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Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Phil Heatley today acknowledged the crew of HMNZS Wellington with a presentation to mark the first ever high seas fisheries compliance operation involving the Navy’s new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs).

Mr Heatley says ‘Operation Zodiac’ was a superb example of how collaborative interagency work could protect New Zealand’s wider fisheries interests.

Major aquaculture legislation reform that creates the platform for aquaculture to become a $1 billion industry by 2025 takes effect on 1 October 2011 says Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Phil Heatley.

"Aquaculture requires only a small fraction of our coastal space, but it has the potential to be a huge boost to our economy," says Mr Heatley.

Good afternoon and thank you for your kind welcome to this magnificent vessel.  It’s an honour and a privilege to be aboard and I thank Lieutenant Commander Simon Griffiths for his hospitality.

I also acknowledge Rear Admiral Tony Parr and Commodore John Martin – as well as all the Navy and Fisheries staff responsible for the extremely successful Operation ZODIAC.

The operation was a superb example of collaborative interagency work protecting our wider fisheries interests in terms of the important international support we can offer.

Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Phil Heatley has today congratulated scientists on their work on International Polar Year (IPY) projects in Antarctica.

At a symposium in Wellington this evening, Mr Heatley said the research undertaken during IPY will inform New Zealand’s approach to a range of Antarctic issues including conservation, sustainable harvesting and climate change.

"Science collaboration is an important part of New Zealand’s continuing engagement in Antarctica, Antarctic science, and on Antarctic issues," says Mr Heatley.

Good evening. It’s a pleasure to be here to celebrate the work of our Antarctic science community as your International Polar Year projects come to a close.

I’d like to congratulate you all on your collaborative approach towards the IPY programme both across government and as researchers.

Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Phil Heatley has today announced changes to fishing catch limits and other management controls in a range of fishstocks managed under the Quota Management System (QMS).

Mr Heatley says he considers the best available scientific and management information as well as submissions from customary, recreational and commercial fishers, environmental groups and the public before making these decisions. 

Good afternoon and thank you for the opportunity to speak to you and discuss some of the issues important to you at this time.

Welcome to the Australian visitors who are here to meet with your trans-Tasman counterparts.  This is a great opportunity to share ideas for developing your respective fisheries in a secure and profitable manner.

Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Phil Heatley says a one-off extension to the Bluff oyster season will give Rugby World Cup supporters the chance to savour one of New Zealand’s most treasured delicacies.

"We have a relatively short timeframe to showcase the best of New Zealand produce to the many thousands of visitors who will be visiting our shores during the Rugby World Cup. Issuing a special permit to commercial fishers to run from 5 September to 23 October will give visitors the chance to taste some of the best oysters in the world," says Mr Heatley.

Five new marine reserves, including the two largest in mainland New Zealand, are to be established on the South Island’s West Coast, Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson and Fisheries Minister Phil Heatley announced today.

The new reserves are Kahurangi (8466ha), Punakaiki (3558ha), Okarito (4641ha), Gorge (847ha) and a small educational site at Ship Creek near Haast (16ha), totalling 17,528ha combined.

Kahurangi and Okarito will become the two largest marine reserves on New Zealand’s mainland coast.

Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Phil Heatley and Minister of Labour, Kate Wilkinson have today announced the Ministerial Inquiry panel members and the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the inquiry into the operation of fishing vessels, including foreign charter vessels (FCV), in New Zealand’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) waters.

Phil Heatley says this will be a comprehensive inquiry.

"The TOR are deliberately broad in scope as in our view it is desirable to consider and address the breadth of issues that have been raised.

Good afternoon and thank you for the opportunity to speak to you again.

I’d like to acknowledge the contribution of your Patron, John Chibnall.  John is the epitome of the professional volunteer without whose efforts our fisheries management would be much the poorer. I particularly acknowledge John’s valuable input over the years representing Northland fishers. I’m a very keen one of those.

A government fund that supports community-led growth and innovation in the rural sector has been widened to include aquaculture.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s Sustainable Farming Fund (SFF) will now consider applications for projects that support economic and environmental performance in the marine and land-based aquaculture sector.

Legislation passed today sets the legal framework needed to support growth in the aquaculture sector, says Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Phil Heatley.

Supplementary Orders proposed for inclusion in the Aquaculture Legislation Amendment Bill (No 3) will strengthen the legislation says Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Phil Heatley.

"We need to ensure that the legislative changes we put in place work to create the framework needed to help the aquaculture industry reach its goal of $1 billion in annual sales by 2025," says Mr Heatley.

This target is a three-fold increase on the current sales level.

A Ministerial Inquiry will consider the operation of Foreign Charter Vessels (FCVs) in New Zealand’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) waters.

Initiated by Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister, Phil Heatley and Labour Minister, Kate Wilkinson, the inquiry will consider all key issues relevant to the use of FCVs.

Mr Heatley says while full terms of reference for the inquiry have yet to be established, it is important for both the Government and our fishing sector to affirm New Zealand’s international reputation as a world-leading fisheries manager.

Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Phil Heatley is praising the strong fisheries management practises and decisive joint Ministry and industry action that has resulted in recovery of the western hoki stock.

"The Ministry of Fisheries latest fisheries assessment plenary report; ‘A stock take of the state of our fisheries management,’ indicates fish stock has rebuilt and that is great news for the fishery and industry," says Mr Heatley.

In response to some of the supporting comments from the audience let me begin by saying how very proud I am, and every kiwi should be, of New Zealand’s Quota Management System. 

It’s not perfect, but it has resulted in one of the best of two expansive fisheries in the world, Alaska being the other. It is a source of pride to me that, when overseas, so many foreign officials ask me if it is possible to work with the Ministry to develop a similar system in their countries. Argentina is a case in point.

New Zealand today ratified a new Convention to manage fisheries in the South Pacific, says Foreign Minister Murray McCully and Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Phil Heatley.

Under the Convention, a new South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) will administer an area of ocean from Western Australia to the waters off South America, covering the entire Tasman Sea and South Pacific Ocean.

E nga waka, e nga mana, e nga reo, tena koutou katoa

Thank you for asking me to open your conference. I’d like to thank the Treaty Tribes Coalition and tangata whenua Te Tau Ihu.

I’d also like to thank Ngai Tahu and recognise the conference was originally scheduled for Christchurch. I know many of you have been, and continue to be,  directly affected by the Canterbury earthquakes.

The second reading of the Aquaculture Legislation Amendment Bill (No 3) brings legislation to promote investment, reduce costs and uncertainty and ensure managed growth within environmental limits one step closer, says Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister, Phil Heatley.

"Following a decade of roadblocks and missed opportunities this Bill is set to reform aquaculture legislation," says Mr Heatley.  "Once enacted it will provide an efficient legislative framework to enable the aquaculture industry to reach its goal of $1 billion in earnings by 2025."

 Good morning and thank you for having me.

In today’s environment I can’t think of a more appropriate theme for your conference than the one you’ve chosen. “Positivity” is something we’re all going to need.

 It’s something the Canterbury community has shown in buckets. Who would’ve thought that on top of the usual business challenges and financial pressures, your members and their supporters down south would be facing the physical destruction of premises, port and lives? 

Minister for Regulatory Reform Rodney Hide and Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Phil Heatley today announced the removal of 176 unnecessary regulations from the law books.

Minister for Regulatory Reform Rodney Hide says previous Governments did not pay enough attention to the quality of the stock of regulations.

“Many unnecessary regulations were allowed to remain on the law books and legislation has not been updated to keep up with the times,” Mr Hide said.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Murray McCully says two North Korean fishing vessels have been intercepted by a RNZAF P3 Orion carrying out surveillance against illegal fishing in the Ross Sea.

In February the Xiong Nu Baru 33 and Sima Qian Baru 22 were detected fishing to the east of the Ross Sea within the area managed by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR).

The Xiong Nu Baru 33 was using deep-sea gillnets, which are banned in the CCAMLR Convention Area.

Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Phil Heatley will be in Marlborough today to celebrate the re-opening of the blue cod fishery in the Marlborough Sounds Area (MSA).

The fishery, which has re-opened 18 months ahead of schedule, will remain open until 31 August 2011, then will open seasonally from 20 December to 31 August each year.

The Minister says he is delighted to participate in the re-opening of what can, once again, be a truly superb fishery.

"This is a significant day for an iconic fishery," says Mr Heatley.