New Zealand is known for its amazing coastlines and the ocean surrounding it. As the area is so vast, policing and protecting it is not an easy job. So how do the maritime units do this?
There are a number of agencies involved in protecting patrolling New Zealand’s waters. The military, the police and the maritime fisheries all play an active role in protecting and patrolling these waters.
- The Maritime Police Unit
This unit carries out a large range of activities. For example:
– Search and Rescue – a vital service provided by the police as it gives peace of mind to holidaymakers that may get into difficulty and also those that use the waters for work purposes i.e. fishing, tourist tours etc.
– Protecting Boaties – from crime, bad behaviour and security checks on war ships and cruise ships to ensure that they are carrying the correct documentation to ensure that they are allowed to be in these waters.
– Crime and Disorder – the police are always on hand to apprehend offenders when involved with stolen boats, drug recovery operations and also patrolling for any other misdemeanours.
– Public Events – the police play a major role in looking after spectator crafts.
– Supporting Land Based Police – the maritime police assist land-based police if they need to access remote locations at sea, giving criminals no place to hide.
– Promoting Boat Safety: as New Zealand is coastal all around its shores, boat safety is something that the police promote in school groups. They also assist in the local community with regards to the same issues.
– Conducting Checks – these are to educate and help enforce maritime legislation. Commercial boat operators or private boat owners can gain assistance and advice from this unit. It is not just there to prosecute, it is there to assist as well.
– Body Recovery – although this is not a nice subject, there are occasions where sea incidents take place and loss of life occurs. The police are on hand to assist with the recovery of a body at sea.
– Increasing National Security – the police work with government agencies such as customs, immigration, department of conservation, ministry of primary industries, maritime New Zealand, regional councils and the ministry of transport. These agencies working together to help increase national security when protecting these shores.
– Police Boat Training – On boat safety training for police officers sent overseas.
- The Royal New Zealand Navy
The Navy patrols the waters 365 days of the year and assist the other agencies, as mentioned above, in protecting the waters of New Zealand. As with any country, the Navy plays a vital role in protecting it against sea pirates and invasions from other countries. The Navy also assist the police and the ministry of fisheries to ensure that commercial fishermen and fisher boats adhere to their catch limits and quotas. They also assist the police with looking out for endangered species and life forms. Fishing illegally in New Zealand is has a dim view and we will discuss illegal fishing below.
- Illegal Fishing and Fishing Rules
Fishing Areas
Recreational fishing in New Zealand is policed strictly. There are legal requirement and rules that you have to check in certain areas before you can go fishing. New Zealand has seven fishing areas. These seven areas are as follows:
– Auckland and Kermadec area
– Central area
– South- East area
– Kaikoura area
– Challenger area
– Fiordland area
– Southland area
There are maps available online to view these areas in more detail.
It is worth noting at this point that is it illegal to swap, sell or buy recreational caught seafood and it is completely prohibited.
Another point to note is that a licence is not needed to fish in saltwater areas, but you do need it a licence for freshwater areas i.e. rivers and lakes.
Commercial Fishing
When it comes to commercial fishing, fishermen have their ‘catch quotas’ to adhere to. Commercial fisherman often have larger boats to go out to sea on. The have various nets to catch fish and these nets require lifting equipment, like a zinc plated chain in NZ, for example, to haul the fish back on board. This also is another aspect that needs to be kept safe for both the fishermen who operate this machinery and the fish being caught. The Maritime police do regular checks on the vessels. Again, as with recreational fishermen, commercial fishermen can also be heavily fined if they are found breaching any of the legal requirements set by the government.
Fishing Methods
You may or may not be aware that regulations related to fishing methods are also in place. To help sustain the amount of fish available, these rules are in place:
– Measuring Your Catch: it is essential that you stay within the legal limit of the fish that you catch, you need to be able to accurately measure your fish. There are guides online available to show you how to measure the different types of fish that you may catch.
– Releasing Undersized Fish: if you are relatively new to fishing you may be eager to catch and keep the fish for yourself. However, it is a legal requirement to release undersized fish so the rules are as follows if you catch an undersized fish:
- Must handle fish with wet hands.
- Remove from water only if necessary
- Minimum amount of time out of water
- Change to a larger hook if you are catching a number of undersized fish.
- Return the fish to sea as promptly and gently as possible.
As you can see from above, the waters in New Zealand are precious and are protected daily and by various authorities to ensure that the rules are adhered to and the waters are kept safe and well maintained.