New penalties for fisheries offending

Rules and penalties around customary fishing are being toughened up, Fisheries Minister David Benson-Pope announced today.

In April last year Mr Benson-Pope decided to review the amateur fishing regulation providing for customary fishing - Regulation 27 - with a particular focus on people issuing customary fishing permits after reports of abuses.

Today he said the Fisheries Act already provided powers to prosecute people who abused regulation 27 as a front for poaching.

Mr Benson-Pope said the review had found accusations of abuse of customary fishing were based largely on old and inaccurate information but found some changes were needed.

New offences being created were against:

* authorisations being issued by a person not representing a recognised entity;

* authorisations being issued outside an authorising agent's authority;

* retrospective authorisations; and

* consistent and material errors on authorisations.

In addition, authorising agents would now be required to retain copies of all paperwork.

Mr Benson-Pope said penalties for the offences were a maximum $10,000 fine.

"The Ministry of Fisheries has consulted with stakeholders about these changes. Most agree that these penalties reinforce the importance of regulation 27," Mr Benson-Pope said.

"Any offending ultimately undermines the good work of iwi who voluntarily spend a lot of time managing their customary catch to ensure local fisheries are healthy."

Mr Benson-Pope said regulation 27 was an interim measure as customary fishing provisions in the Fisheries Deed of Settlement -- the South Island and Kaimoana customary fishing regulations -- were taken up by iwi.

He hoped the changes would encourage iwi to take up the customary provisions in the Deed.

- NZPA