Fisheries

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Not set out on their website.

• Pass Marine Reserves Bill and create a network of reserves.
• Set near zero limits for threatened by-catch species in all fisheries.
• No seabed mining in significant habitats, eg Maui dolphin.
• Support an international moratorium on bottom trawling.
• Step up marine biosecurity efforts.
• Oppose all commercial and so-called 'scientific' whaling. (more here)

• Labour will provide that leadership by developing a more co-operative relationship with commercial and recreational fishers, tangata whenua and other stakeholders. We will facilitate self-management where appropriate and regulate where necessary.
• Labour will promote the development of effective regional fisheries management 

  organisations (RFMOs) under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 

  (UNCLOS), including RFMOs for the Tasman Sea and South Pacific, to achieve sustainable 

  ecosystem-based management of oceans and fisheries and protection of the marine 

  environment.
• Labour will take prompt action to end any exploitation and endangerment of foreign fishing crews in New Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone and to ensure New Zealand fishing crew are not disadvantaged by cheap foreign labour. This will include consideration of thefindings of the Ministerial Inquiry into the use and operation of foreign charter vessels fishing in New Zealand waters.
• Labour will encourage maximum participation by New Zealanders in our fisheries and 

  seafood processing, at New Zealand rates of pay and conditions of work, moving towards: A minimum of 50% New Zealand crew on any vessel fishing within New Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) A minimum of 50% of all species harvested in the EEZ to be value-added processed on shore in New Zealand. (more here)

Not set out on their website.

• We will initiate Government joint ventures with industry to buy deep sea fish processors and boats to avoid bringing in foreign contractors and achieve at least 5000 local jobs. (more here)

• .Continue our unrelenting effort to combat poaching and illegal taking of high-value species, such as paua and crayfish.
• A Ministerial inquiry into the operation of foreign charter fishing vessels catching within the New Zealand owned quota will report back in February next year. National will take the findings of the inquiry into the use of foreign charter vessels and make any changes necessary to protect our reputation as one of the best-managed fisheries in the world. (more here)

• Review and amend the Fisheries Act to ensure that recreational fishers have a priority right over and above the commercial fishing sector to free and unrestricted access to a reasonable daily bag-limit of shellfish and finfish;
• Work with the recreational fishing sector to establish a public consultation process regarding the future of inshore fisheries management. This will include whether a statutory management organisation 'run by fishers for fishers' should be established. Our intention is to preserve the ability for future generations of New Zealanders to have access to the recreational fishing opportunities that we and previous generations have enjoyed
• Substantially increase the level of funding made available for robust scientific monitoring over the impact that specific catch limits and fishing methods are having on fish populations and the marine environment, in order to ensure sustainability of the resource;
• Investigate a program to give ‘problem’ kids experience going out on a recreational fishing boat;
• Ensure that the Government recognises that education is essential for the future survival of the oceans resources and to make the appropriate additions to the school curriculum. (more here)
• Close the loopholes within our public access law that allow situations of ‘exclusive capture’ to arise and actively go after landowners who continue to sell exclusive access rights to our public resources.
• Ensure that the commercialisation of trout species and other freshwater species will remain illegal in order to preserve our freshwater fisheries for recreation and tourism;
• Promote the principle that all New Zealanders have a common right to access unpolluted freshwater fisheries and waterways for recreational use.
• Implement a National Environmental Standard (NES) for the quality of New Zealand’s freshwater lakes and waterways;
• Ensure that a program to improve water quality is developed and implemented through consultation with all stakeholders.
• Make it easier for recreational fishers to access information pertaining to their daily catch limit and the penalties for non-compliance through more numerous and comprehensive information boards at boat ramps and popular on-shore fishing spots.
• Provide targeted funding for research into didymo in the New Zealand river ecosystem with the intention of exterminating it from our rivers;
• Develop a rapid response unit within Biosecurity New Zealand to respond to future reported potential threats similar to didymo with the mandate to immediately ‘close’ a waterway from public use. (more here)
• Establish a graduated comprehensive system of marine protection for the entire marine environment whereby no-take marine reserves are one of several available categories of protection (the category that affords the maximum level of restrictions);
• Establish a marine protection category below no-take marine reserves where commercial fishing is prohibited but responsible recreational fishing is allowed (similar to the taiapure and mataitai concepts);
• Ensure that in order for a new marine reserve to receive approval it must have a clearly established and achievable purpose that will be of benefit to all New Zealanders (such as preserving a particularly unique and vulnerable species or ecosystem) and, in addition, require that it must be demonstrated that a no-take marine reserve is the only practicable way of achieving that purpose;
• Ensure that statutory Treaty of Waitangi fisheries management requirements such as those within the framework of the Fisheries Act will continue to be met (e.g. via the implementation of Taiapure and Mataitai type reserves) as part of any new marine protection arrangements;
• Seek to abandon the percentage approach to marine reserves and other protected areas as it is too arbitrary and is not necessary or useful as a marine management tool;
• Ensure that marine reserves are not used as a fisheries management tool for harvestable species – the existing QMS (in conjunction with more scientific research) is the best means for achieving this.
• Ensure that recreational interests are properly consulted regarding any regulatory changes to allowable marine activities;
• Continue to call for a moratorium on new marine reserve applications until the Marine Reserves Bill has been rewritten and passed by parliament;
• Provide additional scientific funding so that small ecologically sensitive areas that require the protection of a no-take marine reserve can be objectively identified and prioritised. (more here)
• Require two compulsory fisheries inspectors to be present on foreign charter vessels at the expense of the New Zealand company contracting the charter to ensure QMS compliance;
• Require at least one compulsory labour inspector to be present on foreign charter vessels at the expense of the New Zealand company contracting the charter to ensure compliance with New Zealand minimum wage laws and labour conditions;
• Require that all foreign charter vessels are to remain outside a 25-mile limit;
• Require that a certain percentage of all fishing quota that is leased out by “paper” fishermen must go to New Zealanders;
• Ensure that New Zealand fishing operators can purchase fuel at the same price that international vessels can;
• Fund a comprehensive scientific study to ascertain how much damage is being caused by bottom trawling in New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and what are the best ways to mitigate or prevent future damage;
• Ensure that New Zealand fishing companies advertising for New Zealand crew must offer ‘market’ wage rates rather than ‘minimum’ wage;
• Review procedures for charging “deemed values” on fish caught without a corresponding allocation of “by catch” quota to ensure that charges are set at levels that achieve a balance between discouraging illegal fishing without being overly burdensome on legitimate fishing operations. (more here)