Roll-out of fisheries assets continues
The New Zealand fishing industry says the so-called conservation group Forest and Bird's “Best Fish Guide” is “laughable”, “absurd” and provides a “misleading” description of the state of the industry.
The Minister of Fisheries, Jim Anderton also criticised the ‘guide', saying Forest and Bird had not used a “robust scientific process to make its assessments.”
National Party Fisheries spokesman Phil Heatley said Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton should demand a public apology from Forest and Bird.
Forest and Bird's Conservation Manager Kevin Hackwell claimed that of the 68 commercial fisheries assessed by the organisation, none had a management plan and most caused significant habitat damage. “Some are severely over-fished and many kill seabirds or marine mammals,” he said in a press statement.
“We were hoping that the fishing industry would have made sufficient improvements since last year to justify moving some fisheries into the green ‘best choice' category, but once again no fishery qualified. This was particularly disappointing given the simple steps needed to make some fisheries sustainable,” he said.
Mr Hackwell claimed that over half of the commercial fisheries assessed by Forest and Bird never had a “quantitative stock assessment” and that only 16 had a full stock assessment in the last 10 years. He added that adoption of seabird and marine mammal by-catch mitigation should be mandatory for all fisheries.
However, Seafood Industry Council (SeaFIC) chief executive Owen Symmans said Forest and Bird was “laughable”. “New Zealand has a world-leading fisheries management system that sustains our fisheries and our billion-dollar industry, adopting precautionary management practices to ensure long-term sustainability.
Each year, the Ministry of Fisheries assesses fish stocks to ensure continued sustainability. This entails very thorough scientific research and analysis from which the Minister is provided with robust advice on how to adjust the total allowable commercial catch (TACC) levels. The industry, non-government organisations (like Forest and Bird), recreational and customary fishers are involved in the assessment process.
“To suggest that Forest and Bird are in a better position than the Ministry of Fisheries to assess New Zealand's fish stocks is laughable,” Mr Symmans said.
“In a number of cases, hoki being a recent example, the industry has requested that the Minister of Fisheries adjust some TACCs to ensure ongoing sustainability is safeguarded, often below the recommended amount. In addition, there are many cases where industry has voluntarily reduced catch levels well below the TACC.”
Mr Symmans added that the fishing industry fully supported credible certification schemes, such as the internationally acclaimed Marine Stewardship Certification, which New Zealand's hoki fishery is accredited with.
“In contrast to that scheme and a number of independent listing schemes run overseas, the Forest and Bird ‘guide' is non-transparent and poorly implemented,” Mr Symmans said. “The recommendations Forest and Bird make in this ‘guide' are based on unclear criteria. Other certification schemes are designed to put pressure on consumers to maintain sustainability and the industry supports this practice, but this ‘guide' is produced by activists using very selective information and limited research. It is unclear how they are backing up these claims.”
Mr Symmans said that while one or two fish stocks had been closed in the past, there was in excess of 550 fish stocks representing more than 90 species managed by the QMS and many previously over-fished stocks such as snapper, scallop and rock lobster have shown increases. The industry continually works with Government to ensure ongoing improvement in sustainable management of fisheries.
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Owen Symmans |
Already, companies are working to mitigate their impacts on marine mammals. Codes of practice and voluntary measures to reduce levels of marine mammal interaction with fishing boats, crew training, significant investment in gear design to stop sea lions getting caught in trawl nets; deployment of acoustic devices to warn dolphins away from set nets; and voluntary area closures are just some of the initiatives underway. “Effective and principled management of the environmental impacts of fishing is critical to our industry,” he said.
“Consumers around the world are placing increasing importance on knowing that the seafood they purchase comes from sustainable and environmentally aware fisheries, and consumers can be assured that New Zealand fish stocks are sustainably managed.”
Mr Symmans said it was hugely disappointing that Forest and Bird could contrive to undermine a nationally important and responsible industry that is recognised internationally for its good practice and proactive approach to fisheries management.
“The New Zealand seafood industry is pleased to work constructively with environmental groups and other stakeholders in the marine environment. It is sad indeed that New Zealand's largest environmental organization cannot work with other groups, but instead tries to discredit and undermine them for their own publicity stunts,” said Mr Symmans.
Hoki Fishery Management Company CEO Richard Cade said it was absurd for Forest and Bird to come out and say ‘don't eat this fish' as they have rejected any involvement with the ongoing MSC-related activities and barely participate in any of the annual processes that lead to understanding and management of hoki.
New Zealand Mussel Industry Council executive officer Lorna Holton said environmental agencies around the world understood the importance of aquaculture in providing sustainable seafood production. “Ignoring this fact would anger mussel farmers especially if Forest and Bird's ‘best fish guide' failed to support New Zealand Greenshell by not listing them in their ‘green' best fish choice section.”
Last year, New Zealand Greenshell mussels were ranked top of the United States environmental agency Blue Ocean Institute's list of ‘eco-friendly seafoods'.
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Protecting Māori fisheries assets for future generations