Pursuant to section 192A(2) of the Fisheries Act 1996, the Director General, after complying with that section, gives the following notice.

Notice

1. Title

This notice is the Fisheries (Exemption from compliance with the Fisheries Act 1996) Notice 2020.

2. Commencement

This notice comes into force on the day after its notification in the New Zealand Gazette.

3. Exemption to Section 192A(1) of the Fisheries Act 1996

From the date that this notice comes into effect, all fish farmers who acquire or are in possession of the seaweed Undaria pinnatifida are exempt from compliance with section 192A(1) of the Act.

4. Conditions

The exemption given in clause 3 of this notice is subject to the following conditions:

(1) Registered Fish Farmers must have Undaria pinnatifida listed in their registration.

(2) Licenced fish farms must specify Undaria pinnatifida in their licence.

(3) Fish farmers can only acquire and possess Undaria pinnatifida from a person who holds;

1. an approval under section 52(d) (to communicate, cause to be communicated, release, or cause to be released, or otherwise spread); and,
2. an approval under section 53(2) (to sell or offer for sale, propagate, breed, or multiply) of the Biosecurity Act 1993.

(4) Fish farmers can ongrow Undaria pinnatifida that naturally settles on their farm structures.

(5) Fish farmers must hold an approval under section 52(d) and an approval under section 53(2) of the Biosecurity Act 1993 before any farming of Undaria pinnatifida commences.

Dated at Nelson this 30th day of March 2020.

DAVID SCRANNEY, Manager Customary Fisheries & Spatial Allocations, Fisheries New Zealand, Ministry for Primary Industries.