Paraone Pita: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Paraone Pita: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:648;Page:16973] 
7.  
PITA PARAONE (NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister of Fisheries 
: How many foreign-owned fishing vessels are known to have fished illegally in New Zealand waters in each of the last 3 years and how many of those were prosecuted? 
Hon JIM ANDERTON (Minister of Fisheries) 
: 
 In the 2005 calendar year there were 13 foreign-owned fishing vessels known to have breached our fisheries laws when in New Zealand waters; in 2006 there were 14; and in 2007 there were 15. Most of the breaches were minor such as incorrectly marked buoys and did not warrant prosecution and 38 official warnings were issued by officers of the Ministry of Fisheries. Two were serious offences and prosecutions were made in both instances. Four cases are still active files and no prosecution decision has yet been made. The Ministry of Fisheries works closely with the defence forces and other agencies to patrol New Zealand’s exclusive economic zone. There have been no recorded instances during the last 3 years of a foreign-owned vessel operating in New Zealand waters without an associated permit to fish there. 
Pita Paraone 
: Notwithstanding whether offences are of a minor or a major nature why does his ministry which averages well in excess of 200 prosecutions per year take such a soft line on foreign-owned vessels compared with New Zealand - owned vessels? 
Hon JIM ANDERTON 
: I think it is fair to say that the ministry has concerns from time to time about the operation of foreign-owned vessels. The member has to keep in mind that foreign-owned vessels have to be chartered almost exclusively by New Zealand - owned companies. Many of those companies are Maori-owned; they are not owned just by general corporates. Companies charter foreign-owned vessels because it is much more viable for them to do so. If we restricted companies’ use of chartered vessels we would put many of them under extreme financial pressure. 
Pita Paraone 
: Notwithstanding the pressures on New Zealand companies that the Minister referred to in his previous response what sort of message does he think his ministry is sending to foreign-owned vessels illegally fishing in our waters when the operators of those vessels know that if they are caught they have a less than 5 percent chance of being prosecuted? 
Hon JIM ANDERTON 
: New Zealand has very comprehensive surveillance of vessels fishing in New Zealand waters; it is probably among the best surveillance in the world. The message that operators of foreign-owned vessels fishing in New Zealand waters can take is that if they are illegally fishing here they will be caught and they will be prosecuted. That is what New Zealand’s record shows. 
Pita Paraone 
: Does the Minister accept that the actual number of foreign-owned vessels fishing illegally in our waters each year is much higher than the number that are caught; if so why is his ministry not doing more to bring to justice those who are caught? 
Hon JIM ANDERTON 
: I have referred to the number of vessels that have been caught breaching the rules minor or otherwise. Where the infraction is caused by a serious breach those serious breaches are prosecuted. The prosecutions are vigorous and the penalties are significant. No operators of foreign-owned chartered vessels want to come into New Zealand waters and face that.