10. NANDOR TANCZOS (Green) Link to this
to the Minister of Fisheries
Is he committed to protecting high-seas seafloor habitat from bottom trawling and taking every opportunity at the United Nations General Assembly meeting on sustainable fisheries, starting tomorrow, to seek an international moratorium on bottom trawling; if not, why not?
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE (Minister for the Environment) Link to this
I am pleased to confirm that the New Zealand Government is committed to protecting high-seas seafloor habitat from the adverse impacts of bottom trawling. At the United Nations General Assembly meeting, New Zealand will urge the adoption of a comprehensive set of measures to control bottom trawling on the high seas of all the world’s oceans. In particular, we will advocate for: firstly, an immediate interim prohibition on bottom trawling in unmanaged high-seas areas; secondly, strong conservation measures within a set time frame—preferably by 2008—to protect vulnerable areas in existing and contemplated regional fisheries management organisation areas; and, thirdly, a moratorium on bottom trawling in those areas if effective conservation measures are not adopted within that time frame.
I thank the Minister very much for that answer. Would New Zealand not be in a better position to advocate for an international agreement if the Government withdrew permits to New Zealand vessels to bottom-trawl in the high seas, including in the southern Pacific where New Zealand - flagged vessels are responsible for up to 90 percent of the bottom trawling; if not, why not?
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE Link to this
On behalf of my colleague I say I am sure that the member would agree that little would be achieved by forcing through such suggested action as the re-flagging of New Zealand vessels. Clearly, any resolution that imposed a moratorium would not be binding and enforceable on States. I think it would be much more desirable, through regional fisheries management organisations, to move to legally binding measures and the membership of all States in those organisations, with fisheries in those areas being enforceable.
Pita ParaoneDoes the Minister agree that it is imperative we stop using fishing methods that destroy ecosystems; if so, does he not think that his expression of concern over a move by the European Commission, Russia, and South Korea to block a moratorium on bottom trawling at a South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation meeting rings rather hollow, given that New Zealand is responsible for 90 percent of the high-seas bottom trawling in the South Pacific region?
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE Link to this
On behalf of my colleague I certainly echo the concern about the Hobart meeting, and I report to the House the Minister’s comments in respect of that matter: “New Zealand worked hard to broker a range of strong measures that would protect fragile deep-water ecosystems in the South Pacific from bottom trawling. … I am particularly disappointed that the European Community refused to limit their current fishing efforts in the region. This went against the precautionary ecosystem-based approach that South Pacific and South American States were asking for.”
Is the Minister aware that currently the only high-seas areas with restrictions on bottom trawling are the Southern Ocean, the Mediterranean, and the north-east Atlantic, as shown in orange on this map, and will New Zealand officials be instructed to point out the colonialist hypocrisy of the European Union, which restricts bottom trawling in its own backyard but blocks international efforts to impose that in the Pacific and elsewhere?
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE Link to this
The Minister is aware of those facts and issues, and he and the ministry are working hard to build on the excellent initiatives of his predecessor.
Will the Minister call on all Pacific Islands Forum countries, which recently unanimously called for an international high-seas moratorium on bottom trawling, to refuse to refuel vessels that are bottom trawling in the South Pacific, in order to deter northern hemisphere countries that continue to think they can plunder the south after having devastated northern fisheries; if not, what specific measures will he take?
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE Link to this
On behalf of my colleague I would agree with many of those comments. I repeat the comments of Messrs Anderton and Carter and the Minister of Foreign Affairs on this matter: “We want decisive action to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems by 2008. If that does not happen, we will have no choice but to look at other options, such as a global moratorium.”