Fishing law that got away

As Parliament rises for the election this week, a series of important legislative changes will fail to pass – including one cracking down on illegal practices in the fishing industry that was prompted by a investigation. reports.

Sunday Star-Times THE FAILURE of a bill outlawing ‘‘slave fishing’’ in New Zealand has raised fears the country’s international reputation for providing safe food is again at risk.

The bill followed a 2011 Sunday Star-Times expose ‘‘Slavery at sea’’, which revealed human and labour rights abuses aboard a large fleet of foreign charter vessels (FCVs) fishing the exclusive economic zone.

Nick Grono, of the influential anti- slavery international group The Freedom Fund, said past abuses showed the need for laws to halt enslavement in the fishing industry.

‘‘Failure to pass such legislation won’t make the issue go away – it will mean that the exploitation will continue, and the New Zealand fishing industry will be tainted by association with the criminal practices of a few abusive actors.’’

A major United States media group is currently working on an expose on New Zealand’s fishing.

After the Auckland University Business School and Star- Times investigations, the Government set up a joint ministerial inquiry leading to Prime Minister John Key pledging to make the boats fly New Zealand flags by 2016.

One year and nine months after the introduction of the Fisheries (Foreign Charter Vessels and Other Matters) Amendment Bill, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy admitted last week it would not get through this term.

Labour’s fisheries spokesman Damien O’Connor said it could pass the bill easily in a couple of hours this week. ‘‘This is really bad for New Zealand’s reputation.’’

Green Party spokesman Stefan Browning said the delay would concern people around the world. ‘‘ The reputational damage continues until they do the right thing. While they have made some changes there are people still hurting, there are people who deserve recompense.’’

Business school researcher Glenn Simmons said the delay was ‘‘disgraceful’’.

‘‘Knowing how the FCV sector has operated in the past, I would be surprised if they hadn’t made attempts to frustrate the passage of the bill without the exemptions . . . I was a little optimistic that the inhumane treatment of Asian crew would finally be stamped out, for

Damien O’Connor

the first time,’’ he said. ‘‘But we are dealing with an 80- year culture that knows only one way to make money – cut costs to the bone.’’

Sealord CEO Graham Stuart said the company was worried at the delay because of the damage could cause internationally.

" Sealord has categorically not lobbied for any delay. Our view is that the Government should get on with the proposed reforms.’’

A spokesperson for Sanford Ltd, another FCV user, denied lobbying. ‘‘Sanford has simply made a public written submission on the bill.’’

Industry group Seafood New Zealand chief executive Tim Pankhurst also denied lobbying to delay the bill. Maritime Union

it national secretary Joe Fleetwood was dismayed at the failure. ‘‘There is support from all sides of the House for this bill.’’

Guy, through a spokesman, said with only a week of sitting time left there was not enough time to get the bill through. ‘‘But I’m very confident that it will proceed, even with a new Parliament, given the broad support it enjoys across different parties.’’

He said the Government remained committed to having FCVs NZ-flagged by 2016.