Fisheries New Zealand launched

Life is rich in irony and randomness, observed enigmatic MP Shane Jones. Never afraid to poke the bear, his most recent target is the public service and its treacle-like processes that delay decisions and progress. His remedy is to adopt the Aussie model of parachuting in hand-picked, loyal appointees as "s### kickers. Having observed Australian politics from within and without – as a press secretary and a parliamentary reporter – I can agree with Jones’ observation that there is a willingness to import head bangers, in politer parlance, to break through the encrusted bureaucracy. However, this approach has dangers. Australian politics are more tribal than our own, certainly a lot rougher – summed up as “if you see a head, kick it” by one leader – and definitely more corrupt. Nepotism and cronyism are almost compulsory, un-Australian not to embrace. This can lead to erratic decision-making at the cost of more reasoned and impartial policy advice and delivery. Which brings us to the newly constituted Fisheries New Zealand, launched by Fisheries Minister at Parliament on Tuesday night. Nash has been critical of the Ministry for Primary Industries, believing it has lost its way. Labour’s pre-election fisheries policy cited a decline in fisheries management capability, a long list of promises never delivered, slow pace of operational decision making and a scarcity of dedicated fisheries officers and observers. Will the new Fisheries New Zealand be any different? Nash gave little insight at the launch, providing no policy detail. But he did repeat his pledge to engage with key stakeholders in a meaningful way, saying we all want the same thing, that is "abundant" fisheries. The new unit's head is Dan Bolger - a son of former Prime Minister Jim Bolger - a quiet, mild-mannered, thoughtful man who appears to be far removed from the Aussie prescription. The position was not advertised, he is Nash's preferred appointee, but by all accounts he is decent, determined and prepared to listen rather than dictate. Bolger noted our Exclusive Economic Zone, the world's fourth largest, is so vast it is equivalent to one square kilometre for every New Zealander, a lot of environment to look after. He also cited the importance of the seafood sector to the economy. "The science tells us that the majority of our fish stocks are okay, the basis and platform is sturdy," he told invited guests from across the various stakeholders at the parliamentary function. They included Conservation Minister , Forestry and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and MPI director-general Martyn Dunne, none of whom were in the speaker line-up. Kelvin Davis, Minister of Crown/Maori Relations (also a newly created role) chose the occasion to stress Maori, who are major players in the fishing industry with about 40 percent of the total quota, did not want to be a handbrake on progress, looking for a handout or compensation, but rather participants searching for solutions. Te Ohu Kaimoana chair Jamie Tuuta said managing the views of competing interests was always a challenge and he expected Fisheries NZ would be soon put to the test. He said relations had been tested to breaking point with the previous government and welcomed a new approach. "We have high expectations of Fisheries New Zealand and believe it is important iwi and the Crown work together for better value for all New Zealanders – while protecting our taonga for future generations.” He reminded Nash of his commitment made at the Maori Fisheries conference in March to gain iwi input into Fisheries NZ thinking before important decisions are made. “That is something we will hold you to.” So, the table is set - a new Minister is active and engaged with a conciliatory approach, the new fisheries head is respected and well credentialed, the new unit has strong support staff. What could go wrong? For its part, the seafood sector is keen to engage on a number of fronts - improvements to the Quota Management System, sensible application of camera surveillance, filling the gaps in scientific stock assessments, sorting discards issues that have bedevilled us and furthering innovation. Let's get on with it. Paua divers support shark cage diving Members' Bill

Proposed legislation to control shark cage diving has been welcomed by at-risk paua divers.

Invercargill MP, and Opposition conservation spokesperson, Sarah Dowie has introduced a Members’ Bill to the ballot to address a previously unregulated activity in New Zealand, shark cage diving.

“My Members Bill, the Shark Cage Diving (Permitting and Safety) Bill has been lodged in the Members Ballot and would provide best practice regulations for shark cage diving activities,” Dowie said.

“The Bill acknowledges and addresses the risk that is posed by shark cage diving that is carried out in close proximity to beaches. This risk is increased due to the nature of competing activities in coastal waters in the Stewart Island area, where shark cage diving is currently carried out."

PauaMAC5 chairman Storm Stanley said he welcomed the effort to address the serious ongoing issues around great white shark cage diving adventure tourism operations on Stewart Island.

“Professional pāua divers in the affected area and the local Stewart Island community have been calling for the activity to be either banned completely by Government, the divers preferred approach, or properly regulated and enforced,” Stanley said.

“It will provide the means to both ensure that the cagers operate in a way that poses no threat to these fully protected animals and will also help mitigate the clear threat to the safety of the public using the sea for work or recreation.

“The Department of Conservation, despite expending a lot of time and resources, has found it difficult to deal effectively with the problems around shark caging. The single legislative tool available to them has been the 1953 Wildlife Act. This has proved inadequate for the job as recent legal action highlights. A stand-alone Bill is a good thing especially given this one seems to be aligned with the existing Marine Mammals Protection Act.

“Video footage available shows that the shark cage operators have had little regard for the well-being of the great white sharks, classified by DOC as a population in decline and certainly no interest in the safety of the rest of us.

“We urge the current Minister for Conservation to support this Bill to help her department deal with shark caging once and for all.”

Te Ohu Kaimoana chief executive Dion Tuuta says the Environmental Defence Society "fundamentally" misunderstands the QMS.

TOKM: Book on Quota Management System lacks credibility

A proposal publicised by a non-government organisation to overhaul New Zealand’s Quota Management System for managing commercial fisheries could potentially cost the taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars if taken to its illogical conclusion.

EDS claims in the book that the Māori Fisheries Settlement concluded more than 25 years ago “created a barrier for fishers and processors who wished to acquire more quota to support their businesses, and potentially for aspiring new entrants” to the industry.

It adds that “perhaps more significantly, the settlement has potentially reduced the flexibility to adjust the fisheries management system over time.”

Te Ohu Kaimoana chief executive Dion Tuuta said the report is scaremongering, and the Crown can change the QMS in partnership with Māori.

“If the QMS is fundamentally changed, it will therefore change the nature of the Māori Fisheries Settlement and the Crown may be forced to renegotiate the deal it reached in 1992, potentially costing the taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars,” Tuuta said.

To borrow a quote from former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating, the book by EDS is a shiver looking for a spine to run up.

The QMS divides New Zealand’s commercial fisheries into shares for each species of fish. It is a share of the total QMS that Māori received in return for full and final settlement of Treaty of Waitangi claims and to provide certainty to the fisheries management regime. It is the Fisheries Act that determines the Total Allowable Commercial Catch and provides the mechanisms for setting sustainability limits. EDS confuses the two.

When a resource is limited (or scarce), demand often exceeds supply and therefore affects the price of quota.

“Yet again we have another non-government organisation fundamentally misunderstanding the nature of the Māori Fisheries Settlement and the operation of the Quota Management System to the economic and social detriment of iwi organisations," Tuuta said.

“Māori support and have always supported changes to fisheries that take sustainable management forward positively as long as such changes are grounded in objective science and not emotive opinion. Far from being problematic as portrayed by EDS, the Fisheries Settlement confirmed Māori acceptance of the QMS and gave certainty to New Zealand’s fisheries management regime.”

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Misinformation campaign continues

Forest & Bird have claimed the seafood industry is not doing enough to protect marine life, reports. Figures released to F&B by the Ministry for Primary Industries under the Official Information Act show thousands of seabirds and marine mammals have been caught by fisherman since 2013. However, improvements continue to be made with estimated captures in the trawl fishery dropping by 27 percent from 2010/2011 to 15/16 and by 24 percent in the bottom longline fishery over the same period.

In 2016/2017 alone:

• There were no dolphins killed in the jack mackerel fishery – the first time this has occurred • There were no observed penguin captures along Stewart/Snares area • There was increased observer coverage in surface longline, with a decrease in observed captures • Set netters stopped fishing off Codfish Island off Southland in an effort to go further in protecting yellow-eyed penguins.

There has not been a Maui dolphin death attributed to fishing since 2002. A more recent death was never biologically identified as a Maui and is not recognised as such. Only a DNA test can differentiate between Maui and Hector's dolphins.

Since then a large area, 6000 square kilometres, has been closed to all commercial fishing and there is 100 percent observer coverage in the area deemed to be most at risk.

News

New research claims the range of an endangered bird - the Westland petrel - could overlap with trawl fishing activity more than previously thought, NZ Herald reports. Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa's Susan Waugh was an author on the study and said the work has strong implications for conservation. “These birds predictably use the same waters year in and year out, regardless of El Nino cycles, and they are therefore a great candidate for a marine protected area to create protection of their trophic relationships.” John Dory for Nobel Peace Prize

The humble John Dory has played a role in the peace process between North and South Korea, featuring on the menu for the historic dinner between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this week. If harmony prevails and nuclear tensions are removed, we nominate John Dory for the Nobel Peace Prize.

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