Video of orca deaths shows fisheries monitoring, enforcement working - Minister Shane Jones

Two orca have been killed by commercial fishing operators in bycatch incidents, the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries has revealed.

Shane Jones was appearing before a select committee as part of scrutiny week, and was asked about cuts to funding for fisheries enforcement and monitoring.

He said the fact onboard cameras had captured an orca bycatch incident showed the current system was working.

"It's due to the cameras that the officials now know that, in one of the set nets, a fisherman caught an orca," Jones said. "We wouldn't have known that had it not been for the camera.

"That fisherman followed the rules and it would all be revealed in good time. A rather unpleasant outcome."

The minister was subsequently told by officials that, in fact, two orca had been killed in two separate bycatch incidents. Both incidents occurred in May

One of them was off Tairāwhiti, another off the South Island, he said.

"That's an example of the industry abiding by the installation of cameras that are between 30-40 feet ... and that's the way in which technology can boost the confidence of the public that the industry is nowhere as bad as all these banshees... would suggest it is."

The orca may already have been dead when they became stuck in the nets, he said.

"It gives you an indication that the system is working perfectly well. Not a happy outcome for the whale, but these things happen."

These are the first recorded deaths of orca in set nets in New Zealand, Jones said.

In a statement after the meeting, the minister said he's directed fisheries officials to seek international expert advice and work with industry to explore available options to reduce risk to orca following the incidents.

"Given the limited experience we have with orca bycatch in New Zealand, this advice and insight from international experts will be crucial for us to explore any available tools or techniques to mitigate fishing risks to orcas."

Jones has delayed a controversial bill that would have lessened monitoring requirements on the fishing industry.

After the select committee, Labour oceans and fisheries spokesperson Rachel Boyack told media that Labour introduced cameras on fishing vessels so this sort of reporting could occur.

"It's why we opposed any changes to the act through the bill, [which] would have stopped people from being able to make official Information Act requests of this type of footage.

"There's been around 18 requests of footage since we introduced cameras on boats. All of those have been declined."

She called the orca deaths "devastating".

RNZ has made an Official Information Act request to the Ministry for Primary Industries to obtain the footage of the orca killed in nets.