32148 (2025). Teanau Tuiono to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries

32148 (2025). Teanau Tuiono to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries: What factors, if any, did the Minister consider when proposing changes to the regulatory requirements for the installation of cameras on fishing vessels and if so, was the documented underreporting of discards one of those factors?

Hon Shane Jones: The focus of the on-board camera rollout is inshore vessels that pose the greatest risk to protected species and/or have significant amounts of fish bycatch. I recently consulted on removing a small number of vessels from the requirement to be fitted with cameras where having them was either not practical (such as a vessel is too small or has no independent power source), or because observer coverage is the best method. In deciding to consult on this proposal I took into account the relatively small catch volumes associated with the small vessels.