April 23rd 2024: A can of worms

Last week we wrote a piece titled Something in the honey that elicited quite a big reaction from our readers. And for good reason. It was about Shane Jones flippantly casting aside the sea lion recovery efforts in favour of the commercial squid fishery in the Sub-Antarctic Islands. In doing so he's opened a can of worms and they aren't going back in.

The bit that never made sense was that the few observers in the Sub-Antarctic squid fishery fleets had reported way fewer sea lions killed as bycatch than even the lowest proposed Fishing Related Mortality Limit. Something was amiss. And this is where the narrative weaved by Shane Jones unravels ... data published by the Ministry for Primary Industries shows that commercial fishing companies have been underreporting their bycatch by as much as 700%. Dolphin bycatch was seven times more than any previous year before cameras, albatross deaths were up 350% and discarded fish (when a higher value species takes precedence) was up by 50%.

Greenpeace Oceans Campaigner, Ellie Hooper said this was "exactly why a comprehensive cameras on boats programme was needed.”

Cameras on commercial fishing fleet boats launched in August 2023 and cameras have been operating on 127 boats including 105 trawl and set net vessels and 22 surface longliners since then. According to MPI there were estimated to be 840 commercial fishing boats operating in New Zealand in 2022. Footage captured across 11,000 fishing trips has resulted in 3,733 events being reviewed as of early April. The results are more than a recalibration – they are proof that the fishing industry has been caught red-handed in a lie that has most likely persisted through generations. Thanks for bringing that to our attention Shane Jones.

Now the Minister for Fisheries, Shane Jones, is suggesting the footage belongs to the fishing industry and is reviewing any further rollout of cameras on boats. Seriously? I'm not sure what's more laughable – Shane Jones's greasy hands trying to put the tuna back in the can, or the fact he's about to sink the 1.45 billion dollar fishing industry he's supposed to be helping into the future?

One thing that concerns me most here: where is the leadership? I have mates in the fishing industry – really good people with an eye to the future, but where is the leadership from the top? Where is the leadership from iwi? We are heading into a new era right now and leadership is what will determine whether we race to the bottom or adapt and embrace a future that includes future generations. The Fisheries Industry Transformation Plan of 2023 seemed like a step in a better direction, but this latest political shambles reeks of an industry falling flat on its face.

See you at the beach ... Derek

PS This week's images are all from Kaikoura. I love that place. Whales, dolphins, seals and kahawai all amongst beautiful clean waves and set to a mountainous backdrop that seems like something out of a dream.