Environmental group WWF-New Zealand today welcomed the announcement by Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash that electronic catch and position reporting will be implemented across the entire fishing fleet.
Electronic reporting enables more accurate and timely information to be gathered on commercial fish catches. The largest trawl boats are already using this technology, which will be progressively rolled-out across the rest of the NZ fishing fleet during 2019.
Commenting on the announcement, WWF-New Zealand Chief Executive officer Livia Esterhazy said, “WWF-New Zealand welcomes this announcement. It is extremely difficult to manage what is not properly measured so enabling more timely and accurate reporting is vital for sustainable fishing. We urge the government to follow this with placing cameras on boats which will further promote accurate reporting, ensure transparency and help fishers who are doing the right thing to prove it.”
