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Local fishers heading out from Franklin for a day on the water need to be aware of recent regulatory changes that will see fisheries offences be subject to a broader range of penalties.
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says the only option to deal with some fisheries offences by commercial and recreational fishers previously has been prosecution, which can take a lot of time and resources and doesn’t always fairly reflect the level of offending.
“The new infringement offences mean Fishery Officers will be able to issue fines that are more proportionate to the level of offending, removing unnecessary cost and burden on the court system.”
Jones says the new infringement fees range from $200 to $500 depending on the offending.
“By fitting the punishment to the crime, we can free up the system to better deal with more serious offending.
“Make no mistake, fishers who break the rules will face the consequences and prosecution remains on the table where appropriate.”
New infringement offences will also apply for breaches of bylaws made under customary fishing regulations with fees ranging from $250 to $500.
Other regulatory changes now in force include allowing spearfishing by commercial fishers, and the use of underwater breathing apparatus (UBA) for harvesting scallops, Jones says.
“Consumers here and around the world prize New Zealand’s seafood for its high quality and sustainability, so it makes good sense to allow selective methods like spearfishing.”
Commercial spearfishing will be allowed in most waters around the South Island and lower North Island.
“While most areas are currently closed to scallop fishing, including all of the commercially fished scallop beds, the provision of UBA for commercial scallop-gathering provides a more selective harvesting method if the fishery is reopened in the future,” Jones says.
“This is about future-proofing the rules with sustainability at the core.”
