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About the Fisheries Communication Centre

The Fisheries Communications Centre monitors, tracks, and communicates with commercial fishing vessels in New Zealand. Commercial fishing vessels notify the centre when they:

  • arrive in port
  • leave a port
  • enter an area where fishing is restricted
  • shelter and move through restricted areas
  • transfer crew or stores
  • do repairs
  • transfer fish to another vessel ("at-sea transhipment") – you must have prior approval from us for all transhipments
  • do anything that needs to be reported under the vessel's registration or permit
  • have issues with a geospatial position reporting device

How to contact the centre

To notify the Fisheries Communications Centre (FCC) email FCC@fish.govt.nz

We prefer email, but you can also contact us by:

  • fax: +64 4 801 5381
  • phone: +64 4 801 5782

Opening hours

We are open from 9am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday (except public holidays).

How much notice we need

The amount of notice you need to give us about different vessel activities is provided in:

Permit holders requesting a monitored unload

Contact the centre at least one full business day before you arrive in port. If you notify us after 4:30pm on a Friday, you may have to wait several days before you can unload.

Geospatial Position Reporting (GPR) devices

Our National Communications Centre handles issues with geospatial position reporting (GPR) devices.

If you have problems with a registered GPR:

  • contact the provider first
  • contact the National Communications Centre on 0800 008 333 (select option 3).

Requirements for GPRs

GPRs must be registered in New Zealand through FishServe and must meet our GPR standards. The FishServe website has information.

Vessels – FishServe

GPR standards and regulations

Fisheries (Geospatial Position Reporting) Regulations 2017

Fisheries (Geospatial Position Reporting) Amendment Regulations 2018

Fisheries (Geospatial Position Reporting Devices) Circular 2019 [PDF, 582 KB]

Contact requirements for high seas fishing vessels

There are different requirements for:

  • New Zealand vessels under a high seas fishing permit
  • foreign fishing vessels arriving from the high seas

New Zealand vessels under a high seas fishing permit

Vessels with a high seas fishing permit must always carry either:

  • the vessel's high seas fishing permit, or
  • an exact copy of it on board when away.

One of these must always be on the vessel, even if the vessel is not going on the high seas.

Your permit has details of activities you must notify MPI about – including some that are specific to your vessel.

What high seas fishing vessels need to contact us about

If you're fishing under a high seas fishing permit, you need to notify us:

  • 5 working days before your vessel leaves port for the high seas
  • 24 hours before your vessel enters or leaves:
    • any restricted area, or
    • New Zealand waters (the exclusive economic zone)
  • as soon as your vessel enters or exits New Zealand fisheries waters, or any restricted area
  • as soon as your vessel enters or exits any foreign fishing management area
  • 3 working days before arriving in any port (in New Zealand or elsewhere)
  • 5 days before arriving in port if you:
    • already have an observer on board, and
    • want to request an exemption from having an unload monitored.

Request an observer exemption for unloading

We may already have an observer on your fishing vessel to monitor your activities at sea. If so, you may not need an observer to monitor unloading of fish. Ask for an observer exemption 5 working days before you arrive in port.

Foreign fishing vessels arriving from the high seas

There are reporting requirements for foreign fishing vessels that do not:

  • have wild-caught fish onboard
  • already have a Section 113 approval from us to possess wild-caught fish.

They need to follow these reporting requirements:

  • 24 hours before you plan to enter or exit New Zealand's exclusive economic zone (EEZ)
  • immediately as you enter or exit New Zealand's EEZ
  • 72 hours before entering a New Zealand port
  • every day while in transit in the New Zealand EEZ.

24 hours before you plan to enter or exit New Zealand's EEZ

Provide your vessel's:

  • name and international call sign
  • intended action (entering or exiting the EEZ)
  • planned position of entry or exit – latitude (LA) and longitude (LO)
  • species, quantity and condition of catch (or state if you aren't carrying any fish products).

Use this message format
NAME / CALL SIGN / INTENDED ACTION / PLANNED LA 1111 / LO 11111 / CATCH

Immediately as you enter or exit New Zealand's EEZ

Provide:

  • report type (ZENT for entry and ZEXT for exit)
  • date and time (UTC)
  • name and international call sign of vessel
  • position of entry or exit – latitude (LA) and longitude (LO).

Message format
ZENT (or ZEXT) / ddmmyy / TIME / NAME / CALL SIGN / LA 1111 / LO 11111

72 hours before entering a New Zealand port

Provide:

  • report type (PENT)
  • date and time (UTC)
  • name and international call sign of vessel
  • estimated time of entry into port (UTC)
  • port name
  • intended action in port.

Message format
PENT / ddmmyy / TIME / NAME / CALL SIGN / LA 1111 / LO 11111 / ETA / PORT NAME / INTENDED ACTION

Every day while in the New Zealand EEZ

Provide your noon position.

Foreign vessels entering NZ from the high seas carrying fish

Your vessel must have approval from us before arriving in the New Zealand EEZ. This applies whether you plan to unload the fish, or keep the fish on board.

Apply for approval

Apply for approval to possess fish in New Zealand fisheries waters (a section 113 approval) at least 10 working days before your vessel enters the New Zealand EEZ.

Application form for approval to possess fish (s113 form) [PDF, 189 KB]

Read the s113 rules – Fisheries Act 1996

You can only unload fish at an authorised port

Authorised ports are:

  • Auckland
  • Bluff
  • Dunedin
  • Gisborne
  • Lyttelton
  • Napier
  • Nelson
  • New Plymouth
  • Port Chalmers
  • Tauranga
  • Timaru
  • Wellington
  • Whangārei.

Who to contact

If you have questions about the Fisheries Communication Centre, email info@mpi.govt.nz

MPI business units