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Maori-owned Aotearoa Fisheries is welcoming the Government’s intention to speed up the roll-out of monitoring equipment on commercial fishing vessels.
The Government is under pressure after a controversial Auckland University study alleging systemic under-reporting of catch was followed by leaks of internal ministry reports that seemed to indicate a series of breaches that were not prosecuted.
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy says increased monitoring will provide greater transparency of the commercial fleet’s activities and improve public confidence that fisheries are being well managed.
All vessels in the Snapper 1 trawl fleet now have cameras on board, and the project to get cameras on all commercial fishing vessels is now being fast tracked.
Aotearoa Fisheries chief executive Carl Carrington says almost all boats in its inshore trawl fleet now have Vessel Monitoring Systems and electronic monitoring (cameras) on board.
He says the move to cameras was initiated by fishers who wanted to show they have nothing to hide.
Mr Carrington says Aotearoa Fisheries is committed to a sustainably managed fishery.
Copyright © 2016, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com
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