Daily reporting debate

I see that Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash has decided that daily reporting of catches by small inshore boats will lead to more accurate and timely information and will help to make better decisions faster.

I believe this is a fantasy as most fisheries decisions take many months, if not years, to make.

Can anyone think of a New Zealand fisheries decision that has been made that was time critical to a month let alone a day or two.

Even mid-season quota increases take months after the ministry has signalled that one will most likely occur.

This is a scientists fantasy story that even if it could be made why would it need to be as changes in fisheries take years not days to occur.

I believe the once a month reporting that exists at present is timely enough for any management decisions as daily reporting would be very expensive for small operators as satellite communications would be required as a lot of southern boats operate out of cell phone range.

The daily reporting are only estimates as accurate figures can not be confirmed until boats unload to LFRs when they return to port also most of the information supplied is filed and sits in raw form in the system until someone decides to do something with it

I believe that the minister is doing his best to make the system as fair and workable as possible but I also believe daily reporting will open small operators to expensive compliance action that is unnecessary.

Cyril Lawless