An international fisheries forum has delivered a stinging rebuke to New Zealand after diplomats made an abrupt about-turn on deep-sea trawling restrictions.
But Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has hit back insisting geo-political tensions mean Wellington shouldn’t cede any influence or footprint in the Pacific.
The inter-government body in charge of regulating high-seas fishing in the South Pacific, SPRFMO, convenes its annual meeting on Monday (Tuesday, NZ time) in Santiago, Chile.
Ahead of the meeting, a performance review of last year’s forum has criticised New Zealand. Kiwi diplomats, with the Cook Island, had proposed, then abandoned and vetoed proposed rules to to reduce bottom-trawling in biodiversity hotspots, like seamounts, which are biodiversity hotspots.
Officials said the U-turn was because of a change of government in late 2023.
The review criticised New Zealand for disrupting the process.
“The panel’s view is that…the change in government within one member country should not absolve the Commission from its obligations.
“Disrupting a multilateral process due to such political changes is very unfortunate. “
There are 17 member countries in SPRFMO. Other states, intergovernmental organisations and environmental groups can attend to observe the meetings.
Only a handful of national fleets use the practice of dragging heavy fishing gear across seabed features, and New Zealand is the only country doing it in the South Pacific.
Australia and U.S have submitted similar restrictions to be debated at this year’s meeting.
Karli Thomas, an observer for the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, said there is tension ahead of the meeting as countries anticipate whether New Zealand will again block the proposals.
“There’s a real concern that New Zealand is going to be as intransigent this time as they were last time,” she said from Santiago.
She said the position is at odds with a recently inked United Nations agreement on protecting biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction, also known as the High Seas Treaty.
“The world is moving forward and starting to protect these international waters. That takes international collaboration.
“And New Zealand is showing that it doesn’t seem capable of collaborating, even with those who should be our closest allies.”
The Government is still considering the proposal. But Jones said he has made his position clear.
“My message to the Australian and American combatants is: not only are we a sovereign state, but New Zealand is not interested in taking a backward step, ceding our influence in the Pacific to other nations.
“The Rarotongan experience teaches us a valuable lesson.”
Wellington has become increasingly cautious about China’s growing presence in the Pacific region.
Over the weekend, the Cook Islands signed a comprehensive strategic partnership to “expand economic opportunities” with China, sparking a dispute with New Zealand.
China is also a SPRFMO member.
“The outcome that the Australian and American delegates want is to shrink New Zealand’s influence,” Jones said. “Are they saying that Kiwis are not allowed to adopt a different stance, which will lead to a different footprint of of allowable fishing?
“The New Zealand companies are constantly toying with the idea of just giving up because they feel that the New Zealand bureaucracy, their own nation state, is constantly being brow-beaten, successfully, by the NGOs and other nations.
“That’s not tolerable. That can lead to a host of unintended consequences. And look no further than the recent trip of the Cook Islands to Beijing.”
The Ministry for Primary Industries’ divisional manager of trade and international relations, Charlotte Denny said the review reflects a range of views from the member countries.
“Differences will arise from time to time as each country brings its own perspective, and we work constructively alongside other countries to resolve issues as they arise,” she said.
“An independent review to be discussed at the commission has queried whether the restrictions for bottom fishing that are currently in place are overly restrictive.
“SPRFMO already establishes some of the most restrictive bottom trawling measures globally,” said Denny.
