The Government's casting the net for public input into commercial fishing rules.

Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash has released a discussion document on proposed changes.

The proposals include amending rules on what fish must be brought back to port, and what can be returned to sea.

They're also looking at the penalties regime, and streamlining ministerial decision-making on catch limits.

Consultation is open until March 17.

Stuart Nash is seeking public feedback on proposed changes to the quota management syste,- but that doesn't include implementing on-board cameras.

He told Larry Williams that the suppliers is not ready and the fishing industry has not been consulted on.

"Sometimes politicians sit in their ivory towers and think they have a good idea and then wonder why people jump up and down about it."

Nash says that the companies have not said one way or the other how they feel about the cameras. 

He personally believes they will be beneficial, and not just from a compliance point of view.

"The place I'd like this industry to be from a global perspective, for when overseas people are buying New Zealand fish, they know that that comes from a sustainable, well-monitored, and well-managed fishery."

He says the previous Government didn't do enough work on this, and more consultation is needed on things like where the cameras are placed, what they film, and how footage is reviewed.

"This is reasonably innovative. In fact, it took Australia 10 years to get 80 cameras on board. We don't want to take that long, but we do have to go through a process to ensure the timing is right, we've got the rules and regulations, and we've got the software and the hardware ready to go."