Process and Timelines

DEVELOPING FISHERIES PLANS: 5 MAIN STAGES

STAGE 1: DOCUMENT THE CURRENT SITUATION Bring together all relevant information MFish has made a start on Stage 1 FPAG to: - Flesh out the information pulled together by MFish - Check accuracy Add relevant information you hold OUTPUT: Comprehensive and relevant information brief on current situation, agreed to by FPAG

STAGE 2: DEVELOP GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Develop objectives for the fishery. MFish will help different parties reach a common ground. Must meet all relevant legislative obligations and fisheries standards. Get Ministerial direction (if required) on agreed goals and objectives OUTPUT: Set of goals and objectives agreed by FPAG

SETTING OBJECTIVES: SUSTAINABILITY

SETTING OBJECTIVES: ENVIRONMENT

SETTING OBJECTIVES: USE

Fisheries Act (1996) 8. Purpose – (1) The purpose of this Act is to provide for the utilisation of fisheries resources while ensuring sustainability (2) In this Act – “Ensuring Sustainability” means – (a) maintaining the potential of fisheries resources to meet the reasonably foreseeable needs of future generations; and (b) avoiding, remedying, or mitigating any adverse effects of fishing on the aquatic environment “Utilisation” means conserving, using, enhancing and developing fisheries resources to enable people to provide for their social, economic, and cultural well-being.

Fisheries objectives will need to be SMART –Specific, Measurable, SMART OBJECTIVES Fisheries objectives will need to be SMART –Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound eg “the objective is to increase biomass of SNA 7 to 30% of BO by 2013”

STAGE 3: ASSESS THE FISHERY Assess goals and objectives against relevant laws and standards Gap Analysis: Assess how well the existing management framework meets the newly-developed fisheries plan goals and objectives. Refine information needs: Agree to list of information required for risk value analysis

STAGE 3: ASSESS THE FISHERY CON’T Undertake risk value assessment to: (a) Analyse costs and benefits of different approaches. (b) Risk assessment to identify key management issues. (c) Evaluate alternative approaches to managing the fishery. Where objectives and standards are not being met, plan to make improvements. OUTPUTS: MFish Assessment report (of objectives against the Act); Agreed list of information needs for risk value assessment; completed risk value assessment

STAGE 4: DECIDE ON MANGEMENT MEASURES & DEVELOP OPERATIONAL PLAN Specify management measures and fisheries services (eg, compliance, research). Prioritise agreed management measures and services (so MFish resources can be allocated). Responsibilities for implementation. Contingency strategies (where necessary). Performance measures and monitoring of the fishery. Final decisions will lie with the Minister of Fisheries. OUTPUT: FPAG requested preferred services plan (accepted by fisheries manager)

STAGE 5: MONITORING & REVIEW A formal review conducted at an appropriate time (maybe every 5 years?). Describe the outcome of a formal review of the fisheries plan. Re-consider appropriateness of the objectives. Re-assess the fishery and update information in Stage 1 – the current situation. Decide on new management measures and services for the next 5 years.

General Notes Fish plan should take about one year to complete Not all issues need to be addressed at once We will ‘park’ issues when no progress is being made, and move forward on common ground Full consultation (s12) will occur after FPAG has finished development of the fish plan (after step 4) Implementation on requested services plan expected If there is an urgent issue that can’t wait until the fish plan is completed, we’ll deal with it outside the fish plan process.