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Application for exemption from rock lobster quota aggregation limits

UPDATE – 28 SEPTEMBER 2017

Minister's decisions

The Minister for Primary Industries has decided to allow Fiordland Lobster Company to hold up to 15% of the Total Allowable Commercial Catch in each of the following rock lobster fisheries:

  • CRA 4 (Wellington/Hawke's Bay)
  • CRA 7 (Otago)
  • CRA 8 (Southern).

This consent is subject to the conditions that Fiordland Lobster Company specified in their amended application. This includes offering a proportion of quota to fishers and to provide fishers with access to Annual Catch Entitlement on an annual basis for the 3 fisheries where the consent applies.

The Minister's decision letter provides the details of, and reasons for, each of his decisions.

Background

Fiordland Lobster Company Limited initially applied to hold rock lobster quota in excess of aggregation limits in the CRA 4, CRA 7, and CRA 8 rock lobster fisheries.

Under the Fisheries Act 1996, no person can own more than 10,000,000 quota shares (10%) for any one rock lobster quota management area. Fiordland Lobster Company applied to hold up to 20,000,000 quota shares (20%) in CRA 4, CRA 7, and CRA 8.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) invited submissions from persons or organisations having an interest in this application for exemption from aggregation limits. Submissions closed on 13 May 2016.

Following the consultation, Fiordland Lobster Company amended their application for consent to hold up to 15% of the quota shares in the three fisheries subject to certain conditions.

Consultation documents

Submissions are public information

Any submission you make becomes public information. Anyone can ask for copies of all submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the information available unless we have a good reason for withholding it. You can find those grounds in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA. Tell us if you think there are grounds to withhold specific information in your submission. Reasons might include, it's commercially sensitive or it's personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold information can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may require the information be released.