Last week marked an important step for our sector with the introduction of the Fisheries Amendment Bill, which will help keep New Zealand's fisheries management system responsive, evidence-based and environmentally robust.
But if you've been following the conversation this week, you'll have undoubtedly caught a fair few "whoppers". And just to be clear - the only whoppers we're interested in are the ones in the water, not the ones in the headlines.
As expected, there's a lot of noise and misinformation around the Fisheries Amendment Bill, which can be frustrating.
We truly are entering the silly season here. What is important is that we remain factual and calm about how we engage on these issues.
Here are a few of the whoppers we've heard this week, along with the facts:
Whopper 1: New Zealand is one of the last countries to allow bottom trawling
False. Bottom trawling is a widespread global fishing method used by dozens of nations, not just New Zealand. In fact, well over 50 countries employ it in their commercial fleets.
In New Zealand, our fisheries management regime prioritises and ensures sustainability. Bottom trawling occurs in around 2% of our waters each year, with 31% completely closed to the method. Bottom trawling operates under strict rules, close monitoring and increasingly innovative gear designed to reduce environmental impact.
Whopper 2: These changes mean commercial fishers will target small fish
False. Fishers don't want to catch small fish. It doesn't make economic sense, and there is little to no market for them.
Under the proposed changes, all catch would count against a fisher's Annual Catch Entitlement (ACE), including smaller fish. That means fishers would have to pay for the small fish they catch.
The intent of the changes was to encourage more selective fishing and reduce waste, not to create a market for small fish.
Whopper 3: This Bill is just designed to benefit the commercial fishing industry
False. These amendments are designed to enhance the sustainable use of our fisheries and ensure the law keeps up with changes and continues to be evidence based. They will benefit everyone who values fishing, whether you are on the water for a living or for the love of it.
These are just a few of the whopper claims circulating that don't stack up. We'll continue sharing the facts here and on social media over the coming days and weeks and would appreciate your support. Like, share and comment where you can - so we can get more eyes on the truth. Thank you to those who are already doing this - commenting and correcting - we appreciate you.
This week, in a media release, Seafood New Zealand called for a more grown-up conversation based on facts. Our door is open. If people have questions you can't answer, send them our way ().
The next round of consultation is coming soon. We'll be doing everything we can to share the facts and be visible, but we'll need your help.
While it's hard to ignore the noise, it's important to remember this Bill is a really positive step for our fisheries.
More to come soon.
