Fisheries New Zealand is seeking your feedback on proposed amendments to regulations to support digital monitoring and innovative trawl technologies in the commercial fishing sector. 

The consultation runs until 6 June 2018.

Since the regulations came into effect on 1 October 2017, a number of practical issues have been identified by the industry, stakeholders, and Fisheries New Zealand. 

Issues included the need to:

• protect sensitive information about precise fishing locations
• enable Fisheries New Zealand to respond to different operational circumstances, such as equipment failure at sea
• amend the timing of some reporting obligations to avoid, for example, any clash with operating fishing gear
• add and amend some offences and penalties
• enable Fisheries New Zealand to amend the terms and conditions of approved innovative trawl nets.

These issues are addressed through the proposed amendments. The consultation also includes a proposal to phase in electronic catch and position reporting for all fishers not currently using them.

These technical amendments are intended to be practical and workable for the fishing industry. Details are in the discussion paper.