Strong
measures proposed to counteract overfishing
New
Zealand Government
18
June 2007
Press Release by New Zealand Government at 5:56 pm, 18 Jun 2007
Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton is proposing strong measures to
tackle those who exceed their fishing catch limits. "Fishers
must pay a 'deemed value', as a penalty, for each kilogram of fish
they land over their annual catch entitlement. But the deemed values
have been too low and I am proposing to increase them as a disincentive
for fishers to land more than they are entitled to," Jim Anderton
said.
Deemed values were introduced in 2001 in recognition of the fact
that some fishing methods, such as trawling, catch fish species
that the fishers are not intending to catch. In order not to waste
these fish, they can be landed and processed, although the fisher
does not have annual catch entitlement for that species. To ensure
there is no monetary gain or incentive to catch species for which
they have no entitlement, fishers are charged a deemed value.
"It is in everyone's interest that fishers stick to these catch
limits. The future health and sustainability of our fisheries depends
upon it. I am well aware that recreational fishers and the vast
majority of the fishing industry are calling for measures to ensure
this happens."
"Under the proposed changes," Jim Anderton said, "deemed
values will be adjusted more often to ensure fishers have no incentive
to fish in excess of their annual catch entitlement.
"However, I know that higher deemed values increase the incentive
on fishers to illegally discard fish for which they do not hold
an entitlement. But it is better to know how much over-catch there
has been when setting the next year's catch limits, than
not to know, which is why there has been some hesitancy about increasing
deemed values. So I have directed the Ministry of Fisheries to make
discarding a compliance priority and to come down hard on anyone
caught throwing unwanted fish overboard."
As part of the Quota Management System (QMS), a Total Allowable
Catch (TAC) is set for each fishery to ensure that New Zealand's
valuable fisheries are managed sustainably.
Over-catch is a concern is some fisheries, and snapper is a good
example. "I am proposing to increase the annual deemed value
rate for snapper to $8 per kg. As a further disincentive, for each
10% of over-catch in the three snapper fisheries, fishers will be
charged an extra dollar. So 10% over-catch would a see a deemed
value of $9, a 20% over-catch would see a deemed value of $10 and
so on.
"All fishing sectors want to see this problem solved. I have
begun consulting fisheries stakeholders on these proposals and I
look forward to their submissions," Jim Anderton said.
Within the TAC, a Total Allowable Commercial Catch is set for each
fishery and commercial fishers to adhere to, based on their individual
Annual Catch Entitlement (ACE).
Current deemed values in the snapper fisheries are: $3 per kg in
Snapper 2 (Cape Runaway to Wellington on the East Coast of the North
Island); $2.01 in Snapper 7 (West Coast of the South Island); and
$4.25 in Snapper 8 (Wellington to North Cape on the West Coast of
the North Island).
Back to Deemed Values index page here >> >>
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