11. Question No. 11—Oceans and FisheriesHon EUGENIE SAGE (Green) to the Minister for Oceans and FisheriesQuestion No. 11—Oceans and Fisheries11. Hon EUGENIE SAGE (Green) to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries: Was he aware before the publication of the DOC-commissioned report that at least 273 protected sea turtles were caught between 2007/08 and 2020/21; if so who told him?Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister for Oceans and Fisheries): No. But in March 2021 I was advised by Fisheries New Zealand about a high number of turtle captures in the surface longline fishery for the prior quarter: 40 turtles had been caught 38 released alive and two were dead. Fisheries New Zealand have since undertaken further work on measures to reduce the capture of turtles.Hon Eugenie Sage: How does he respond to the statement in the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) report entitled Review of commercial fishing interactions with marine reptiles that to date little progress has been made" on any of the recommendations in a similar scientific report in 2016 including to better monitor sea turtle catch implement guidelines to reduce sea turtle mortality revise the allocation of fisheries observer coverage and improve data quality and monitoring?Hon DAVID PARKER: In respect of measures that have been taken I'm advised that the use of wire leaders was banned in 2015 and the analysis of the effect of this—wire leaders make it more difficult to release protected species when caught—shows a significant reduction in catches of protected species including turtles and sharks. Earlier this year public consultation also concluded on the banning of J hooks to reduce turtle captures and I'll be receiving advice on that later this year prior to making a final decision. In addition Fisheries New Zealand works with the Department of Conservation protected species liaison officer programme to provide fishers with education and information and equipment such as line cutters to support the safe release of turtles. In addition Fisheries New Zealand is collaborating with the University of Florida on research about sea turtle distribution and potential mitigation. In addition of course we have funded in the last year cameras on boats which are being rolled out and I'm advised once that roll-out is finished it will cover 95 percent of the captures which were in longline fishers of highly migratory species all of which are intended to be covered through cameras on boats.Hon Eugenie Sage: Has he asked Fisheries New Zealand for advice on establishing a capture limit for endangered leatherback turtles in the surface longline fisheries for bigeye tuna and swordfish in Fisheries Management Area 1 the area where most turtles are caught to trigger a closure of those fisheries when the limit is reached as occurs in similar longline fisheries in Hawaii and if not why not?Hon DAVID PARKER: We do actually have limits like that for some species of dolphin. In respect of the report that the member referred to in the primary question it was a NIWA report prepared primarily for the Department of Conservation. That report will be considered by officials including from Fisheries before further decisions are taken.Hon Eugenie Sage: Does he agree with previous Fisheries New Zealand views that measures such as set capture limits are unnecessary because turtle captures in New Zealand waters are minimal now that NIWA has reported the capture of 58 turtles largely endangered leatherback turtles in a single year 2020-21 the highest on record?Hon DAVID PARKER: In respect of that number indeed 40 of those 50 were in a single quarter and that concerns me.Hon Eugenie Sage: Has he asked Fisheries New Zealand to expand observer coverage to better monitor turtle capture in surface longline fisheries and if not why not?Hon DAVID PARKER: In terms of the observers being real people no and I would observe that the vast majority—I think it's about 80 percent of reported turtle captures—are reported by fishers themselves without observers. We think the way to increase the coverage and monitoring of these fisheries is through cameras on boats which will achieve far higher levels of observational coverage than has been able to be achieved through people until now.Hon Eugenie Sage: How many captures and deaths of endangered leatherback turtles by surface longline fishing in New Zealand waters does he consider are too many when the global leatherback turtle population fell by 95 percent in the last two decades of the 20th century?Hon DAVID PARKER: As I've said before I'm certainly concerned by the data that has been produced on turtle captures and I am supportive of measures to reduce that."