Fishing industry and MPI must set and adhere to sustainable limits – Forest And Bird

Forest & Bird understands that the independent review into MPI’s decision not to prosecute commercial fishers despite internal reports detailing illegal fish dumping, is due Friday 16 September.

Forest & Bird’s Campaigns and Advocacy Manager, Kevin Hackwell, will be available to discuss the report, and what actions are needed from Ministry of Primary Industries and the fishing industry to set and adhere to sustainable catch limits.

Hackwell says “Around 90% of world fish stocks are now fully or over fished. And it is not just fishers from other countries that are disregarding sustainable limits. The Achilles and Hippocamp reports, which detailed some boats dumping up to 100% of their catch, show that some in the NZ fishing industry have a long way to go. Forest & Bird would argue that the Ministry of Primary Industries does too.”

The report on Operation Achilles was written by an MPI investigator and found 80% of the vessels “openly discarded substantial quantities of quota fish” without reporting it. The report said between 20% and 100% of some quota fish were discarded every time a net was pulled up.