Organisation and Mandate:

PICL is the national umbrella service agency for the five regional commercial stakeholder groups representing commercial paua fishery’s interests. Each regional representative group (PauaMAC – derived from the Quota Management System designation for paua, and Management Area Council) draws membership and majority mandate from fishing and non-fishing quota owners, ACE holders, permit holders, processors and exporters from within the seven designated management areas. The PauaMAC’s are the foundation of paua industry activities, consistent with a long held industry desire to have regional autonomy and self determination in research, compliance, management, planning and implementation. PauaMAC’s have an equal shareholding in PICL and each year they appoint a representative to the PICL board of directors. The PICL Chairman is elected by the board and has oversight of PICL operations. The five PauaMAC’s contribute a share of the PICL operational budget in proportion to the Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) for their region.

Roles and Responsibilities:

PICL provides PauaMAC’s (and their constituent members) with a range of technical, administrative, research, and management assistance. PICL also coordinates and helps deliver generic industry advocacy on issues related to fisheries legislation, research planning, environment and conservation, nature and extent of fisheries services and cost recovery, compliance planning, and the devolution of fisheries management roles under the terms of the 1996 Fisheries Act.Funding for the PauaMAC’s and PICL’s operational budgets are derived from a second tier levy facilitated under the terms of agency agreements that the PauaMAC’s hold with the NZ Seafood Industry Council (SeaFIC) to coordinate and respond to all generic issues related to paua fisheries and to the industry.

Research and Development:

New Zealand fisheries management and research is almost entirely funded by industry either through direct sponsorship of research or through Government levies to cover their expenditure on commercial fisheries. All quota share holders are subject to an annual levy based on their quota share holding. With the formation of PauaMAC’s and PICL, the industry now has the platform to become much more interested in research and to question how their money is being spent. PICL will co-ordinate the effort that is going into enhancement so that as lessons are learnt each of the PauaMAC’s are kept up to date.

Promotion and Public Awareness:

PICL often contributes technical articles and discussion papers to a range of commercial and recreational fishing media. In addition PICL produces fact sheets and other resources for students interested in the biology, behaviour, and management of paua fisheries. PICL has a bi-monthly newsletter which is targeted at industry personnel nationwide, and also provides articles for regional newsletters at the request of PauaMAC’s. PICL maintains a network of contacts with non-commercial sector group representatives at a national level, and with MFish and other Government agency officials. PauaMAC’s continue to foster working alliances with recreational and customary interests at the regional and local levels. PICL deals with numerous inquiries for information in regard to the diverse range of issues relating to paua fisheries management, stakeholder participation in the research and management planning processes, and the social and economic aspects of the industry itself.

Summary:

The resources of PICL are freely available to all paua industry personnel who belong to a PauaMAC or pay SeaFIC CSO levies.