What happens at sea shouldn't be hidden: SPCA welcomes Fisheries Bill delay

Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Shane Jones has requested an extension on the deadline for when the Primary Production Select Committee must report to Parliament about the Bill.

SPCA Senior Scientific Officer Dr Christine Sumner notes the Fisheries Amendment Bill has been deeply controversial since it was first announced for public consultation earlier this year.

SPCA provided a written submission and attended an oral hearing on the Bill, where we voiced our concerns about amendments that threaten the environment, reduce transparency, and undermine public trust in the commercial fishing industry.

“One of our biggest concerns is the proposed exemption of on-board camera footage from the Official Information Act. We are concerned that this footage may capture animal welfare offenses and that removing public access would reduce transparency. OIA requests are an important tool that helps provide confidence that MPI is addressing breaches of the Animal Welfare Act”.

Commercial fishers are required to report their catch and the number and types of protected species that interact with their vessels or gear. On-board cameras verify these reports, including how much fish is caught, how unwanted catch is handled, and the number of animals such as seabirds, turtles, sharks, and marine mammals that are injured or killed.

The introduction of on-board cameras was one of the most significant accountability reforms in New Zealand's commercial fishing industry, providing independent verification of what occurs at sea where there are otherwise few witnesses.

Unintentional capture of sharks, fish, seabirds, turtles, and marine mammals is not by itself an offence. However, fishers have obligations under the Animal Welfare Act to not allow or cause an animal to suffer unreasonable or unnecessary pain, distress, or an inhumane death.

“On-board cameras are an important tool to deter offenses being committed under the Animal Welfare Act” says Dr Sumner. “If we are to have a commercial fishing industry that has the trust of the public, then we need to have a system that works for holding those accountable that harm animals at sea”.

Concerns about fishers’ privacy have prompted the proposed amendment to exempt on-board camera footage from OIA requests. Yet, the Ministry for Primary Industries has strict protocols for reviewing and storing camera footage to protect privacy and there have been no issues to date.

"SPCA appreciates the concerns about privacy, but current practices and rules in place to protect fishers are working and we see no need to restrict public access to camera footage,” Dr Sumner says.

“What happens at sea should not be hidden from public scrutiny. On-board cameras were introduced to improve transparency and accountability, and those principles should not be undermined.”

The rollout of cameras on board commercial fishing vessels was complete in 2025. However, not all vessels are required to have cameras. This leaves many aquatic animals without the protection that cameras provide. SPCA continues to advocate for on-board camera coverage across the entire commercial fleet.

There is still work to be done to ensure the Bill is significantly revised before it progresses through Parliament. SPCA is calling on the Government to remove the proposed exemption for on-board camera footage from the Official Information Act and ensure transparency and accountability remain central to New Zealand's fisheries management system.

SPCA encourages all those that are keen to protect marine wildlife to contact their local MP and let them know this Bill cannot progress in its current form.

You can read more on our Advocacy page.

Banner image: Anjanette Bake via Wikimedia