Tide turns against MPs' point-scoring

By IRENE CHAPPLE

The fishing industry heard the green message loud and clear yesterday as record numbers turned out at the NZ Seafood Industry Council conference.

The two-day talk-fest in Wellington attracted more than 450 delegates, and the first speakers were a bevy of politicians, including NZ First Leader Winston Peters, and Act's Rodney Hide.

At first, they - and some audience participants - gained easy political points, largely at the expense of Green Party co-leader and conference speaker Jeanette Fitzsimons.

However, the biodiversity message from Fitzsimons and Fisheries Minister Peter Hodgson gained sympathy from the audience.

Attitudes among the listeners warmed as a series of speakers pointed to New Zealand's environmentally friendly image being a marketing tool.

The issues raised during the conference included the power of branding in an international marketplace and future possibilities within major markets such as the United States.

Although the council's general trade and information manager, Alastair Mcfarlane, pointed to last week's Doha trade round talks, which discussed the reduction of fishing subsidies - the speeches were largely focused on packaging the industry in the best possible light to increase export earnings.

Professor Jim Cornelius, of Oregon State University, an adviser with the Ministry of Fisheries in Nelson, said New Zealand had a strong international image.

"New Zealanders managed to sell apples into Washington state," he pointed out.

"That place is known as the apple state."

However, he believed alliances and joint ventures could increase the New Zealand industry's profitability by up to 25 per cent.

Simple cooperation between companies - such as ensuring the least number of port calls for a supply ship - could increase profitability.

Cornelius said New Zealand's "clean, green image" would help its image overseas, a point taken up by seafood marketing consultant Bill Floyd.

Floyd was quick to point out that the environmentalists, whom commercial fishing companies may view as enemies, must be seen instead as the other stakeholder in the fishing industry.

"If New Zealand is to succeed as an industry our produce needs to have a sense of social integrity.

"Americans will buy sustainable produce over a mussel from Vietnam - but we cannot compete on price, we need to have a point of difference."