Controversial fisheries amendment Bill delayed after Shane Jones request

The Fisheries Minister is delaying controversial legislation that had already seen a major U-turn on one aspect of the Bill.

Shane Jones says the Bill could use some more "panel beating", and acknowledges there hadn't been a lot of harmony across Parliament or the industry about it.

He's suggesting the committee considering the Bill extend its deadline for when it was due to report to Parliament, "and take some time to pluck the fruits of democracy".

It would delay progressing the legislation until after the election.

Jones had labelled critics of his bill as "noisy voices" in March, before the coalition announced days later they had listened to public feedback and would no longer scrap most minimum size limits for commercial fishers.

National, ACT and New Zealand First all claimed credit for the change.

Speaking during the scrutiny week hearing for the Fisheries portfolio on Thursday, Jones said despite his desire to "charge on ahead", he acknowledged there was disharmony within the industry about the Bill, and across Parliament.

He said he was the author and had to take responsibility for it.

"If it can be improved by some more panel beating, then I'm up for that."

Asked if he'd taken instruction from the New Zealand First leader or from the prime minister that it was becoming "challenging," Jones said there hadn't been.

"I'm very well aware that there was a host of opinions tossed about several months ago...from some of the back benches that they were upset that I'd taken too much of a hard line against opponents of the bill, so I accept that those individuals were concerned.

"But I don't take instructions in the way that you've described it, only from my leader, Winston Peters."

He said it would be better for the sector if more time was taken, "it's a highly contested space".

Asked by ACT's Cameron Luxton how Jones engaged with the recreational fishing sector, saying he himself was one and could discuss the issue with him.

Jones said he thought Luxton misrepresented recreational fishers, "you belong to a property rights party, but you seem to have declared war on property rights".

Luxton responded saying that was a "discourteous mischaracterisation" of his position.

The Greens' Steve Abel suggested the delay could make it an election issue, asking whether Jones would campaign on the "harder line" regarding commercial values.

Jones said it would depend on what his party agreed to.