The United States (U.S.) has lifted a temporary ban on some New Zealand fish exports due to measures to meet the standards of Maui dolphin protection.
Lifting the ban means seafood exporters will no longer have to provide a certificate of origin when sending seafood products to the U.S.
New Zealand Agriculture Minister Todd McClay said on Wednesday.
The decision to remove the injunction followed an assessment undertaken by the U.S. government at the New Zealand government’s request, which showed protections for Maui dolphins were comparable.
It met and exceeded the U.S. standards under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, McClay said.
The U.S. Court of International Trade lifted a preliminary injunction that temporarily stopped trade for nine fish species, including popular species like snapper.
This was caught in the Maui dolphin habitat along the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island.
The case in the U.S. was brought by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in May 2020 against the U.S. government.
It was alleged that New Zealand’s measures to protect Maui dolphins from fishing threats did not meet U.S. standards for imported seafood products.
“This is a win for New Zealand’s sustainably caught seafood,’’ said Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones, adding that it would help with the seafood sector’s contribution to New Zealand’s export-led recovery.
Jones said he was pleased to see trade of all sustainably caught seafood resume, although the temporary halt affected only a relatively small portion of overall fisheries trade to the U.S.
It cost New Zealand in the region of 2 million NZ dollars (1.19 million U.S. dollars) in exports.
New Zealand has worked hard to help protect Maui dolphins from fishing-related risks, including by introducing onboard cameras.
This happened by banning set nets and trawl fishing within the core Maui dolphin habitat along the North Island’s west coast, he said.
“Vessels operating in this area have been required to operate cameras or carry an observer since 2019,’’ Jones said.
Jones added that no captures of Maui dolphins were observed during this time. (Xinhua/NAN)
