Michael Heron QC has been commissioned to conduct an independent review into circumstances surrounding specific Ministry for Primary Industries compliance operations.
The Director-General of Primary Industries, Martyn Dunne, has released the terms of reference which will inform the review.
These include the appropriateness of the ministry's decisions not to take prosecution action in relation to three operations which identified breaches of fisheries law.
"The credibility of MPI is of utmost importance to its ability to successfully discharge its role as the regulator of fisheries in New Zealand. Each year MPI prosecutes in excess of 300 cases in the fisheries sector and issues more than 3,000 infringements," Mr Dunne says.
Mr Heron is a former Solicitor-General. He has been asked to make any recommendations that he considers appropriate.