12. PHIL HEATLEY (National—Whangarei) Link to this
to the Minister of Fisheries
Does he have confidence in his ministry; if so, why?
Hon JIM ANDERTON (Minister of Fisheries) Link to this
Yes, I have confidence in the Ministry of Fisheries. I have no information to indicate any reason why I should not.
Why does he have confidence when the ministry withdrew its fisheries officer staff from patrolling the coastline on 25 December, 26 December, 27 December, 28 December, and on 1 and 2 January, a holiday period when most of the fishing public are out doing just that—fishing and collecting shellfish?
If the member wants such a definitive and precise answer he should put it to me in writing and I will give it to him. But let me just say to him that I would like to know whether he was in Parliament on 25 December doing his work here.
Will the Minister give an assurance that full patrols will be on the ground over Easter—another public holiday period when recreational fishers are out on the water in large numbers?
As far as I am aware, the Ministry of Fisheries takes its responsibility seriously, in terms of both full-time fisheries officers and honorary fisheries officers.
Rt Hon Winston Peters Link to this
I seek leave to table the minutes of a meeting with recreational fishers held at Onerahi during the 2005 election where the member asking the question promised to be the next Minister of Fisheries—
Is it this type of staffing decision that contributed to a massive drop of recreational fishing inspections, from 45,525 in the 2005 year to only 14,873 inspections last year; if not, what did lead to the slashing of 45,000 annual inspections down to 14,000 annual inspections?
I have no advice that that is the situation, except to say that under the educative and informative processes that the Ministry of Fisheries is engaging in with the recreational fishing sector, there is clearly much more and better compliance than ever before.
Is it still the case that of the popular recreational species, 20 percent of the crayfish catch and half of all the pāua collected are taken illegally; if so, how will a lack of patrols over critical holiday periods address that problem?
It is true that there is an illegal harvest of some recreational fish and some commercial fish; we know that. That is why the ministry is engaged in a significant programme to catch those people who procure fish illegally. They are brought before the courts regularly and prosecuted, and they have much of their equipment and their money confiscated.
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
Tena koe, Madam Speaker. Kia ora tātou. What response does the Minister have to the submission from Te OhuKaimoana and Aotearoa Fisheries Ltd to the Ministry of Fisheries that the shared fisheries proposals have “profound implications for the integrity of the deed of settlement”, and that as a consequence he is urged to immediately withdraw the proposals in order to find a way forward that has integrity?
I have heard and seen reports of Te OhuKaimoana’s position on the deed of settlement. They are, quite simply, wrong.
I seek leave to table a memo withdrawing fisheries officer staff for 6 days over the Christmas period—not just Christmas Day.
I seek leave to table the annual report of 2004-05, which states that there were 45,000 fisheries inspections.
Madam SPEAKERI seek leave to table the following year’s annual report, which stated that there were only 14,000 inspections.