New Zealand is a maritime nation with the 4th largest exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the world. Our waters are the home of many protected marine species:
These waters also provide for important commercial, recreational and customary fishing resources.
Marine protected species can be threatened by commercial fishing via:
The Conservation Services Programme (CSP) is DOC’s primary mechanism to understand and address fishing related threats to protected species. A proportion of funding required to investigate and mitigate the impacts of fishing on protected species of marine wildlife (Conservation Services) is recovered from the domestic commercial fishing industry as outlined in the CSP Annual Plan.
CSP is legislated to undertake and recover the costs of research related to Conservation Services from the commercial fishing sector. Under the Fisheries Act 1996, Conservation Services are defined as outputs produced in relation to the adverse effects of commercial fishing on protected species, as agreed between the Minister responsible for the administration of the Conservation Act 1987 and the Director-General of the Department of Conservation, including:
(a) research relating to those effects on protected species:
(b) research on measures to mitigate the adverse effects of commercial fishing on protected species:
(c) the development of population management plans under the Wildlife Act 1953 and the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978
For a summary of the legal basis of levied work described in this Annual Plan, refer to the CSP Strategic Statement (PDF, 347K).
The following submissions were received:
View a Summary of Submissions (PDF, 349K) including the DOC response to key points raised by submitters.
Conservation Services Programme
Department of Conservation
PO Box 10-420
Wellington 6143
Email: csp@doc.govt.nz