Horan Brendan: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHoran Brendan: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 31 July 2013. Volume:692;Page:12120. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]12.BRENDAN HORAN (Independent)to theMinister for Primary Industries: What scientific studies if any were considered by his ministry about the effect of the Rena disaster on the spawning reproductive and growth cycles of snapper in the coastal waters of Tauranga Moana and the eastern Bay of Plenty prior to the release of his MPI Discussion Paper 2013/31Review of sustainability and other management controls for snapper 1 (SNA1) ?Hon JO GOODHEW (Associate Minister for Primary Industries)on behalf of theMinister for Primary Industries: There have been no recent studies on the spawning or reproductive cycles of snapper in the coastal waters of Tauranga Moana and the Eastern Bay of Plenty. However growth data is collected routinely from the commercial fishery in this area. There is no indication that theRena grounding had any effect on snapper biology overall. The snapper 1 stock covers a substantial area while the effects of oil spills from theRena were relatively localised.Brendan Horan: Why is the Minister unwilling to cut the commercial catch of large fishing companies such as Sanford which incidentally is largely owned by interests associated with the National Party president—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption ] Order! I will give the member one more opportunity to ask a satisfactory supplementary question without such additions to the question.Hon Trevor Mallard: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Can you be specific about what was unsatisfactory with that? There was a fact in there—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member is now starting to waste the time of this House. For supplementary questions you only have to look at Standing Order 377. They must be clear and concise without imputation and epithets. Would the member please ask his supplementary question. [Interruption ] Order!Brendan Horan: Why is the Minister unwilling to cut the commercial catch of large fishing companies such as Sanford?Hon JO GOODHEW: The member is jumping the gun. The Ministry for Primary Industries is currently undergoing consultation on a range of options. It is not targeting recreational fishers. There is a range of options which includes cutting the catch limit for commercial fishers. The member might well be served to know that tonight there is a public information meeting in Parnell which he or others interested could attend and a public information evening in Tauranga at the coastguard building at Sulphur Point between 6 and 8.30 tomorrow 1 August if anyone wants to in fact have the factsbefore they put in a submission on the process before 23 August rather than jump to the conclusions that this member has.Te Ururoa Flavell: What steps has the Minister’s ministry been taking to ensure that the kai moana resource in Tauranga Moana will not be adversely affected in the long term by theRena disaster and what has the Government done to protect mana whenua rights ofwhānauhapū and iwi in relation to the environment in the wake of theRena disaster?Hon JO GOODHEW: The Ministry for Primary Industries is actively and always monitoring this fishery. If any adverse effects as a result of theRena are actually picked up then the appropriate action will be taken at that time.Brendan Horan: Given the options in the Ministry for Primary Industries discussion paper and given that the Minister for Primary Industries has downplayed the economic value of the New Zealand recreational fishing sector in his analysis is this not a case of the fish rotting from the head first?Hon JO GOODHEW: Once again the member is taking this consultation process completely out of context. The member would be well advised if he is so interested in it to put in a submission. There have been no predeterminations of the outcome and the options are many.