11573 (2024). Teanau Tuiono to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries

11573 (2024). Teanau Tuiono to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries: How many, if any, domestic longline fishing vessels will not have observers in 2023/24 and how does this compare with the 2022/23 fishing year?

Hon Shane Jones: I am advised that, once installed, onboard cameras are the default verification tool in place of observers. Onboard cameras went live in January 2024 for the surface longline fleet. It is currently planned that all bottom longline vessels will have onboard cameras by the end of 2024. I refer the member the the attached table for the number of longline vessels, fishing in the EEZ, with observers on board during the 2022/23 fishing year compared with 2023/24 fishing year.