Selected facets of the fishing industry (early 1963)

Consumer demand, retail distribution and the export trade are important aspects of the New Zealand Commercial Fishery which are outside the specific boundaries of this enquiry. It is a study in government intervention, price negotiation and supply. In analysing these three facets of the industry it was impossible to ignore the other three so they have been treated incidentally where a discussion of them was necessary to understand the central theme. There is scope for additional research into each of the above topics, perhaps more especially into administrative decision making when non economic objectives are involved and also into the optimum scale of plant given the cost conditions that apply to the industry. However, it is hoped that this essay goes part of the way towards meeting the need for fundamental economic research into an industry which periodically attracts the attention of the public, policy makers and Government. Parliament has set up three committees in the past twenty-six years to examine the industry.