Fisheries New Zealand (FNZ) is seeking feedback on a package of 19 proposed changes to commercial fishing regulations. Many changes have been proposed by representatives of the commercial fishing industry, which has been stated in the discussion document ‘as a means to remove redundant regulations and/or regulations that are overly complex, duplicative, or impose unnecessary compliance costs’.
Forest & Bird do not agree that the majority of the proposed amendments will better ensure sustainability and believe that it is a backwards step away from Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) and reduced bycatch.
Many of the suggested amendments in the discussion document appear to lack a thorough assessment, particularly their effects if they were to be formalised. The potential impacts of the proposals are downplayed, anecdotal and speculative, which is not an appropriate way to set regulation or policy.
Forest & Bird are concerned that some of the proposals do not align with our domestic and international obligations for biodiversity and marine conservation, particularly Te Mana o te Taiao (TMOTT) and the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (EUFTA) which includes sustainability commitments such as maintaining sustainable fisheries management based on science and the ecosystem approach.
Download and read Forest & Bird's submission: