Ban on NZ seafood exports

A US court yesterday ordered a ban on New Zealand exports of snapper, tarakihi, spotted dogfish, trevally, warehou, hoki, barracouta, mullet and gurnard from the inshore trawl fishery and inshore gillnet fishery off the west coast of the North Island. Conservationist group Sea Shepherd had asked the US Court of International Trade in 2020 to bring in a ban, arguing a lack of action by the New Zealand Government to protect critically endangered Māui’s dolphins. Under US law, an import ban can kick in if the court agrees a country is not applying similar protections to those in place in their waters. The lawsuit was against the US Department of Commerce, Department of Homeland Security, NOAA Fisheries and the Treasury Department. The New Zealand Government joined the US defendants in the case.