Benson-Pope David: Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 3) — Second Reading 
Benson-Pope David: Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 3) — Second Reading 
[Volume:619;Page:14984] 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE (Minister of Fisheries) 
: 
 I move  
That the Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 3) be now read a second time 
. The Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 3) amends both the 1996 and 1983 fisheries Acts as well as the Fisheries Amendment Act (No 2). Part 3 which provides for the introduction of scampi into the quota management system on 1 October 2004 and corrects the general problem with the current quota allocation mechanisms identified during the process of introducing North Island eels into the quota management system has been reported back separately and received royal assent some 12 days ago. 
Part 1 of the Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 3) provides for revisions to the Fisheries Act 1996 to reinforce the quota management system as the preferred framework for managing fisheries resources remove the parts of fisheries law that empower the use of individual catch entitlements—known as “ICE”—provide more direction as to when the quota management system will be used to manage fisheries revise the current regime for authorising access to commercial fisheries and remove the permit moratorium that is unnecessarily impeding use of fisheries resources. That legislation also extends the coverage of the quota management system to provide for management of highly migratory species beyond New Zealand fisheries’ waters and provides for technical minor amendments to clarify wording or to provide for technical amendments to better achieve the intent of the legislation. 
Part 1 makes important changes to the way quota will be allocated in the future. Current quota allocation provisions are impeding the effect of fisheries management as they are based on catching patterns of over 12 years ago that detract from the smooth transition of species into the quota management system. The bill changes quota allocation in two ways. Firstly the bill immediately removes the individual catch entitlements allocation and 1990-92 catch history allocation for most low-value and low-volume stocks and species. Secondly for stocks and species that have current utilisation value the bill retains 1990-92 catch history as a way of allocating quota. 
I have listened to submissions on the bill and will be proposing amendments to improve the way this transition works. I will refer to those amendments shortly when I outline the contents of the Government’s Supplementary Order Paper to this bill. 
Part 2 of the Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 3) provides for the transition from green-lipped mussel spat catch permits issued under the Fisheries Act 1983 to management under the quota management system. Schedule 1 of the bill includes new schedules 4B and 4C to be inserted into the Fisheries Act 1996. Schedule 4B lists highly migratory species to which certain provisions of the 1996 Act will apply. Schedule 4C lists species and stocks to which the moratorium on the issuing of new permits will apply. It also lists the stocks and species that will be allocated using fishers’ 1990-92 catch history. 
The Primary Production Committee has reported back to the House and recommended by majority that the bill not proceed. It is essential however that this bill does proceed. The bill contains a number of important provisions that will provide for improvements in the management of New Zealand’s fisheries resources. The proposals contained in the Supplementary Order Paper meet the concerns reported by the committee. 
I would like to draw the House’s attention now to the amendments to the bill proposed in the Supplementary Order Paper. Earlier I referred to the bill’s changes to the way quota will be allocated. Several submissions from the commercial fishing industry recommended that catch history cease in 2009 as a way of allocating quota. I consider this proposal to be eminently sensible and in line with the Government’s policy intent for the bill. 
Submissions to the select committee called for the 1990-92 catch history quota allocation to be kept for additional stocks and species. I consider that there is scope for the catch history to be retained for those additional stocks and species. The Supplementary Order Paper keeps catch history allocation for an additional eight species by means of a new schedule to the bill—schedule 4D. Once amended the overall effect of the bill will be to retain until 2009 around 80 to 90 percent of catch histories for stocks and species still outside the quota management system on 1 October 2004. 
The Supplementary Order Paper also inserts an allocation schedule to enable the introduction to the quota management system of green-lipped mussels in area 9 on 1 October 2004. The allocation schedule has been agreed amongst stakeholders. The Supplementary Order Paper also amends quota allocation for pipi in area 1A by revoking current allocations of provisional catch history and allocating quota direct to fishers. This amendment is to address quota allocation concerns in this fishery. 
 The Supplementary Order Paper amends the bill so that quota management system management of a highly migratory species outside New Zealand fisheries waters will be limited to certain circumstances. Quota management system management of such stocks outside New Zealand fisheries waters will be able to occur only where a regional fisheries organisation has made national allocations or other management measures. 
The Supplementary Order Paper introduces a requirement for the Minister of Fisheries to consult with the Minister of Conservation when considering future management of species listed in schedule 4C inserted by schedule 1 which are also listed in the appendices to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. 
The Supplementary Order Paper introduces new provisions to enable balances from the cost-recovery settlement between the Crown and industry to be correctly apportioned to the new fish stocks and then allocated to levy-payers as was intended by the Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 2) in 2004. 
This bill contains a number of provisions that will improve the Fisheries Act 1996 so that it can better achieve its purpose which is of course to provide for the utilisation of fisheries resources in this country and in our waters at the same time as ensuring sustainability. I commend the bill to the House.