Fisheries Policy
The fisheries policy group provides advice to Government about the development of New Zealand’s fisheries management regime. Much of the group’s work leads to change in the legal or operational frameworks applied to New Zealand fisheries and aquatic resources. These reforms aim to allow all New Zealand fishers—commercial, customary, and recreational—to use and enjoy our fisheries, while ensuring that our aquatic environment is conserved and our fisheries will be available for future generations.
The policy group works closely with other groups in the Ministry, staff from other government agencies, tangata whenua, and other stakeholders to provide effective and timely advice to Government. While most of our work focuses on long-term issues, we also have the capacity to react quickly to provide support for the Minister of Fisheries and Government on immediate issues. This work often involves examination of new policy initiatives or issues that emerge to ensure that they align with the Government’s goals for fisheries management and legislative, settlement, and international obligations.
The policy work programme can be grouped into four broad areas:
Our fisheries are highly valued by New Zealanders, so it is fitting that they be harvested in a way that provides the most benefits to our economy and our society. To reach this goal, the policy group is working to provide appropriate management tools and incentives so that the each fisheries sector is able to obtain maximum value from their access to New Zealand’s fisheries. Work in this area includes contribution to wider government sustainability and economic transformation initiatives along with fisheries sector specific projects.
The future of fishing in New Zealand depends on a healthy and productive environment. The Policy group works on reforms that will improve the environmental performance of fishing activities and contributes to work led by other agencies aimed at reducing adverse environmental impacts not caused by fishing.
Development of a Vision and supporting long-term management Strategy for our fisheries is important to ensure that fisheries management decisions and initiatives in the short and medium term are contributing to the achievement of the long term Vision. The Policy group is working with the Senior Leadership Team to develop a Vision and Strategy, and enable its delivery.
Tangata whenua have a strong historical and cultural relationship with the oceans, rivers, and lakes of New Zealand. Ensuring that this relationship is acknowledged in the Government’s fisheries management and settlement frameworks is part of the Policy group’s role. Specifically, the Policy group contributes to the Crown’s negotiations on contemporary and historical settlements with Maori and provides guidance on implementation of our commitments to our Treaty partners.