Fisheries

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• Move to integrated marine ecosystem management to ensure fish populations are maintained at ecologically sustainable levels rather than single species stock management as occurs now, and to ensure that non target marine and seabird species are meaningfully considered.
• Underpin fisheries management with consistent and integrated administration, sound scientific research and Māori knowledge of the sustainable management of fishing resources, e.g. through tikanga and matauranga.
• Propose a return to resource rentals, as existed until 1992, because New Zealanders currently get no return from companies deriving profits by fishing public resources
• Propose negotiations take place between the Crown and Māori quota- holders about establishing an equivalent process for rentals that will be paid by Māori quota-holders and managed by Māori.
• Ensure allowable catches for species newly introduced into the QMS are set at very precautionary levels until research is completed that would enable sustainable levels to be set with confidence. (more here)

• Promote growth through innovations in existing and new areas, species, products and markets.
• Develop a model in the value chain to maximise the opportunities and value from New Zealand’s wild fisheries resource, using the wisdom gained from Iceland’s practices.
• Expand accelerated depreciation to the fisheries sector.
• Define the baseline sustainability standards producers must meet, including the use of appropriate fishing methods, and drive fisheries to this level.
• Investigate the advantages of a Government-initiated and funded ‘Environmental Choice NZ’ programme, using existing resources, to demonstrate to global consumers New Zealand’s commitment to operate sustainably. (more here)

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• Set responsible catch limits that protect our valuable fish stocks.
• Continue our unrelenting efforts to combat poaching and illegal taking of high value species, such as paua and crayfish. 
• Introduce two recreational fishing parks covering areas of the inner Hauraki Gulf and the Marlborough Sounds as part of a wider reform of marine protection legislation. (more here)

Fisheries management needs to ensure:

• The accurate determination of customary and Recreational Fishers’ actual and reasonable needs, based on reliable surveys, and priority given to recreational and customary fishers’ allowance from maximum sustainable harvest, ahead of any commercial quota allocation.
• The determination of the limit of a recreational inshore fishery and the exclusion of trawling and other bulk commercial fishing methods within that determined inshore limit.
• The exclusion of all bulk commercial fishing methods from areas of high juvenile abundance and the preservation of existing marine reserves and species protection areas.
• Consistent minimum legal size for recreational and commercial fishers and restrictions on commercial net size and type to ensure compliance with those parameters.
• The reliable and accurate monitoring of commercial boat operations and locations, and the prohibition of dumping. (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 a certain percentage of all fishing quota that is leased out by “paper” fishermen must go to New Zealanders.
• 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. (more here)