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Agency Roles

Ministry of Fisheries
The Ministry of Fisheries leads the across-government team working closely with industry, regional authorities and key stakeholders to support sustainable aquaculture development and implementation of Governments response. Part of the Ministry’s responsibilities include providing information, advice and formal assessments to regional councils on fisheries matters for coastal plans and Aquaculture Management Areas (AMAs). The Ministry is the lead Crown agency responsible for implementing the Maori Aquaculture Settlement. It is responsible for deciding whether a permit application (under the old aquaculture legislation) will have an undue adverse effect on fishing or fisheries resources. And under the new legislation, the Ministry is responsible for deciding whether a proposed AMA will have an undue adverse effect on fishing. In cases where only commercial fishing interests are unduly affected by an application, the Ministry works with these interests and marine farmers to find appropriate solutions.

FishServe, on behalf of the Ministry of Fisheries, is responsible for managing the Fish Farmer Register.   The aquaculture reforms that took affect from 1 January 2005 require all persons carrying out the activity of fish farming to be registered under the Fisheries Act 1996.

Department of Conservation
The Department of Conservation works to ensure sustainable management of the coastal environment through good coastal planning that gives effect to the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement and the Resource Management Act (RMA). Aquaculture Management Areas (AMAs) must be established in regional coastal plans. The Department contributes to the planning for AMAs by providing preliminary information and advice to councils on coastal management and marine issues before plans are notified, and by participating in the statutory process for AMA/coastal plan development. The department also prepares a briefing with recommendations to the Minister of Conservation concerning the approval of regional coastal plans in accordance with the RMA.

Ministry for the Environment
The Ministry for the Environment is responsible for legislative reforms associated with the Aquaculture Reforms, as well as for the implementation of the Resource Management Act. The Ministry also provides guidance and support for good planning process and decision making. The Ministry is working to build enduring relationships between all stakeholders for the future growth of aquaculture in New Zealand. This is being achieved by working with local government to facilitate sustainable aquaculture in their respective regions.

Ministry of Economic Development
The Ministry of Economic Development is the lead agency for advising on, and giving effect to, the Government’s economic transformation objective. In this role our aim is to coordinate and enable a range of government agencies to work collaboratively to identify, advise on and implement the suite of priorities and actions that collectively comprise the economic transformation agenda. Aquaculture is a key part of that agenda.

Enhancing the number and importance of innovative and globally competitive firms is central to the work of the Ministry. The Industry and Regional Development Branch provides advice on the key issues they face in lifting their productivity performance and develops programmes, largely delivered by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise to address these issues.

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise is the New Zealand government's national economic development agency. Through our network of offices worldwide, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise aims to grow New Zealand's economy by boosting the capability of businesses and regions and facilitating their sustainable and profitable participation in overseas markets. Aquaculture is one of New Zealand's key food and beverage sectors, and NZTE is working with the sector as it develops its international market plan - to determine areas of focus over the next five years.

Te Puni Kōkiri
Te Puni Kōkiri promotes increases in levels of achievement attained by Māori with respect to education, training and employment, health and economic resource development; monitors and liaises with each department and agency that provides, or has a responsibility to provide, services to or for Māori, for the purpose of ensuring the adequacy of those services. It also offers services and information to assist in the development of Māori businesses.

Since 2004, Te Puni Kōkiri’s strategic direction and associated efforts have been focused on ‘Māori succeeding as Māori’. This desired outcome recognises the importance of Māori achieving a sustainable level of success that is underpinned by the cultural fabric that is part of being Māori. This desired outcome state is supported by the Māori Potential Approach, which is the Ministry’s overarching policy framework and basis for all of its operations.