A resource rental is needed to prevent overfishing. Currently, no resource rental fee applies to commercial catch and this leads to overfishing.

Resource rentals are required quota owners do not currently cover the complete costs of administering, managing and monitoring commercial fishing. Also, because a valuable, national, natural resource is being given away for free. Having a tax applied to commercial catch will incentivise fishers to look after our fish and the marine environment. It would also provide incentives for commercial fishers to innovate so they can generate maximum value from each fish harvested.