Contract Templates Collaboration

Dawson and Associates is pleased to have collaborated with the New Zealand Federation of Commercial Fishers to develop a suite of contract templates for the commercial fishing industry. The templates have now been published as a resource for Federation members and form part of the Federation’s ongoing commitment to, and support for, providing practical guidance for New Zealand’s commercial fishing sector. The contracts are exclusively available to Federation members, of which people can become one through the Federation website.

The publication follows our recent engagement with the Federation, including a presentation by our associate, Troy Stade, to delegates at the Federation’s conference on developments in New Zealand employment law and the evolving legal framework surrounding contractor status.

The commercial fishing industry operates within a unique legal and commercial environment. Well-drafted contracts play an important role in clearly defining working relationships and commercial arrangements while helping businesses navigate an increasingly complex regulatory landscape.

Working alongside the Federation on the development of these resources is important on the basis that industry organisations play an important role in supporting commercial operators and making practical legal resources available to members is a positive step towards promoting consistency and best practice across the sector. These contracts have been developed specifically with the New Zealand commercial fishing industry in mind, giving the Federation members access to documentation that reflects the realities of the operations.

While the template agreements provide a useful starting point, every fishing operation is different. Vessel ownership structures, crewing arrangements and operational requirements can vary from one business to another. Accordingly, template agreements may need to be adapted to reflect the particular circumstances and objectives of an individual operator.

Dawson and Associates regularly advises commercial fishers and fishing operators on contractor arrangements, employment relationships and the application of New Zealand’s contractor status framework. If you would like any legal advice regarding contractor agreements or your current arrangements in this space or have questions surrounding the contracts, please contact Peter Dawson by email peter@maritimelaw.co.nz; phone +64 27 229 9624 or Troy Stade by email troy@maritimelaw.co.nz; phone +64 27 368 6730.