Tini a Tangaroa Fisheries New Zealand is asking for feedback on proposed changes to catch limits and other settings across a range of Aotearoa New Zealand’s fisheries as part of its twice-yearly sustainability review.

"Every six months we review a range of fish stocks to ensure their long-term sustainability to help ensure there are plenty of fish in the water for future generations," says Emma Taylor, Fisheries New Zealand's director of fisheries management.

The proposals cover changes to settings for ten fish stocks, and deemed value adjustments three stocks. Deemed values are the rates fishers must pay if they catch fish outside their Annual Catch Entitlement.

“Our proposals for these fisheries are based on the best available information, which tells us what's happening in our fisheries and helps identify what course of action to take.

"With over 600 stocks in the quota management system (QMS), it’s important that we prioritise which stocks we review. To do this we consider factors including strength of science, information we receive from iwi, fishers, and communities about their local fisheries, and environmental factors.

"When the information suggests more fish can be harvested sustainably, we look to increase catch limits. On the other hand, if the information suggests a stock isn’t as healthy, we look at reducing the catch limits to help the fishery recover.

“In this review we have proposed options for increases across seven stocks where information has suggested more fish can be sustainably harvested, including some northern and central trevally and gemfish stocks. Options are also proposed to reduce catch limits for one orange roughy stock and one stargazer stock where information suggests current settings are no longer sustainable.

“We’re finalising proposals for orange roughy off Southland, the east coast South Island, Sub-Antarctic, and Chatham Islands and consultation on these proposals will commence soon.”

Stocks for this review are:

Inshore fisheries

• Green-lipped mussel – GLM 9 (West coast North Island)
• Kina – SUR 1A & SUR 1B (East Northland, Auckland, Hauraki Gulf, and Bay of Plenty)
• Gemfish – SKI 1 & SKI 2 (Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay, and Wellington)
• Trevally – TRE 2 (East Cape, Hawke’s Bay, and Wellington)
• Red gurnard – GUR 3 (East Coast South Island, Chatham Rise, Sub-Antarctic, Southland, Rakiura, and Fiordland)
• Stargazer – STA 7 (West coast and top of the South Island)

Deepwater fisheries

• Silver warehou – SWA 3 (East coast South Island)
• Orange roughy* – ORH 3B (Southland, east coast South Island, Sub-Antarctic, and Chatham Islands)

*Consultation on orange roughy is expected to start in the coming weeks.

Review of deemed value rates only

• Snapper – SNA 7 & SNA 8 (West Coast and top of the South Island, and west coast North Island)
• School shark – SCH 5 (Southland and Sub-Antarctic)

Once consultation closes, Tini a Tangaroa Fisheries New Zealand will analyse the submissions and provide advice to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries for consideration. Changes to catch limits for the October fishing year will be announced by 1 October 2023.

"Consultation begins today, and we encourage everyone who has an interest in these fisheries to have their say”, says Emma Taylor.

Submissions can be made online by 5pm on 17 July 2023. More information, including how to make a submission, can be found here: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/consultations/review-of-sustainability-measures-for-fisheries-october-2023-round

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