Let’s Make the fisheries Amendment Bill better Protect Fisheries Observers
Sections 225 and 229 of the Fisheries Act need to be strengthened to make it illegal to hinder, obstruct, intimidate, or prevent a fisheries observer from exercising their powers, including by inducement, threat, assault, harassment, or abuse.
Currently the Fisheries Amendment Bill is not strengthening fisheries observer protections
This is despite it being a recommendation from a report MPI commissioned in 2020 which found bullying and harassment of NZ fisheries observers was widespread.
When things go bad at sea, they can go very bad.
New Zealand fisheries observers are typically deployed solo on voyages often lasting up to 6 weeks, but at times up to 3 months. Incidents reported by NZ observers include sexual assault, sexual harassment, assault, threat of violence, bullying and intimidation by crew, as well as direct bribery.
Why is change needed?
When incidents involving observers occur at sea, securing a conviction is often difficult — particularly when solo deployments limit corroborating evidence. The situation is made worse if the legislation does not clearly define what constitutes an offence in the first place. Currently, the Fisheries Act protections for fisheries officers are significantly stronger than those for fisheries observers despite the latter being particularly vulnerable due to their extreme isolation at sea..
By legally strengthening observer protections not only do we send a message that the welfare of observers is important but we underscore that treating them in a professional manner is not optional.
If you are making a submission on the bill please consider highlighting
Sections 225 and 229 of the Fisheries Act need to be strengthened to make it illegal to hinder, obstruct, intimidate, or prevent a Fisheries observer from exercising their powers, including by inducement, threat, assault, harassment, or abuse.
The submission process on the Fisheries Amendments Bill Will close on 29th April.
You can find out more about the bill and make your submission at