The Fisheries Amendment Act, 1999 provides that of the total membership of each regional fisheries board not less than four should be women.
As the Deputy is aware the boards' membership is made up of a mix of elected members representing the various fisheries interests in the region and six ministerially appointed members representing other key sectoral interests together with one ministerial and one staff nominee to each board.
Following the results of elections of fishery and staff representatives to the boards and the nominating process of sectoral representatives by prescribed organisations, I have completed my selection of the nominated candidates and my own nominations. Forty six members have been appointed and the three remaining appointments will be finalised shortly. In making my appointments I have taken full account of the statutory requirement to ensure, overall, a minimum balance of four women on each board.
I am confident that all members appointed or elected to the seven boards, will play a positive and constructive part in the work of the boards to deliver on our challenging agenda for inland fisheries over the next few years.