National Blue Cod Strategy Update

Since the National Blue Cod Strategy was released a year ago, Fisheries New Zealand, supported by a multisector technical group, have been busy implementing the key parts of the strategy, including:

• initiating research to better understand and protect blue cod habitat and the health of blue cod stocks

• reviewing the rules on commercial and recreational blue cod pot design, as well as recreational blue cod daily limits and minimum size limits in some areas (changes are based on a responsive ‘traffic light’ system and are being announced this month)

• reviewing total allowable commercial catches and allowances for our most important commercial blue cod fisheries later this year (Southland/BCO5, Chatham Island/BCO4 and South East/BCO3). Keep an eye on the National Blue Cod Strategy webpage at https://www.fisheries.govt.nz/protection-and-response/sustainable-fisheries/national-blue-codstrategy/ for continuing updates on these and other initiatives to help protect our blue cod fishery.

Fisheries New Zealand and the technical group have also just released the Responsible Blue Cod Fishing Guidelines to provide practical tips to help reduce handling mortality of undersized fish and ensure you get the most out of your recreational fishing experience. These include using a larger hook and moving from an area if you are catching small blue cod, careful handling of any undersized blue cod you do catch and only removing blue cod from the water if you have to.

The guidelines also have practical tips on avoiding seabirds and mortality of blue cod by seabirds, such as:

• making sure there are no seabirds watching and moving to the opposite side of the boat to gently release the fish back to water

• keeping decks clean and putting bait scraps and fish waste in covered bins

• sinking bait and berley below six metres swiftly

• putting a teaspoon of tuna oil or used cooking oil on the surface behind the boat – this will disperse already gathered birds

• using a return tube to return fish to the sea, if effective in the area you fish.

The guidelines are available online (https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/39242- responsible-blue-cod-fishing-guidelines) and at all Fisheries New Zealand offices.