The Commerce Commission has published a statement of preliminary issues relating to an application from Aotearoa Fisheries Limited (trading as Moana New Zealand) seeking clearance to acquire Sanford Limited's North Island inshore fishing business.
Under the proposed acquisition, Sanford would lease its North Island inshore fishing quota (specifically its annual catch entitlement) to Moana under a long-term arrangement.
The statement outlines the key competition issues the Commission considers necessary in deciding whether or not to grant clearance to the proposed acquisition.
The Commission invites interested parties to comment on the proposed acquisition's likely competitive effects. Submissions can be emailed to registrar@comcom.govt.nz with the reference "Moana/Sanford" in the subject line.
Any submissions should be received by the close of business on 26 June 2023.
The Commission is scheduled to decide on the application by 25 July 2023. However, this date may be extended as the investigation progresses.
The Statement of Preliminary Issues and a public application version can be found on the Commission's case register.
