MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Fisheries News.

Headlines: Global conference on deep sea fisheries; New Marine Reserve Bill creates a furore; NZ marine farmers unsettled by delays in reforms;

Global conference on deep sea fisheries

The global conference on deep sea fisheries, Backing for Deep Sea 2003, has received a flood of sponsorships, according to the New Zealand Ministry of Fisheries (MFish). The event is to be held from 1 through 5 December, and will provide a forum for international experts to discuss issues relating to present and future needs for deep seas around the world. This will include topics such as science, conservation, governance and management of the continental slope. A major sponsor of the event is the National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research Limited (NIWA). Supporting sponsors include the New Zealand companies, Hoki Management Company, Squid Management Company and the Orange Roughby Management Company, as well as the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and Austral Fisheries Pty are also supporting sponsors. The Chief Scientist at the New Zealand Ministry of Fisheries and Conference Convenor, John Annala, is very happy with the interest shown so far. "These trans-Tasman sponsors have seized the opportunity to support the conference and demonstrate their commitment to the future of the world's deep seas. We hope other potential sponsors recognise the unique opportunity this conference offers," said Annala. The founding sponsors of the event are the Ministry of Fisheries New Zealand, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Australia, Fisheries Research & Development Corporation, with technical cooperation from the FAO. (FIS/MP).

New Marine Reserve Bill creates a furore

The current New Zealand government initiative to see 10%t of the marine environment locked in reserves by the year 2010 is causing considerable anguish amongst fisher people. This is part of a new Bill currently in the committee stage before Parliament called the Marine Reserves Bill (MRB). Already proposals for new parks are being made. Among them is the creation of a 52.000 hectare reserve which would surround Great Barrier Island in the Hauraki Gulf. Forest and Bird, New Zealand's conservation watchdogs are delighted at the proposal. The fisher people however see it as an attack on their livelihood and property rights. Bruce Young, chairman of Inshore Fisheries Company Ltd, which represents commercial fishers in the area, says: "In a reserve of this size there is enough room for over 260 million people to be snorkelling in the area at any one time." "We will fully consult with the Department of Conservation," Bruce Young said. "But we cannot just hand over productive fishing areas to preservation. We are sustainably harvesting in these areas currently, so what gain is there to society if that sustainable activity is stopped?" "The crown has an obligation to balance the utilisation of fishing resources by commercial and recreational users against the green movement's pressures for preservation but the crown is failing that obligation - there is no such balance." Even recreational fisher people, who would be barred from the area if the reserve is established, are annoyed by the decision. They are already challenging the government decisions to create marine reserves on Wellington's South coast and around Waiheke Island, also in the Hauraki Gulf. On a wider front the industry is worried about the arbitrary nature of figure 10% being bandied by the government in the new bill. Is this of New Zealand's territorial or coastal waters or of the entire Exclusive Economic Zone? Dave Gilbert, principal Scientist of the NZ National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research told Seafood: "we have to be careful when talking about percentages. New Zealand has a huge EEZ but a lot of it is very deep water and it is not suitable for fishing. So if you talk about a percentage of the total zone, this probably means closing some good fishing areas." Nici Gibbs, policy Manager for the Seafood Industry Council believes that the drive to make 10 per cent of our water reserves is a slogan. "It has no basis in any kind ecological reality. If the issue is we want to protect certain marine ecosystems or icon species then fine, let's identify these and find the most appropriate tools." She believes that seeing marine reserves as a fisheries management tool does a great disservice to quota management system, which does ensure sustainable fisheries. She believes that marine reserves are only a valuable conservation tool where there are no limits on catches. Among fisher people there is anxiety that the new Marine Reserves Bill gives the Minister of Conservation the right to establish marine reserves without consultation. This means that he has the right to ride roughshod over the property rights of fishers According to Roger Beattie of Eyris Blue Pearls in his submissions on the bill, it sets up a system that brings the government into direct conflict with the rights of fishers and he believes they will have no choice but to fight. To him the ITQs, the individual share of the quota of a specific species, are a property right which can be sold, bought and mortgaged. If these are affected through Marine Reserves then compensation has to be granted. But he believes that the ITQs gave fisher people an interest in the future of their own fishery and led them to protect their property through research, skilled management and even in some cases to reseed. (FIS/MP).-

NZ marine farmers unsettled by delays in reforms

New Zealand marine farmers are voicing concerns over complications with government aquaculture industry reforms, which they fear will cause delays. The reforms include a two-year moratorium on resource consents for new farms in a bid to head off a rush of applications. The moratorium is due to be lifted in March 2004, but recent setbacks have raised fears that this deadline will be missed, reports the New Zealand Herald. One potential delay is the claim by a Waitangi Tribunal that the government's proposals breached four Treaty of Waitangi principles, and thus did not give sufficient regard to Maori interests. Maori are now preparing to fight for guaranteed rights over the new aquaculture management areas, where marine farms will be established under the proposed regime. The industry is dominated by Maori, who hold about 30 per cent of current aquaculture interests and about 37 per cent of all quota. Friction is expected between commercial fishers and aquaculture farmers whose claims over marine space collide, which may be further complicated by potential Maori claims over existing marine farms established on a commercial basis, owned by Maori interests. The executive officer for the Marine Farming Association, Graeme Coates, believes the issue is complicated and that there is a good chance that it will hold up the reforms. "That just means continued uncertainty, which is the opposite of what was intended [by the reforms]. "The industry is saying 'we don't know where we are going with this'. "Things are getting more and more complicated and the industry is getting impatient because the reforms seem to be getting off track." Coates believes that the government and the Maori should sort it out. The main concern of Eric Barratt, managing director of fishing company Sanford, is the possibility that the marine area farming rights would be tendered for, which he believes will lead to insecurity amongst farmers, and would thus be a disincentive for investment. Barratt's interest, he said, was in ensuring any property rights granted to Maori would be reflected across the industry. If the assumption was that Maori rights under the treaty would be granted for perpetuity, "we would expect our right to be in line with that". Despite assurances from Fisheries Minister Pete Hodgson that the controversy would not hold up the reforms "it seems to be a very ambitious timeframe". Hodgson announced recently that at least 10 hui would be held to consult with Maori about the reforms. He said that the government and the tribunal were in agreement that the hui did not mean delaying the March 2004 deadline, and that the consultation would bring "only a short delay". The government intends that the reforms will be considered by Parliament by March. "We understand that councils want to make progress with the development of the aquaculture marine areas. Marine farmers are also keen to see the legislation finalised, so they can be certain of the regime they are operating under," said Hodgson. "The government has no wish to extend the moratorium on consideration of new resource consents for aquaculture ... " For the reforms to remain on schedule, the government must recognise the claims and satisfy them along the lines of the fishing settlement in the late 1980s. "It has got a chance, but it is up to the Crown. If they go to the hui with the same parsimonious attitude they had at the [Waitangi Tribunal] then it is dead in the water." In February last year the Maori had opposed the moratorium, saying it would cost them millions of dollars, as well as thousands of jobs. (FIS/MP).