Doug Paulin: Sealord CEO on the potential changes to the Fisheries Act

Sealord says the current Fisheries Act regulations are no longer fit for purpose.  

Consultation's open on changes to the Act to allow catch limits to be more readily altered and let camera-fitted boats dump unwanted catch at sea. 

If agreed on, the public would no longer be able to access fishing boat surveillance camera footage through official information requests. 

Chief Executive Doug Paulin told Mike Hosking there's no longer so much need for such strict oversight.  

He says they now have digital reporting, vessel locators going to MPI daily, and cameras on many of the fishing boats. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So the fisheries industry getting a shake up. We're at
the feedback stage on everything from catch limits to onboard
camera transparency. Shane Jones of course driving this even very
vocal about the unnecessary regulations which impede productivity and potential.
Sea Lord CEO Doug Pauland's with us, Doug morning, did
I make you're getting basically what you want? Do you think?

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Well? I think it's a good start to the changes
the industry have been requesting for a reasonable period of
time and what we're seeing as an acknowledgment that fishing
is in a much different place, particularly over the last
five years, as technology has increased significantly, and now that
we've got digital reporting, we've got vessel locators going into

(00:40):
MPLA daily, and we've seen the introduction of cameras to
many of the fishing vessels. It's become a very striking
call to say the regulations are no longer fit for purpose.
So I think it's been It's a very good start.

Speaker 1 (00:51):
Seven and a half million year company pays the Ministry
of Primary Industries. What do you get for that?

Speaker 2 (00:58):
We get a lot of oversight, We yet comply science.
We pay for our own policing by the Ministry of
Fisheries and Ministry of Primary Industries. We get science for that,
which is great. We do also pay towards the Department
of Conservation, which is great to see. Sometimes we don't

(01:18):
get a lot important to where that money goes. So
that's something we're looking for change moving forward. So look,
I think there's room for that number to come down personally,
because what's happened is the number has gone up and
up and up to the point it's very difficult to
make returns out of fishing.

Speaker 1 (01:36):
I noticed I was looking at Jones and TikTok and
cameras and stuff like that. How much of this reformers
about cameras on board and TikTok and going to the court,
And how much there's media stuff there is the cameras
the headline stuff or is that.

Speaker 2 (01:47):
A major not really? Look, I think the cameras are
a bit of a distraction in reality, the cameras and Look,
Shane's acknowledged that his personal view is different to what's
been decided by cabinet. It's different to what even some
industry players believe and look for here to stay. What
we're seeing now is we're seeing an acknowledgment that it's
not right for the public to say, well, we want

(02:10):
the right to look at people in their workplaces. It's
like saying, will I go to an office every day
if there was a camera behind me watching me on
my computer, and then any man and his dog could
request that footage and see what I'm doing. I don't
think generally if the public understood that's what's happening, they'd
be very happy. I like the read and see everything

(02:31):
they want.

Speaker 1 (02:31):
Sure correct me if I'm wrong. I liking you guys
to farmers. You don't get up in the morning, and
this is catch limits and all that stuff. You guys
don't get up in the morning to ruin your business,
do you. Therefore, of course, not exactly. But so what
we've had is a system whereby we think you are
all criminals and we'll need to monitor you and keep
you in line and all of that stuff. And all
that's happening here is a bit of ideological change, and
you can get on with life and get on with business.

Speaker 2 (02:53):
One hundred percent.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
Nice to talk to you. Don't appreciate it very much.
Doug pauland who is the Sea Lords CEO?

Speaker 2 (02:58):
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