The Ministry of Fisheries (

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...

: ''Te Tautiaki i nga tini a Tangaroa''), also known by its acronym MFish, was a state sector organisation of New Zealand whose role is ensuring the sustainable utilisation of

fisheries Fishery can mean either the enterprise of raising or harvesting fish and other aquatic life; or more commonly, the site where such enterprise takes place ( a.k.a. fishing ground). Commercial fisheries include wild fisheries and fish farms, both ...

. It was merged into the Ministry of Primary Industries in April 2012. Its purpose was conserving, using, enhancing and developing New Zealand's fisheries resources.

History

The Ministry of Fisheries was established as a stand-alone agency in 1995, after a major governmental review of fisheries legislation, as well as ongoing reforms in the New Zealand State Sector. Previously, responsibility for fisheries belonged to

New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (in Māori, ''Te Manatu Ahuwhenua, Ngāherehere'') was a state sector organisation of New Zealand which dealt with matters relating to agriculture, forestry and biosecurity. It was commonly known by its ...

(MAF), which later became New Zealand's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry when the Ministry of Forestry merged with the remaining Ministry of Agriculture in 1998. Under the Fifth National Government, the Ministry of Fisheries was merged back into MAF from 1 July 2011, and then into the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) in 2012. The subsequent Labour-led government has announced it would break up MPI and has re-established the portfolio of Minister of Fisheries. However, MPI was not disestablished; instead, it was restructured with Fisheries New Zealand established as a new business group within the larger agency.

Responsibilities

The Ministry was primarily responsible for

fisheries management The goal of fisheries management is to produce sustainable biological, environmental and socioeconomic benefits from renewable aquatic resources. Wild fisheries are classified as renewable when the organisms of interest (e.g., fish, shellfish, am ...

within New Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). It aimed to ensure that fisheries are sustainably used within a healthy aquatic

ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syste ...

. MFish also undertook fisheries

research Research is "creativity, creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular att ...

to provide information needed to determine how many

fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of li ...

and other marine organisms (of various species) could be safely taken while ensuring the

sustainability Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and have varied in the literature and over time. The concept of sustainability can be used to guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels (e.g. sustainable livi ...

of the resource.

Notes

1. Budget 2008/09 (excl GST
MFish Facts and Figures

2. Staff (March 2008)(FTEs

3.

References

External links

Ministry for Primary Industries - Fisheries

NZ Fisheries InfoSite
- It provides information on our fisheries and marine environment, explains how fisheries are managed for long-term sustainability, and describes New Zealands fisheries in a global context.
NABIS
- Provides spatial & visual representations of New Zealand marine biological & fisheries management data.

- An online learning resource for teachers and students.

- Provides fishing rules for the New Zealand recreational fishery management areas.
New Zealand Fisheries Management Research Database
- Available for research & analysis of NZ fisheries management information. {{DEFAULTSORT:Ministry Of Fisheries (New Zealand)

Fisheries Fishery can mean either the enterprise of raising or harvesting fish and other aquatic life; or more commonly, the site where such enterprise takes place ( a.k.a. fishing ground). Commercial fisheries include wild fisheries and fish farms, both ...

Nature conservation in New Zealand

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

Specialist law enforcement agencies of New Zealand Ministries established in 1995 Ministries disestablished in 2013

History

Responsibilities

See also

Notes

References

External links