Source: Greenpeace
Greenpeace says the continued roll out of cameras on boats announced today is a win for ocean health and environmentalists, who have been campaigning for greater fishing industry accountability for decades – but says it now must also extend to the full fishing fleet.
Oceans & Fisheries Minister Shane Jones, who has repeatedly opposed the cameras on boats programme, takes campaign donations from the industry, and positioned himself as a “champion of industry”, has today announced that cameras will continue to be fitted to the remaining inshore commercial fishing fleet.
Greenpeace Aotearoa executive director Dr. Russel Norman says, “Cameras on boats are our eyes at sea, helping to keep the fishing industry accountable, and giving us a clear picture of how commercial fishing impacts the ocean. We know that when cameras go on boats, reported captures of marine life like dolphins and seabirds increase.”
The rollout of cameras on the first 127 boats led to a seven-fold increase in industry reports of dolphin capture, a 3.5 times increase in reports of killing albatrosses and an almost 50% increase in the reported volume of fish dumping.
Says Dr Norman: “The initial rollout to 127 vessels led to new regulations to protect seabirds from being killed by commercial fishing boats.
“Cameras work, and help protect ocean biodiversity. Getting them rolled out on boats is the result of decades of campaigning and public pressure. This announcement today shows that environmental NGOs like Greenpece can win even when faced with a Government and Minister engaged in an all out War On Nature.”
But Dr. Norman says that the camera programme must now be rolled out to the full fleet, including deep sea bottom trawling boats, whose large weighted nets catch and kill marine life, including fur seals, dolphins and coral. A report released last year, showed that commercial fishers pulled up nearly 200 tonnes of coral over a 13 year period with 99% of that ‘bycatch’ caused by bottom trawling.
Greenpeace is also concerned that the announcement included changes to fish dumping regulations, whereby commercial fishing companies would no longer be required to land all the sea creatures they kill in their nets.
“The current discard rules provide strong incentives for fishing companies to minimise the sea creatures killed by their operations, because they have to land them rather than dump them overboard.”Catching and killing and then discarding fish, sharks, rays and so much more is wasteful and damaging to the marine ecosystem. If the fishing industry catches these animals, they should not be allowed to just dump them.”
