The Minister for Oceans and Fisheries is a minister in the New Zealand Government responsible for the management of New Zealand's fisheries, including aquaculture, and for oceans policy.
The present minister is Shane Jones, a member of the New Zealand First party.
Responsibilities The Minister oversees Fisheries New Zealand, a business unit of the Ministry for Primary Industries (previously, the Ministry of Fisheries).
The Minister has responsibility for legislation related to fisheries, including the Fisheries Act 1996, the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Act 2004, the Maori Fisheries Act 2004 and the Treaty of Waitangi (Fisheries Claims) Settlement Act 1992.
History The position was established in 1977 during the Muldoon government. Previously, responsibility for fisheries was exercised by the Minister of Marine until 1972 and by the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries until 1977. For a brief period from 2010 to 2011, the portfolio was known as Fisheries and Aquaculture. From 2011 until 2017, it was combined with related portfolios into the Minister for Primary Industries.
The title change to Minister for Oceans and Fisheries in 2020 was intended to balance commercial and environmental issues. Responsibility for oceans policy was previously in the remit of the Minister of Conservation.
List of ministers The following ministers held the office of Minister of Fisheries.
Key
No.NamePortraitTerm of OfficePrime MinisterAs Minister of Fisheries 1 Jim Bolger 8 March 1977 13 December 1978 Muldoon 2 Duncan MacIntyre 13 December 1978 26 July 19843Colin Moyle26 July 19849 February 1990 LangePalmer 4Ken Shirley 9 February 19902 November 1990 Moore 5 Doug Kidd 2 November 1990 16 December 1996 Bolger 6 John Luxton 16 December 1996 10 December 1999 Shipley 7 Pete Hodgson 10 December 1999 26 February 2004 Clark 8 David Benson-Pope 26 February 2004 19 October 2005 9 Jim Anderton 19 October 2005 19 November 2008 10 Phil Heatley 19 November 2008 25 February 2010 Key -David Carter Acting25 February 20101 April 2010As Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture(10)Phil Heatley1 April 201014 December 2011Key2011–2017: No separate appointments (see Minister for Primary Industries) 11 Stuart Nash 26 October 2017 6 November 2020 ArdernAs Minister for Oceans and Fisheries 12 David Parker 6 November 2020 1 February 2023 Ardern Hipkins (11) Stuart Nash 1 February 2023 28 March 2023 - David ParkerActing 28 March 2023 12 April 202313Rachel Brooking12 April 202327 November 2023 14 Shane Jones 27 November 2023 Incumbent Luxon Table footnotes:
See also Aquaculture in New Zealand Fishing industry in New Zealand
Notes
References