SHARED FISHERIES

The Shared Fisheries Project is focused on improving the management of New Zealand’s “shared fisheries” – the fisheries where customary, amateur and commercial uses intersect. Most shared fisheries are inshore fisheries (including snapper, blue cod, kahawai, rock lobster and paua) but also include offshore fisheries such as game-fish and freshwater fisheries such as eels.

Overall goal

The project’s aim is to increase the value obtained from the use of shared fisheries. Value encompasses both market and non-market values associated with commercial, amateur and customary fishing. The project is wide in scope and addresses some complex issues. Two key objectives are to increase certainty in the allocation framework and to better recognise non-commercial values.

Latest News

Charter Boat Reporting

Preliminary proposal and feedback from focus-group meetings
 
One of the Shared Fisheries decisions taken by Cabinet in October 2007 was to have the Ministry of Fisheries consult on the introduction of activity and catch reporting by recreational fishing charter boat operators.

To move ahead with this initiative, focus group meetings with charter boat operators were held throughout the country during February and March. The purpose of the meetings was to obtain pre-consultation feedback on issues that need to be taken into account when a detailed proposal is developed for consultation during mid-2008.

Focus-group meetings
Meetings were held with charter boat operators in a number of locations: 

• Havelock - 13 February 
• Christchurch - 19 February 
• Ohope – 3 March 
• Auckland – 4 March 
• Paihia – 31 March

Preliminary proposal
 
The preliminary proposal is that all charter boats be registered with the Ministry of Fisheries and that obligations be placed on charter operators to provide reports on their activity and, if requested, their passengers catch.

The key elements of the proposal are set out in the diagram below.



Feedback from charter boat focus-group meetings

Feedback from consultation on the Shared Fisheries public discussion paper, released in 2006 showed that there is broad stakeholder support for proposals to improve information on amateur catch. Most of the charter operators we met with were reasonably positive about the proposal to provide information on their activity and catch. However, there was a general guardedness about government’s long-term intent and the possibility that the result might be an overly complex and expensive system. Some charter operators were strongly opposed to the proposal on these grounds, whereas others volunteered to work more closely with MFish to develop a practical and effective system.

 More detail on the feedback from the meetings (PDF 74KB)

At this point no attempt has been made here analyse or respond to the feedback provided. The material set out in this paper simply aims to record the issues raised.

Next steps

The next step in the process is for MFish to develop detailed policy options and to gain Ministerial approval to initiate consultation in June/July 2008.

Are you on our contacts database?

If you were unable to attend one of our focus-group meetings but would like to be involved we would like to hear from you. You may wish to provide your contact details and/or provide your views directly to us using the dedicated email address of  charter@fish.govt.nz

Shared Fisheries Cabinet Decision Discussed At Regional Recreational Forum National Hui

Representatives of the seven regional recreational forums discussed the implications of the recent Cabinet decisions on shared fisheries at the regional recreational forum national hui held in Wellington in November.

Discussion focussed on the establishment of an amateur fishing trust and on the introduction of activity and catch reporting to the marine recreational fishing charter vessel sector.

 Key themes of reform discussed at national hui (PDF 21KB)

Shared fisheries policy moves ahead

The management of shared fisheries took a significant step forward in November 2007 when the Minister of Fisheries announced decisions taken by Cabinet on the next steps to progress reform.

Read the Minister's press release

Decision summary

The Minister has announced plans to: 

• expand research to better estimate amateur fishers’ catch and values in key stocks 
• establish an amateur fishing trust to assist the development of improved capacity for representation of amateur fishing sector interests 
• consult with the sector on introducing activity and catch reporting by recreational charter boat operators

Joint stakeholder working group

Cabinet also agreed to delay the Minister’s report back on recommendations for advancing other aspects of shared fisheries policy reforms until July 2008.

The Minister has secured this delay to allow time for a joint stakeholder working group (comprised of Te Ohu Kaimoana, the Seafood Industry Council and the New Zealand Recreational Fishing Council) to develop joint policy proposals on shared fisheries reform.

The Minister supports this initiative as it provides a significant opportunity for the fishing sector to work together cooperatively on issues of common interest.

The working group is expected to provide its recommendations to the Minister in April 2008. After taking final advice from MFish the Minister will report back to Cabinet in July 2008 with recommendations on how best to advance the shared fisheries policy.

 Download MFish Advice Paper to Cabinet (PDF 1MB)
Please note: this is a large document and may take time to download

MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER

Fishing has always been important to New Zealand and New Zealanders. It is a major component of our economy and a central part of our heritage, our culture and our national identity.

Those of us who go fishing have a lot in common. Whether we fish for fun off the beach, to earn a living, or to put food on the table, we all share the same resource and the same interests in ensuring it is managed well.

The policy proposals introduced below, and set out more completely in the discussion document, focus on our “shared fisheries” – the fisheries where customary, recreational and commercial uses intersect. Here, the common interests of these users can be easily forgotten in the face of competing demands for access.

The challenge before us is to manage these important shared fisheries in a way that ensures New Zealand and New Zealanders get as much value as possible from them, not only today but into the future.

The ideas set out in the discussion paper represent some new proposals to unlock greater value from our shared fisheries. We face significant problems in these fisheries, and new approaches and decisive action are required.

All New Zealanders have and will continue to have a basic right to catch fish. But that accepted, we need to make some major changes if we are to achieve greater certainty in allocation decisions, build management capacity and produce more overall value from the fisheries.

It is important that we get the policy and legal framework right and this is where you, the fishers, come in. I encourage you to get involved with the process and play your part in moving the policy discussion ahead.

Please read the discussion paper, think about the proposals and options raised, and send us your views. All submissions will be carefully read and considered as part of the policy development process. You can be sure that your voice will be heard.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts over the next few months.

Hon Jim Anderton
Minister of Fisheries

October 2006