Why it's important

Our industry could be about to see the most significant reforms of New Zealand’s fisheries for decades. Last week Minister Shane Jones launched the consultation on proposed amendments to the Fisheries Act. 

The proposals are in three major areas: 

• Decision making processes, including making multi-year catch decisions and better integrating socio-economic factors in TAC setting 
• The use of onboard cameras and potential exemption of camera footage from Official Information Act requests 

• Landings and discards, including the option to return certain QMS species to sea if monitored by an onboard camera or observer and counted against that fisher’s ACE 

If you are a fisher or quota holder, or involved in the fishing industry in any way, these changes have the potential to be very significant and beneficial to you and our industry. They could give us more certainty and make the fisheries system more efficient and responsive.

But it is not certain the changes will all be passed by Parliament. We all need to speak up. 

How to get involved

To help these proposals get implemented, we strongly encourage all our seafood whānau to take time to learn about the amendments and then take part in the submissions process. Submissions close 5pm on Friday 11 April 2025 (note, the original submission date was Friday 28 March but the consultation has since been extended by two weeks). 

We suggest you:

1. Read what is being proposed on the Ministry for Primary Industries' consultation page. 

2. Read over our helpful summary pages:

• Fisheries Act Amendments Part 1.1 Catch Limit Tools 
• Fisheries Act Amendments Part 1.2 Minister's Considerations
• Fisheries Act Amendments Part 1.3 ACE Carry Forward
• Fisheries Act Amendments Part 2 Camera Footage Privacy 
• Fisheries Act Amendments Part 3.1 Landings and Discards
• Fisheries Act Amendments Part 3.2 Landings and Discards 

3. Register for one of the public online meetings held by FNZ 
(note: registration is compulsory if you want to attend). 

• Session 1 – Monday 24 February 2025, 6pm to 7pm
• Session 2 – Monday 3 March 2025, 3pm to 4pm
• Session 3 – Thursday 13 March 2025, 3pm to 4pm.

4. Attend an industry specific meeting

As well as the public online meetings the Ministry for Primary Industries and Seafood New Zealand are holding two online sessions specifically for commercial fishers to discuss the proposals in detail:

• Session 1 – Monday 3 March 2025, 11.30am-1:30pm
• Session 2 – Monday 10 March 2025, 2.30-4:30pm

Email haveyoursay@seafood.org.nz and we will send you a registration link.  

5. Make a submission

You can make your submission on the MPI website. 

If you're not sure where to start with your submission, you can use our submission template. The template outlines Seafood New Zealand's position on each of the proposed amendments and leaves space for you to personalise your submission by adding your own voice, insights, and relevant examples.

Click the link below to download the template, add your information and then email it to fish.reform@mpi.govt.nz.

Download the template submission

HoW we can help

After reading through the above, if you have questions or comments or would like further support with the submission process please email haveyoursay@seafood.org.nz.