Fisheries TAC Set

There were no great surprises when Minister for Oceans and Fisheries David Parker announced changes to sustainability measures before the start of the new season on October 1.

Minster Parker has taken a cautious approach towards some of the more vulnerable fisheries, as well as those that are showing signs of steady revival such as the west coast snapper stocks.

SNA 8, encompassing snapper stocks on Northland’s and Auckland’s west coast down to Taranaki and Wellington, shows strong signs of rebuilding, resulting in demands for the commercial sector for large increases in their Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC). They got their wish, except the increase was somewhat tempered, going from 1300 tonnes up to 1600 tonnes. The recreational allowance increased by 312 tonnes to 1205 tonnes, while Customary Maori went up to 100 tonnes from 43 tonnes.

The Minister said this “measured approach” should allow for the biomass to be maintained well above the default target and will “provide benefits to all sectors in the fishery.”

The recreational bag limit of 10 snapper per angler per day remains unchanged.

Another recreational species in the spotlight recently has been the highly migratory southern bluefin tuna. An increase in the Total Allowable Catch for SBT was previously agreed to by the Commission for Conservation, and the extra 14 tonnes has been allocated to recreational fishers. The TAC is now 1102 tonnes, of which 1046 tonnes has been allocated to industry, two tonnes to Customary Maori, 34 tonnes to recreation fishers and the difference of 20 tonnes set aside for mortality.

For last winter’s SBT run, Fisheries set the bag limit as one fish per angler per day, and this hasn’t changed.

Hapuku and bass stocks off Northland, Bay of Plenty and the lower east coast of the North Island have been described as in a critical state, and this was recognised in a reduction of the TAC to just 215 tonnes. Industry has taken a big hit, their catch reduced from 480 tonnes down to 140, with Maori Customary and recreational allocations set at 10 and 58 tonnes respectively.

Recreational bag limits have been reduced to two fish per angler per day, along with the introduction of a maximum accumulated bag of no more than three fish on multi-day trips. Bass and hapuku have been removed from the combined daily limit of five with kingfish.

Gurnard TACs in the east and west coasts of Auckland, Northland and Bay of Plenty (GUR1) and the west coast and top of the South island  (GUR 7) have seen both decreases and increases in the TAC.

GUR 1’s TACC has been significantly under caught since the species introduction to the Quota Management System (QMS). In the past five years, landings have declined to 35% of the TACC, resulting in Minister Parker cautiously reducing the TACC from the current 2288 tonnes to 800 tonnes.

In GUR 7, recent trawl surveys have indicated that this stock is most likely at or above the management target of 40% of unfished biomass, with signs of strong recruitment. Consequently, the TACC has increased significantly from 1180 tonnes to 1298.

The controversial blue cod fishery of Kaikoura, Canterbury and Otago (BCO 3) has seen the TACC reduced from 162 tonnes down to 130. The new TAC is 243 tonnes.

Any decisions on the state of the tarakihi stocks on the east coast were deferred until the  assessment is completed.

Good outcomes for rec fishers

LegaSea spokesperson Trish Rea said she was ‘pleasantly surprised’ with the outcomes.

“This is the most conservative approach we have seen from a Minister when setting the catch levels, it shows he is listening.”

Trish says there was a minimal increase in the TACC for the west coast snapper, the Minister choosing the least commercial increase of the options on the table.

“This was as good as could be expected.”

The spokesperson says Minister Parker was one of the very few who had the fortitude to step away from his advisors and act in the best interests of the wider community.

- Grant Dixon