Benson-Pope David: Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 4) — Second Reading 
Benson-Pope David: Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 4) — Second Reading 
[Volume:618;Page:14482] 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE (Minister of Fisheries) 
: 
 I move  
That the Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 4) be now read a second time 
. The Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 4) amends the Fisheries Act. It has been divided from the Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 3) where it was previously Part 3 of that bill. The Fisheries Amendment Bill (No 4) provides for the introduction of scampi into the quota management system on 1 October 2004 and corrects a general problem with current quota allocation mechanisms identified during the process of introducing North Island eels into the quota management system. 
The management of scampi has attracted a great deal of attention and controversy over the last decade. Introducing scampi into the quota management system by legislation will remove the uncertainty surrounding the future management of that fishery. The allocation measures contained in the bill also ensure that no incentives to race for catch history are created. A key recommendation of the Primary Production Committee’s report on its inquiry was that scampi be introduced into the quota management system as of 1 October 2004 using catch history as the basis for quota allocation. To ensure the status meets and gives effect to the select committee’s recommendations the bill also defines all matters consequential to a declaration for introducing stocks into the quota management system allocates provisional catch history to scampi fishers provides capacity for fishers to appeal against provisional catch history allocations at the catch history review committee and makes other consequential changes as necessary. 
I thank members of the Primary Production Committee for their work on this bill. During the submission process submitters were divided on the passage of the bill. Support for passage of the bill was based on the belief that any delay would be bad for the resource and would make management and marketing of the fishery less successful. Opposition to passage of the bill was for two reasons: firstly submitters felt that it would impede effective negotiations with the ministry on appropriate compensation for or redress of the grievances identified by the committee in its inquiry report; and secondly submitters felt that passing legislation before the public release of the State Services Commission’s report into scampi management would be inappropriate unconstitutional and unfair. The State Services Commission report of course was released during the select committee process. After consideration the committee decided against delaying the passage of the bill. 
The committee has acknowledged the Government’s decision to accept its recommendations with regard to the compensation of named scampi fishers in its report and does not intend to establish a precedent for other fisheries by recommending changes to the allocation model in the scampi fishery. The allocation of provisional catch history to scampi fishers incorporates the committee’s specific recommendations relating to catch history records. However the opportunity for fishers to appeal provisional catch history allocations at the catch history review committee is retained. 
The committee has proposed an amendment to Schedule 2 of the bill in order to provide for the allocation of provisional catch history to one of the stakeholders in the fishery. That amendment could not be incorporated into the bill before the bill was introduced. However the Government supports the select committee’s recommendation. I commend the bill to the House.