Speech to the Hokianga Accord, 11 June

 

I nga waka, i nga mana, i nga reo, tënä koutou katoa.

 

Good morning, thank you for the invitation today.

 

It is a real pleasure to be able to join you and address a group of committed customary, recreational and commercial fishers.  I acknowledge that many of you are all three.

 

It isn't the first time I have come to a Hokianga Accord hui; as many of you will know I spent five years as a frustrated opposition spokesman for fisheries, keen to take an open and fresh approach.

 

But this is the first time I have attended as Minister of Fisheries.  I can tell you I'm loving my job.

 

Our fisheries are very valuable assets for our country and they are highly valued by all the groups who make use of them and take a catch.  I'm not blinded by the dollar value, though obviously I recognise the commercial interest in our fishery.

 

Our fish stocks support a high quality recreational fishery.

 

Very large numbers of New Zealanders fish recreationally, me amongst them.

 

Fishing, whether it is catching snapper with a rod and reel, diving for paua or gathering pipi at low tide is part of being a Kiwi.

 

Our fisheries also support an important commercial industry, an industry that employs tens of thousands of people and is our fourth largest export earner bringing in over a billion dollars a year - foreign exchange that the country needs to pay our way in the world.

 

That's why I am deliberately looking to carve out compliance and bureaucratic costs faced by the commercial sector that is not necessary to improving the health of the fishery.

 

Managing our fisheries responsibly and effectively is vitally important.

 

We want to get the best use and enjoyment from our fisheries today while we make sure they will be around for future generations to use and enjoy.

 

This is something I take very seriously, it is at the heart of what I do as Minister and it is foremost in my mind when I have to make decisions.

 

While it is relatively early days in my term as Minister, I have had to make some difficult decisions already, and I know there difficult decisions ahead.

 

Chances are, not everyone is going to agree with all the decisions I make.

 

That is the reality of making decisions in an area like fisheries, with many different groups all valuing the resource highly.

 

Let me assure you though, every decision I make sits under a headline "how does this improve fish stock health?"

 

I will make the best decisions I can, taking into account what's happening on the water and the best science and information available.

 

Budget 2009

 

This year saw the Government's first budget.

 

The overall economic outlook is far from rosy and the Government has had to make some hard choices to steer the country through the deepest recession since the 1930s.

 

The budget has done this. 

 

Tradeoffs have had to be made but a credit downgrade, and the negative consequences this would have brought for us all, has been avoided and no current entitlements have been reduced.

 

There was very little money available for new programmes and initiatives.

 

However, I am very pleased that I was able to secure some funding for new and expanded programmes in the fisheries portfolio.

 

The budget has given almost $2 million over four years to get the aquaculture industry moving.

 

This is an area that has real potential for sustainable economic growth, to boost our export earnings and to provide local jobs.

 

It has languished under an inefficient regulatory regime for too long and we are going to get things moving.

 

There will be more fishery officers and honorary fishery officers patrolling New Zealand's coastline.

 

A boost of over $4 million over the next four years will increase the honorary fishery officer network and the full time fishery officers needed to support it. 

 

The plan is to build the honorary fishery officer network from 172 to 250 and full-time fishery officer numbers from 95 to 104 over the next four years.

 

The additional officers will mean the Ministry of Fisheries can increase its general compliance effort in targeting known risk locations and species.

 

Honorary fishery officer numbers dropped as low as 160 in 2005 - I'm very pleased to be turning that situation around.

 

There is also $3.4 million over four years for more research into recreational fishing, looking to get better information on catch levels and participation rates.

 

This will be split between two projects; the first will research recreational fishers' catch rates in some of our key inshore fisheries.

 

The second is to put in place a catch reporting system for charter boats that carry recreational fishers.

 

To manage our fisheries effectively we need as much information as we can get.

 

At the moment we aren't getting as much information on recreational fishing as I would like.

 

The TACC is what's left after recreational needs, customary needs and mortality have been taken from the TAC. That's the law, that's National's policy and I need to know what the recreational need is.

 

Recreational charter boat reporting is a relatively easy way we can gather valuable information on recreational catch and get information on the health of our fisheries.

 

Our plan is to phase in a reporting scheme over the next year.

 

However, I don't want to make it onerous for charter operators and I don't want to make it costly. The Ministry are under strict instructions that the system be simple, practical and that skippers gather only necessary information, not what's unnecessary - "need to know" not "nice to have."

 

I have already met with some recreational charter vessel skippers to discuss the best way forward and get a practical perspective. If it won't work on the water, it won't work.

 

Its common sense to collect charter boat catches and we have fronted with $1.4 million in the Budget to pay for it.

 

You may be interested to know that the approach that I am taking to our "Recreational and Customary only" area policy is the same as the approach I am taking with charter boat reporting - the most gain from the least pain.  I need to work with those who feel that pain.

 

Just as charter skippers are ultimately affected by reporting, it is the commercial sector most affected by rec and customary only areas.  Hence, I have not initiated any formal process but have put our policy to commercials for their initial thoughts.

 

Fisheries 2030

 

I know some of you have been involved in the Fisheries 2030 project in a number of ways.

 

This is an important piece of work.

 

It's about getting an agreed high level strategy for how we manage our fisheries into the future and setting a goal for how we want things to look in the year 2030.

 

The report, which I received earlier this year, focuses on how to unlock the potential of our fisheries.

 

We have recently held two workshops to get Maori and other stakeholder views on the plan with representatives from across all the groups who use and value our fisheries.

 

These workshops were well attended and I understand there was some lively discussion.

 

The Ministry of Fisheries is now working to analyse the feedback received before reporting back to Cabinet.

 

Treaty Strategy update

 

Another area where MFish and stakeholders have been working well together is the development of a treaty strategy.

 

Settlement obligations to Maori cover a wide range of areas, providing input and participation in fisheries management, non-commercial customary fishing, commercial fishing, aquaculture, foreshore and seabed agreements and so on.

 

Many of you will be aware that Ministry of Fisheries staff has been talking to Maori around the country about how MFish can better support their participation in fisheries management.

 

There were three hui in the Taitokerau, with nine submissions from this area - so I'd like to thank you for the effort you put into that discussion.

 

One area I'm keen on is ensuring Maori are bringing together and balancing their various interests, otherwise it's left to me - I do not believe I am best placed to make these decisions.

 

Some iwi and hapu groups are doing this effectively now.

 

I am aware that the Ministry of Fisheries' Pou Hononga has been working with iwi and hapu leaders in the mid north to develop a better model for engaging on Fisheries Management. 

 

In some areas there is real tension between two areas of interest for iwi and hapu.

 

A high profile example is the tensions between inshore commercial fishing, including Maori owned fishing operations and the establishment of mätaitai reserves.

 

Mataitai

 

The issue of mataitai reserves is complex.

 

The 1992 Fisheries Deed of Settlement provided for two things:

 

The allocation to iwi of a substantial quantity of commercial fishing rights through quota, cash and shares in commercial fishing companies. 

 

The other equally important obligation is a duty to enable tangata whenua to manage customary non-commercial fishing across their rohe.

 

The Crown remains absolutely committed to the delivering on these Fisheries Settlement obligations and to our obligations as a Treaty partner. 

 

In considering applications for mätaitai reserves these two objectives of the Deed of Settlement need to be balanced. 

 

I can't approve a mataitai reserve application unless I am satisfied that the application will not prevent commercial fishers - invariably Maori commercial fishers - taking their quota or ACE in the QMA.

 

It is highly likely that in some areas of New Zealand, mataitai reserves will soon prevent fishers taking their quota or ACE and I will need to decline applications unless the impact of the reserve can be reduced.  

 

Maori sit on all sides of the table on this issue, as customary fishers and managers, as commercial fishers and as recreational fishers.

 

To get a resolution to this issue I'm asking for help from iwi and hapu leaders, including those from the North.

 

MFish reorganisation

 

I want to see some changes in how the Ministry of Fisheries currently operates.

 

Some of the things the Ministry of Fisheries are currently doing and some of the ways it is working require a huge amount of engagement from all the sector's stakeholders.

 

I know this can be particularly demanding for the non-commercial sector.  You rely heavily on the work of a few highly committed individuals working as unpaid volunteers.

 

If the Ministry turns up to a meeting, you have to as well, and you're not paid to be there.

 

Many of the people here today are certainly in that category.

 

I'm convinced that there is too much discussion and not enough action; too much process and not the results to show for it.

 

I want to lighten the load that you are currently carrying while making sure your voice is still heard.

 

I want to see results delivered more quickly and I want to see engaging with government being less of an impost all round.

 

You will still be asked for input and I will continue to value your input.  But, when you are asked for input and involvement you need to come prepared and make your input count.

 

There will not be endless opportunities to chew the fat - there probably won't be series upon series of meetings; we will be gathering information, making decisions and moving on.

 

I have plenty of fish to fry.

 

Working collaboratively

 

So the government is interested in working together with you collaboratively.

 

There have been some fantastic achievements made recently by government working together with our treaty partners and recreational groups.

 

I would also like to acknowledge some of the good work that Maori have been doing in the area of customary management, especially the progress that is being made in resolving disputes over the notification of Tangata Kaitiaki.

 

I have recently been able to confirm Tangata Kaitiaki appointments for Patuharakeke covering an area of Whangarei Harbour and Bream Bay and incorporating the interests of Ngati Tu, Ngati Hau and Te Parawhau.

 

This is great to see and I wish the Tangata Kaitiaki all the best for their role as guardians of their customary fisheries.

Kahawai legal challenge

 

As I am sure you are well aware, the 28^th of May saw the Supreme Court release its judgment on the kahawai legal challenge appeal.

 

As government has been saying for some time now, we will abide by the Court's ruling and we will review the management of the kahawai fishery as soon as practicable.

 

The Supreme Court has ruled that setting catch limits and the allocation of catch between the three fishing sectors - commercial, recreational and customary Maori - is ultimately the responsibility of the Minister of Fisheries operating within the framework of the Act.

 

Here's National's policy:

 

"A National Government will better manage shared fisheries by honouring the current law's commitment to recreational and customary fishers' foremost allowance".

 

I am pleased that all parties now have a definitive ruling in this case.

 

It has been a long, complex and very costly process to get us to this point and I am glad that the legal process is now over.

 

I want to look forward now.

 

Given the history and importance of the fishery, I am not prepared to act in haste. As I have said publicly, there is simply not enough time to review the kahawai fishery for the start of the fishing year on 1 October this year.

 

Kahawai catch limits and the allocation of catch between the three fishing sectors will be reviewed for the 1 October 2010 fishing year.

 

Conclusion

 

I am thoroughly enjoying my term as Minister, I love fishing myself and have less and less time for it because keen to get more things done in the sector.

 

I hope that you will work with me to do that.

 

After all, I think we all want the same thing: fish for us to catch today and fish for our children and their children to catch in the future.

 

It's a pleasure to be here today and I wish you all the best for the rest of your hui.

 

No reira e aku rangatira, ma te Atua koutou e manaki, e tiaki, i nga wa katoa.