A quick qustion - is anyone here actually in the know as to the amount of commercial bycatch and quota species discarded? Does anyone on this forum have access to any studies or statistical data on the amount of fish thrown back because it is the wrong species or wrong size? How much does the minister actually allow for discarded fish in setting the TAC?
I have requested this info from MFish, but wonder if anyone else has it.
I am a tad concerned to hear that about 25% of world fish catch is discarded and want to confirm teh situation here.
I am also interested to know estimates of recareational bycatch and undersize mortality, or breakaway mortality.
Thanks to anyone who can help. No hearsay or unsubstantiated rumours please.
I heard that last weekend a well known spearfisherman was trying to shoot a leather Jacket out at Ruahine and accidently shot a Marlin by mistake.
If he had landed it would this be considered by catch?
Dreemspina said: 'if a trawler fisherman catches a species that he has no quota for he has to pack it and record it and when he gets to port he has to turn it over to the crown' Sorry, but I don't think that's quite correct. I understand he has to either buy the buy the quota to cover the by-catch, or pay a 'deemed value' to the crown. The deemed value system has, apparently, been very successful. Trade has developed in Annual Catch Entitlements for the bycatch species, and MFish says it has 'encouraged fishers to focus their efforts more on the species they were fishing'. Prior to 2002, fishers were criominally liable for not covering their by-catch with quota, which of course would have encouraged them to dump fish at sea. As more species are introduced into the QMS, some of which are by-catch fisheries, the QMS will become more effective at controlling bycatch and its impact on those species. |
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