12. Question No. 12—Oceans and FisheriesHon EUGENIE SAGE (Green) to the Minister for Oceans and FisheriesQuestion No. 12—Oceans and Fisheries12. Hon EUGENIE SAGE (Green) to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries: What advice if any has he received on measures to reduce the impacts of bottom trawling in New Zealand waters which he said he would consider this year?Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister for Oceans and Fisheries): Merry Christmas to the member and the House. The Government opposes destructive and unsustainable fishing methods that harm vulnerable marine habitats. As such I've received advice on a range of matters relating to the impacts of bottom trawling in New Zealand waters including the management of benthic impacts of mobile bottom-contact fishing gear in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park as part of the advice received on revitalising the Gulf. Trawling's going to be limited to defined corridors. In addition we have proposals to prohibit bottom trawling in parts of the Bay of Islands and the nearby coastline as parts of appeals on the proposed Northland regional plan and we have the formation of a collaborative forum with stakeholders to recommend management measures for bottom trawling in the exclusive economic zone. Work on that will begin in the coming months.Hon Eugenie Sage: Is he concerned that in the 10 years to 2019 more than 3000 square kilometres of ocean an area more than three times the size of Auckland was trawled for the first time; if not why not?Hon DAVID PARKER: I've previously said that I think one of the measures that we should consider as a country is limiting bottom trawling to areas that have been previously bottom trawled.Hon Eugenie Sage: Why is the Fisheries New Zealand forum which is providing advice on bottom trawling restricted to providing advice only on spatial management tools and prevented from considering or advising on alternative management actions such as phasing out bottom trawling or establishing new marine protected areas?Hon DAVID PARKER: The terms of reference have not been finalised. Suggestions have been made by some including her former leader Russel Norman who said that the terms of reference ought to be broad enough to consider move-on rules where corals for example are dredged up and we're considering that.Hon Eugenie Sage: Is he also considering the contribution of bottom trawling to climate change as part of the work of the advisory forum when research published in the Nature magazine in April this year suggested that the sediment disturbance caused by bottom trawling globally released carbon equivalent to air travel in a pre-COVID world?Hon DAVID PARKER: I'm not sure that is within the terms of reference. I am happy to take further advice on that issue.Hon Eugenie Sage: In preparing for the Government's Emissions Reduction Plan next year has or will the Minister ask Fisheries New Zealand for advice on how to reduce carbon emissions associated with bottom trawling?Hon DAVID PARKER: I haven't sought advice on that issue no. I do accept that bottom trawling has environmental impacts and that we should be doing our utmost to moderate those.Hon Eugenie Sage: If he accepts that bottom trawling has impacts is he comfortable that New Zealand is the only country that has bottom trawlers operating on the high seas in the South Pacific and if so why?Hon DAVID PARKER: I would say that New Zealand's record in the Pacific is a reliable one for our partner and associated countries in the Pacific and that New Zealand's actions in that regard are responsible as responsible actors in the international community. I would also note the member's question to me earlier in the year quoting a National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research scientist saying that because of the damage that bottom trawling can do management really has to focus on protecting un-impacted areas and I agree with that sentiment.