FOCUS party policy and response

1. The TEAM at LEGASEA
FOCUS New Zealand Party fully supports the 5 principles LegaSea have developed. We believe these are
well thought out and workable. Reiterating the principles targets we agree that FOCUS New Zealand will
seek to:
1) Set a default 40% minimum target for fish stocks at 40% of the original size that existed in the
absence of fishing.
2) Reduce wastage through a better understanding of the problem, the introduction of measures that
will reduce incriminate catches and fish deaths such as banning trawling within the 100m contour.
There should be no secrets the Trawl Mortality Report for example should be released and further
studies done to get an accurate figure on the level of wastage in the fishing industry. We would
also look towards introducing measures that penalise wastage and set specific targets of waste
minimisation. If these targets are not met then additional measures would be introduced. There
are many good ideas put forward and each will need to be investigated option in terms of
effectiveness and viability. We would prefer to see no dumping of dead fish at sea.
3) Establish a royalty on commercial fishing so that the nation can get fair compensation for the
private utilisation of the resources that we all own. We agree that that the New Zealand fishing
stocks are publicly owned and are the property of New Zealand.
4) Revise the size limits on fish so that the minimum size limits imposed on the recreational fishermen
apply also to commercial catches.
5) Better understanding the value of the New Zealand fishing sectors, particularly the recreational,
fishery to New Zealand. This study ought to consider the impact on our marine environment, its
people, and its economy. We recognise the cultural importance of fishing stock to Maori and this
to ought to be included in the study.
FOCUS New Zealand is also concerned about the high number of foreign vessels and crews from countries
such as Russia, Korea, China, and Indonesia to benefit from exploitatively cheap labour costs and the
competitive difficulty it imposes on New Zealand commercial fishermen.
FOCUS New Zealand would require all foreign vessels to setup a New Zealand company and operate as a
New Zealand company subject to all New Zealand company laws while fishing in New Zealand waters. This
simple approach would mean a level playing fields where New Zealand owned vessels can compete fairly.
The foreign vessels would be faced with the same compliance costs, ACC, minimum wage, gst, income tax,
etc as New Zealand vessels and would ensure New Zealand taxpayers are not subsidising foreign vessels for
the services and benefit they use while in New Zealand waters.
TU TANGATA.!!
Julian Fairlie
Vice President FOCUS New Zealand