, Resource Management Act, biodiversity, aquaculture |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade |
International fisheries issues:trade, access to fisheries, and capacity building in the Pacific |
Ministry of Justice |
Foreshore and seabed negotiations |
Ministry of Research, Science and
Technology and Foundation for Research,
Science and Technology |
Research and funding priorities |
New Zealand Customs |
Monitoring and surveillance |
New Zealand Defence Force |
Surveillance
|
New Zealand Police |
Enforcement |
Office of Treaty Settlements |
Historical settlements with iwi
|
Regional councils |
Development of aquaculture management areas, and management of land-based impacts on
fisheries |
Service providers
Our key service providers are:
Provider | Services |
|---|
Cawthron Institute |
Specialist marine science, economic and sustainability research |
Crown Law Office |
Expert legal opinion on a wide range of fisheries issues |
Crown Prosecutors |
Prosecution services |
Commercial Fisheries Services Ltd
(FishServe) |
Registry services and statutory functions |
National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd (NIWA) |
Fisheries stock research, maintenance of research database |
Commercial fishing and aquaculture
We work with organisations that represent the commercial sector, some with broad representation and some representing the interests of a particular fishery. They include:
- Aquaculture New Zealand
- Commercial fishing stakeholder companies and associations (various)
- Marine farming stakeholder companies and associations (various)
- New Zealand Federation of Commercial Fishermen
- New Zealand Seafood Industry Council
- Te Ohu Kaimoana Trustee Ltd.
Amateur fishing sector
Groups and organisations representing amateur or recreational fishing interests who work with us include:
- Amateur Fishing Ministerial Advisory Committee (AFMAC)
- New Zealand Big Game Fishing Council
- New Zealand Recreational Fishing Council Inc (an umbrella organisation representing national, regional and local recreational fishing interests)
- Option4 (an internet-based interest group)
- Regional recreational forums.
Environmental sector
A number of groups with a strong interest in the sustainability of fisheries and the environmental impacts of fishing work with the Ministry, including:
- Ecologic Foundation
- Environmental and Conservation Organisations of New Zealand (ECO)
- Environmental Defence Society
- Greenpeace
- Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society
- World Wide Fund for Nature.