The Government is proposing changes to how fisheries are managed in Aotearoa.
While these are being framed as improvements, they could reduce oversight, limit public input, and shift decision-making power.
What’s happening?
The Government has announced plans to change fisheries management in Aotearoa, with the Fisheries Amendment Bill recently passing its first reading in Parliament.
The Government says these changes aim to improve management and efficiency, increase productivity and support economic growth. However, many have raised concerns about what this could mean for our environment and communities.
Why does it matter?
The Fisheries Amendment Bill would make changes to the Fisheries Act 1996.
In simple terms, this Bill could change how much fish can be taken, who makes those decisions, and how much say the public has.
These changes have raised concerns from experts, particularly around impacts on fish stock, legal safeguards, and the ability for communities to protect their local shores.
This includes:
- Potentially higher catch limits, even with limited data
- More decision-making power given to the Minister independent of expert advice
- Only 20 days to challenge decisions in court
- On-board camera footage no longer subject to the Official Information Act (OIA)
- Reduced penalties for vessels catching the wrong fish
- Less public consultation
- More flexible catch limits
What this could look like
In practice, this could mean fish stocks are pushed further than they should be before anything changes, especially if decisions are being made without strong or up-to-date information.
It could also mean less visibility on what’s actually happening at sea. In the past, access to on board camera footage has helped expose issues in the fishing industry – without that, it becomes a lot harder to hold anyone accountable.
For communities, it may feel harder to speak up or challenge decisions. With less time and fewer tools available, whānau and iwi could be left out of the process.
Overall, decisions might be made faster – but with fewer checks in place to make sure they’re the right ones.
Our concerns
Important scientific expertise could be ignored.
The Minister would be given greater power to decide what information is used to set fishing limits, meaning expert advice could be overlooked.
Risks of overfishing
More flexible catch limits could be set for longer periods without review, increasing the risk of long-term damage to fish populations.
Reduced public participation and transparency
The Bill allows only 20 working days to challenge fisheries decisions, despite advice recommending a longer timeframe. Combined with reduced access to information, this limits the public’s ability to hold decision-makers accountable.
Risk of negative environmental impact
Increased pressure on fish stocks, alongside reduced oversight and participation, could have lasting impacts on marine and coastal environments.
Our position
Hāpai Te Hauora sees fisheries management as directly connected to the health and sustainability of our moana.
Removing safeguards that protect our fish stocks and ocean ecosystems along with reducing the opportunities for communities to exercise their democratic rights to challenge industry practice and fisheries decisions will have long-lasting consequences for whānau and hāpori across Aotearoa.
Call to Action
Submissions on the Fisheries Amendment Bill are now open.
This is your chance to have a say on how our fisheries are managed and what kind of future we want for our moana.
