100% Camera Coverage On Commercial Snapper 1 Fleet

100% camera coverage of the Snapper 1 trawl fleet has been welcomed by Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy.

“Snapper 1 is New Zealand’s most valuable inshore fishery, covering Bay of Plenty, the Hauraki Gulf and the eastern coast of Northland,” says Mr Guy.

 “This camera coverage on the 15 key vessels is part of a range of measures I announced in 2013 to improve the management and health of the snapper stock.

“In addition to cameras on the trawl fleet, a vessel monitoring system is now in place that tracks the location of more than 55 vessels operating in the SNA1 fishery.

“Increased monitoring will provide greater transparency of the commercial fleet’s activities and improve public confidence that our fisheries are being well managed. It will help to build social licence and the support of consumers, other fishers and the wider community.

 “It’s very pleasing that commercial fishers have supported these initiatives and shown they want to be transparent and responsible. This voluntary programme wouldn’t be possible without their cooperation and proactive attitude.

“MPI has been working closely with the fishing industry to develop and implement this large-scale electronic monitoring programme. The programme has been rolled out carefully, including independent scientific assessment to ensure the technology is reliable and effective.

“This also builds on initiatives like the new Tiaki seafood category, launched last month with the support of the Government through the Primary Growth Partnership. The new net design means fish can be bought on board alive and in pristine condition, with undersized or unintended catch returned to the sea. Real time data means consumers can know where and how the product was caught.”

The information gathered as part of the electronic monitoring programme also has the potential to help support and improve decisions made under the Quota Management System (QMS).