New Zealand fisheries sustainably managed

Thursday, 22 October 2015, 1:14 pm
Press Release: Seafood New Zealand

New Zealand fisheries sustainably managed

New Zealand fish stocks are in good heart, an independent environment stocktake has confirmed.

This is according to Environment Aotearoa 2015, a comprehensive, independent and nationwide set of statistics released yesterday by the Ministry for the Environment and Statistics New Zealand.

The report notes that commercial fisheries are sustainably managed and overfishing is decreasing. Between 2009 and 2014, the proportion of fish stocks subject to overfishing decreased from 25 per cent to 14 per cent and that in 2014, more than 95 per cent of fish caught were from stocks that are not overfished.

“This robust and independent report confirms the body of science that tells us that our fish stocks are in good heart and are improving,” Seafood New Zealand Chief Executive Tim Pankhurst says.

The report also notes that seabed trawling is decreasing – from 1996 to 2014, the number of dredge tows reported in New Zealand waters decreased by 83 per cent. In 2010/11, deepwater fishing operators trawled just 1.3 per cent of the territorial sea and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Trawling mainly occurs in the same areas each year, which limits the extent of newly affected habitat and species, the report says.

New Zealand has international recognition for its sustainable seafood industry, Tim Pankhurst says.

“Seventy four per cent of New Zealand’s deepwater seafood production is certified sustainable by the international body, Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the gold-star for sustainable seafood.”

The performance of our three largest orange roughy fisheries are being assessed against the MSC standard with the aim to progress the other orange roughy fisheries through MSC as well, he says.

The report notes the pressure of fishing bycatch on seabirds and marine mammals.

These issues are of concern to the industry, which is working with Government agencies and the NGO sector to minimise the impact of bycatch, Tim Pankhurst says.

“For example we help fund and participate in the Southern Seabird Solutions Trust to reduce harm to seabirds through fishing. The trust is an alliance of industry, Government, WWF-New Zealand, Te Ohu Kaimoana and recreational anglers.

“And we have invested heavily in research and technologies to reduce the impact of fishing on marine mammals.”

ENDS

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