Sanford COO Clement Chia said anything that reassures the public about marine mammal and seabird bycatch, or illegal dumping, is a good thing.

“The more transparent we can be as an industry, the better. I think the problem is that we are operating out there in the ocean and the public cannot see us and therefore things that people cannot. can’t see which they don’t trust. “

He said the three-year delay before cameras are finally placed on commercial fishing vessels is justified because it will take time to refine the technology.

Chia said the company supports the change in the discard law, however, Sanford began using new tube-shaped nets that allowed for precision seafood harvesting, with the small fish being able to be returned to the sea alive. .

The company wants to discuss with regulators and scientists what the no-reject system will mean for the use of nets.

“I think you know the horses for the lessons and you know that for these special circumstances where the fish is absolutely fine then it should be put back into the ocean.”

But Chia said he would support a no-reject rule where small fish cannot be brought back to life.

The government is pledging $ 60 million to install surveillance cameras on 300 coastal vessels to monitor marine mammals and endangered seabirds killed as bycatch.

They will cover the vessels responsible for 85 percent of the total coastal catch.

Chia said the three-year phased-in would address issues such as crew member privacy.

However, the Ornithological Society said measures to install surveillance cameras on 300 fishing boats do not go far enough.

He says there are 1,500 commercial fishing boats in the waters of this country, so 80 percent of them will have no cameras at all.

Company member Michael Szabo, which publishes Birds New Zealand, said the additional cost of installing cameras across the fleet would be worth it because of the expense of trying to save cash in critical danger of extinction.

New Zealand has some of the highest seabird populations in the world, he said.

This story has been edited to reflect the fact that Sanford is in favor of the new rules announced this week and is not seeking to be exempted from them.