1589 (2024). Darleen Tana to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries

1589 (2024). Darleen Tana to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries: What has been the economic impact so far, if any, of the temporary ban by the US Court of International Trade, issued in December 2022, on nine species of fish from the North Island’s west coast?

Hon Shane Jones: I am advised that the US Court of International Trade in November 2022 issued an injunction on imports of nine species of fish from the West Coast North Island multi-species fishery if caught by trawl or set net. The species are snapper, tarakihi, spotted dogfish (rig), trevally, warehou, hoki, barracouta, mullet and gurnard. New Zealand put in place a certification arrangement with the United States to provide assurance to the United States so that exports could continue for the nine species when sourced from other fisheries areas. I am advised that the injunction has had a minor economic impact. New Zealand’s wild capture finfish exports to the United States were worth about $87 million in 2022 and 2023. Three of the species have not been exported to the United States in recent years. Trade in the other six species declined by $1.5 million from $12.7 million in 2022 to $11.2 million in 2023. This is in line with estimates that the potential annual impact on trade to the United States from the injunction could be in the order of $2 million.