# Minister for Oceans and Fisheries

The Minister for Oceans and Fisheries is a minister in the New Zealand Government responsible for the management of New Zealand's fisheries, including aquaculture, and for oceans policy.
The present minister is Shane Jones, a member of the New Zealand First party.

## Responsibilities

The Minister oversees Fisheries New Zealand, a business unit of the Ministry for Primary Industries (previously, the Ministry of Fisheries).
The Minister has responsibility for legislation related to fisheries, including the Fisheries Act 1996, the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Act 2004, the Maori Fisheries Act 2004 and the Treaty of Waitangi (Fisheries Claims) Settlement Act 1992.

## History

The position was established in 1977 during the Muldoon government. Previously, responsibility for fisheries was exercised by the Minister of Marine until 1972 and by the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries until 1977. For a brief period from 2010 to 2011, the portfolio was known as Fisheries and Aquaculture. From 2011 until 2017, it was combined with related portfolios into the Minister for Primary Industries.
The title change to Minister for Oceans and Fisheries in 2020 was intended to balance commercial and environmental issues. Responsibility for oceans policy was previously in the remit of the Minister of Conservation.

## List of ministers

The following ministers held the office of Minister of Fisheries.

### Key

Labour  National  Progressive  NZ First
| No. | No. | Name | Term of Office | Term of Office | Prime Minister |
| As Minister of Fisheries ||||||||
| | 1 | Jim Bolger | 8 March 1977 | 13 December 1978 | Muldoon |
| | 2 | Duncan MacIntyre | 13 December 1978 | 26 July 1984 | Muldoon |
| | 3 | Colin Moyle | 26 July 1984 | 9 February 1990 | Lange |
| | 3 | Colin Moyle | 26 July 1984 | 9 February 1990 | Palmer |
| | 4 | Ken Shirley | 9 February 1990 | 2 November 1990 | Palmer |
| | 4 | Ken Shirley | 9 February 1990 | 2 November 1990 | Moore |
| | 5 | Doug Kidd | 2 November 1990 | 16 December 1996 | Bolger |
| | 6 | John Luxton | 16 December 1996 | 10 December 1999 | Bolger |
| | 6 | John Luxton | 16 December 1996 | 10 December 1999 | Shipley |
| | 7 | Pete Hodgson | 10 December 1999 | 26 February 2004 | Clark |
| | 8 | David Benson-Pope | 26 February 2004 | 19 October 2005 | Clark |
| | 9 | Jim Anderton | 19 October 2005 | 19 November 2008 | Clark |
| | 10 | Phil Heatley | 19 November 2008 | 25 February 2010 | Key |
| | - | David Carter Acting | 25 February 2010 | 1 April 2010 | Key |
| As Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture ||||||||
| | (10) | Phil Heatley | 1 April 2010 | 14 December 2011 | Key |
| 2011–2017: No separate appointments (see Minister for Primary Industries) ||||||||
| | 11 | Stuart Nash | 26 October 2017 | 6 November 2020 | Ardern |
| As Minister for Oceans and Fisheries ||||||||
| | 12 | David Parker | 6 November 2020 | 1 February 2023 | Ardern |
| | 12 | David Parker | 6 November 2020 | 1 February 2023 | Hipkins |
| | (11) | Stuart Nash | 1 February 2023 | 28 March 2023 | Hipkins |
| | - | David Parker Acting | 28 March 2023 | 12 April 2023 | Hipkins |
| | 13 | Rachel Brooking | 12 April 2023 | 27 November 2023 | Hipkins |
| | 14 | Shane Jones | 27 November 2023 | Incumbent | Luxon |
Table footnotes:
* ↑ as Minister of Food, Fibre and Biosecurity from 31 August 1998