Seafood New Zealand welcomes the announcement of the Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI) biannual public consultation on sustainability measures for 22 fish stocks across New Zealand’s inshore and deepwater fisheries, and the opportunity to highlight New Zealand’s Quota Management System (QMS) working as intended.

Seafood New Zealand Chief Executive Lisa Futschek says, “These reviews demonstrate the fisheries management system working as it should. The independent regulator – MPI – collects data, tests assumptions, challenges the science through independent review processes, and proposes adjustments to management settings – whether that be up or down – based on the best-available information in consultation with the public.

“Fishers care deeply about our fisheries and marine environments. Our livelihoods as an industry rely on healthy, sustainable fisheries and looking after them properly, and these assessments are a significant component of that.”

This October sustainability round review includes proposals to significantly reduce catch throughout New Zealand’s tarakihi fisheries.

Ms Futschek says the environmental and recruitment conditions facing the tarakihi stocks are not new, and rebuild measures have been in place for the eastern stock since 2018.

Measures have included previous significant Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) reductions and other industry-led, voluntary measures to support recovery. Though disappointed at the proposed reduction, the review process demonstrates the fisheries management system responding to changing conditions and new information.

“The long-term health of the tarakihi stock is our first priority. Fishers remain committed to the rebuild of tarakihi stocks. To support their efforts, we urge government to continue to develop the science to make sure our management can be as effective as possible.

“There is increasing concern that broader environmental and ecosystem changes may be affecting tarakihi productivity and recruitment. Similar patterns are also being observed in Australian tarakihi stocks. Sustainable fishing means only harvesting an amount the environment can support.

Seafood New Zealand strongly supports further development of the tarakihi stock assessment model, particularly of the effects of fishing behaviour changes on the inputs to the model, and assumptions around tarakihi biology to inform an additional review next year.

Ms Futschek says the impact this proposed reduction will have on the livelihoods of many in the industry should not be understated, and calls for government, industry and all marine stakeholders to work together on practical solutions.

“We want to make sure we are working off the best possible information, as any decisions have real lasting consequences for the people behind our coastal communities.

“Rebuilding fisheries is rarely achieved through a single measure alone, and catch limits are just one tool in our toolbox,” Ms Futschek says.

Any changes in catch limits made by the Minister based on the results of this consultation will guide the new fishing year, which will start on 1 October. /ENDS

Notes for the Editor

  • Formal reviews are done twice a year on a subset of the 642 stocks managed under the Quota Management System.
  • A range of factors are considered for selecting the stocks to review, including sustainability risks, new information about the stock from assessments and monitoring programmes, information from tangata whenua, the public, and stakeholders along with environmental factors.

Comment on proposed changes for other inshore stocks in the review

  • Ling (LIN 1): Seafood New Zealand supports this review, as catches for ling have been declining over several years. There is no scientific assessment for the stock that spans the west and east coasts of the top of the North Island (Fisheries Management Areas 1&9). Information from fishers will be important to inform the understanding of the changes we have seen across the fishery and catches of ling.
  • Ling (LIN 7): LIN 7 is assessed to be below its target biomass, with continued weak recruitment in recent years. In response, Fisheries New Zealand has proposed catch reductions to manage sustainability risk. Quota owners have indicated support for a such an approach, where reducing catch to stabilise the stock will limit further sustainability risk; yet at the same time recognises both the biological constraints and the need to maintain a viable fishery.
  • Snapper (SNA 2) and trevally (TRE 2): Seafood New Zealand welcomes the long-anticipated reviews for these key stocks. Fishers have been seeing significant increases in snapper and trevally abundance for years and have struggled to avoid them.  
  • Alfonsino (BYX 3): Industry has been proactively reducing catch in this alfonsino fishery while undertaking scientific analyses to better understand the status of the stock. We would prefer that there be no change until the scientific analyses are complete and can provide meaningful information on required management action.
  • Gemfish (SKI 3): This stock has exhibited sustained high abundance over many years, supporting stable catch levels and a well-established fishery. The current proposals recognise this ongoing strength, presenting an opportunity to better align catch limits with stock status while maintaining appropriate safeguards around sustainability.

For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact:

Claire Williamson
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 022 199 7934 

Or

Nirupa George
Director, Communications and Engagement
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 021 051 2656