New Zealand hosts global fisheries compliance workshop

Close to 200 delegates from 60 countries are meeting in Auckland next week (7-11 March) to discuss the latest tactics in fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing across the globe.

The Ministry for Primary Industries in conjunction with the International Monitoring Control and Surveillance Network is hosting the fifth Global Fisheries Enforcement Training Workshop.

Attendees include the Chair of the Food and Agricultural Organisations Fishery Committee Fabio Hazin, Chair of the International Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Network Cephas Ralph, Associate Minister of Primary Industries Hon Jo Goodhew and New Zealand's Ambassador for Pacific Economic Development Shane Jones.

MPI spokesperson, Dean Baigent said global co-operation means there is increasingly nowhere to hide for boats and crews that deliberately plunder high seas fisheries.

"We have a successful network where nations share information gathered from satellite monitoring, aerial surveillance, catch data and vessel inspections that targets illegal operators and makes it very difficult to profit from IUU fishing."

Mr Baigent said the workshop in Auckland will be an opportunity for nations to update each other on the latest techniques and technologies and to strengthen the communication ties that makes the network successful.

Mr Baigent said New Zealand is an obvious country to host the global workshop.

"We are responsible for managing the world's fourth largest Exclusive Economic Zone and are an active participant in monitoring and patrolling the toothfish fishery in the Southern Ocean and the tuna fishery in the Southwest Pacific Ocean."

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade through Shane Jones has supported the attendance of a large contingent from Pacific Island nations to attend the workshop as part of New Zealand's investment in Pacific Island fisheries compliance regimes.

Nations will also hear from Whaimutu Dewes, the Chair of Aotearoa Fisheries Ltd, about New Zealand's customary fisheries management system, which will be of particular interest to countries with indigenous populations where fishing is important both culturally and economically.

ENDS

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