Observers pulled from vessels after threats to safety
A collision between a container ship and a fishing boat has seen officials order observers off some inshore commercial fishing vessels.
Fisheries New Zealand has refused to place staff on smaller boats that do not operate continuous watchkeeping shifts – but it won’t say how many vessels are affected, or for how long.
The watchdogs travel aboard fishing fleets, tracking their catches including any accidental catch of species, such as endangered seabirds and dolphins. They make sure crews are following the rules and not dumping unwanted fish overboard, and monitor labour conditions.
The role as the ‘‘eyes and ears’’ of fisheries management is vital to protect oceans and preserve fish stocks – and marine conservationists are dispirited by the move. The ban also means New Zealand won’t meet its international obligations for monitoring tuna fishing. In July 2021, the Commission collided with the 266-metre-long container vessel Kota Lembah, which was drifting awaiting port berth at Auckland.
No-one was hurt in the crash, which happened about 4am and 84 nautical miles from Tauranga. A Transport Accident Investigation Commission report, published in April, noted watchkeeping standards on both vessels ‘‘fell well short of good industry practice.’’
There was no-one on watch on the Commission (the boat) at the time of the collision. Skipper Mike Te Pou was fined $1625 in the Tauranga District Court earlier this month.
But an observer was on board. Worried Fisheries NZ officials stopped deploying observers to ‘‘a small number’’ of vessels who don’t keep watch while drifting.
They also sought clarification from Maritime NZ and in October the regulatory body said that under existing rules there should be a watchkeep on vessels at all times, including while anchored.
But Fisheries NZ has no powers to enforce the safety rules onboard ships and therefore is not sending observers back onboard all ships.
‘‘[The] clarification affected a larger number of vessels,’’ Justin Clement, acting director of verifications and operations, said.
‘‘In line with this we expanded our approach, and stopped placing observers on vessels that did not meet watchkeep requirements while anchored.’’
He said most of the reduction ‘‘would likely’’ be on smaller vessels that do multi-day trips.
The agency also introduced new checks and sought assurances about compliance before placing observers, he said. The safety of staff was paramount, Clement said.
‘‘Fisheries New Zealand is actively talking with individual vessel operators to find ways for them to meet watch requirements and get to sea safely with observers onboard . . . We have managed operational disruptions to our observer coverage in the past, including through Covid which had a similar effect on overall coverage in 2021/22.’’
Clement also said his agency was working with MNZ “to ensure fishing operators are complying with all legal requirements around safety and carrying observers.”
In February, Stuff revealed methamphetamine abuse aboard the commercial fleet was preventing officials from placing observers on high-risk vessels.
But the ban – which will reduce observer sea days by about 20% across all fisheries – has disappointed marine conservationists.
Observer coverage is already consistently low – frequently less than 5% of annual fishing effort – in small-vessel fisheries.And a nationwide roll-out of cameras on commercial fishing boats is yet to start, and won’t be complete until the end of next year.
As a member state of the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna, New Zealand committed to 10% observer coverage of domestics vessels operating in the bluefin tuna fishery. That fleet is largely based out of Napier and Tauranga, working the East Coast between Gisborne and the Bay of Plenty.
‘‘Due to these operational issues, the target is not expected to be met this year,’’ Clement said.
Green Party fisheries spokesperson Eugenie Sage said vessels that can’t meet watchkeeping requirements shouldn’t be put to sea.
If the requirements are not enforced by Maritime NZ then Fisheries NZ should reduce catch entitlements ‘‘to provide an incentive for those vessels and fishing companies to operate safely so that observers can be on board,’’ Sage added.
Barry Weeber, of the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, said the number of seabirds caught and killed by the longline fleet of just over 300 vessels – is a longstanding problem.
The practice uses a long main line with baited hooks attached at intervals, and can be set to hang near the surface, to catch species like tuna, or along the sea floor, known as bottom or demersal longlining.