Foreign Chartered Vessels bill passes first reading

A bill to strengthen the regulation of foreign-owned commercial fishing vessels operating in New Zealand waters has passed its first reading unanimously in Parliament today.

The Fisheries (Foreign Charter Vessels and Other Matters) Bill is part of a range of measures that follow a Ministerial inquiry in 2012 into questionable safety, labour and fishing practices on some foreign-owned vessels.

Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy says the amendments will strengthen the Government’s powers to take action if owners, operators or crew of fishing vessels do not comply with New Zealand law.

“This bill will help maintain New Zealand’s reputation around the world. It shows that we take seriously our responsibility to ensure safe workplaces and fair employment practices.

“We are entering a new era for the operation of fishing vessels in New Zealand waters. This bill sends a message internationally that New Zealand has a strong, reliable and effective fisheries management regime”.

The key features of the Bill are:

• Enable the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to consider employment and vessel safety matters as well as fisheries matters, when assessing applications for registration of foreign-owned fishing vessels;
• Allow MPI Fishery Observers to collect information on employment and vessel safety matters, as well as the scientific information they collect now:
• Confer new powers to suspend or cancel the registration of non-compliant vessels;
• Require all foreign-owned vessels operating in New Zealand waters to carry the New Zealand flag from 1 May 2016, and operate under full New Zealand legal jurisdiction.

Following enactment of the Bill, the Government expects most changes to come into effect by the end of 2013.

“I’m looking forward to industry players engaging in the select committee process to have their say,” Mr Guy said.

The Bill has now been referred to the Primary Production Select Committee.