| Consultation
Process
option4
10
August 2005
This document was an
appendix to the option4 submissions sent to the Ministry of Fisheries
during the review of sustainability measures for the 2005-06 fishing
year.
The timeframe allowed for
consultation by the Ministry of Fisheries is unworkable for many
non-commercial stakeholders with an interest in the fisheries being
reviewed this year. The time between delivery of the IPP and submission
deadline is too short for adequate consultation with the diverse
range of non-commercial fishing interests who could be affected
by this years proposals.
At the time of writing this
submission most non-commercial fishers are still unaware of any
proposals to alter the management of fisheries they may have an
interest in. Consequently they are being denied the opportunity
to have their interests considered in the future management of the
fisheries being reviewed this year.
We question whether the Ministry
of Fisheries really did want to fulfil their obligation to properly
consult with non-commercial interests in fisheries which are of
immense importance to them. Local coastal communities and other
non-commercial stakeholders will be denied having input under these
timeframes.
Less than 10% of non-commercial
fishers are members of a fishing club or national body that represents
their interests. Most clubs meet monthly or less often. Two months
is the minimum time these clubs require to consult with members
and refer the outcome in time for their national organisation to
compile a submission.
option4 Consultation
option4's consultation process
is the most robust consultation network that is available free to
the Ministry, but these tight timeframes do not allow for the full
use of that network. option4 has managed to get a Stop Press alert
to these proposals into the latest issue of the NZ Fishing News
magazine. However the magazine comes out at the end of July and
the results of this element of our consultation process will not
be available until mid August at the earliest. The final outcome
of consultation using the option4 network will not, and could not,
be known until the end of August under this timeframe for consultation.
|
