People in New Zealand enjoy the collection of seafood as a recreational and customary activity along the country’s coastline. Two important seafood species in coastal areas are cockles and pipi, which occur in intertidal sediments of beaches, estuaries, and large tidal inlets and harbours. In northern New Zealand, cockles and pipi have been regularly monitored for several decades across different sites in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, and Bay of Plenty. This monitoring aims to ensure the persistence of their populations, providing information of the abundance, density, and population size structure of cockles and pipi. Presented here are the survey findings from the summer of 2024–25, with population information for Pataua Estuary (Northland), Cockle Bay, Kawakawa Bay (West), Mill Bay, Ōkahu and Okoromai bays (Auckland and its wider region), Ōhiwa Harbour, Otūmoetai (Tauranga Harbour), and Waiotahe Estuary (Bay of Plenty), and Whangapoua and Whitianga harbours (Waikato). Both cockle and pipi populations across these northern sites were generally large, consisting of millions of individuals. Their densities varied dependent on the site, but were a minimum of over 140 individuals per square metre for cockles, and over 180 individuals per square metre for pipi, except at one site (Pataua Estuary). At several sites, small-sized individuals made up most of the population, highlighting strong recruitment events that preceded the data collection.

 Presented in this report are standardised catch per unit effort (CPUE) analyses and fishery characterisation for the South Island commercial freshwater shortfin and longfin eel fisheries for the years 1991 to 2023. The fisheries within nine catchments or management areas that are commercially fished are described along with trends in abundance of both eel species, where sufficient data exist, over this 33 years period.

 An acoustic biomass survey of spawning orange roughy was undertaken on aggregations at Morgue and Graveyard hills in ORH 3B North-West Chatham Rise and at Rekohu, Spawn Plume and Mt Muck in ORH 3B East & South Chatham Rise, during June and July 2022 aboard FV San Waitaki.

Acoustic data were recorded using the vessel’s hull-mounted Simrad 38 kHz echosounder system and a dual-frequency (38 kHz & 120 kHz) Acoustic Optic System (AOS) deployed on the headrope of a trawl net.

In NWCR, spawning biomass at Morgue, a protected area, showed an increase over survey estimates in 2013, 2016 and 2021, while spawning biomass at Graveyard was considerably reduced compared to the previous survey estimate in 2013. In ESCR, spawning biomass at Rekohu in 2022 was lower than in 2013 and 2016, while at Spawn Plume the biomass was similar to that found in 2013 and 2016. At Mt Muck the biomass in 2022 was higher than the estimates in 2013 and 2016.

 Tangata Whenua of Tutukaka, Ngunguru and Hora Hora seek to protect and enhance ecosystem health in their rohe. In February 2024, the Rehuotane Ki Tai 186a temporary closure was established within three nautical miles of the coast. The harvest for rock lobster, cockle, crab, garfish, mussel, octopus, pāua, pipi, rock oyster, sea cucumber, sea horse, sea snail, starfish and tuatua was prohibited and no fishing with nets was allowed in Tutukaka Harbour or the Ngunguru and Hora Hora estuaries.

 The Chatham Islands to the East of the South Island of New Zealand are in an area that has been identified as experiencing frequent marine heatwaves. We investigated the effect of changing sea surface temperatures on adult and sub-adult pāua (Haliotis iris) collected from Ascots Beach and Owenga Harbour in the Chatham Islands, between 2020 and 2022. Pāua at the two sites reacted differently to temperature changes based on microbial diversity and metabolic profile findings. Site specific differences were detected in histological assessments with pāua from Ascots Beach showing reproductive abnormalities and pāua from Owenga Harbour showing an increased presence of kidney stones. 

This report describes application of a novel risk assessment approach to trawl bycatch (non-target) shark species. The assessment estimated the exploitation rate inflicted on each of twelve species by fishing in the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone. Although trawl catches predominated, all relevant fishing methods were included so that the total fisheries impact could be gauged. The exploitation rate is a measure of the proportion of the selected population biomass that is killed as a result of fishing, and includes those individuals that die even when returned to the ocean. The exploitation was compared to a theoretical productivity measure to estimate whether it was high enough to inflict long-term damage on the population. Elephantfish (Callorhinchus milii) and carpet shark (Cephaloscyllium isabellum) were identified as being at higher risk from fishing.

 This report summarises pāua shell length information collected by sampling the commercial catch from areas PAU 2, PAU 3A, PAU 3B, PAU 4, PAU 5A, PAU 5B, PAU 5D and PAU 7 during the 2023–24 fishing year.

 

• We investigated orange roughy stock assessments for Chatham Rise, part of ORH 3B.
• Stock assessments for this region have encountered problems, with models much more optimistic about stock status than suggested by fisheries statistics and some research surveys.
• We describe skipper information on orange roughy behaviour and target fishing, the biology of orange roughy with respect to their sensory abilities, and observations of orange roughy responding to objects in the water column and to fishing disturbance.
• Investigations of fisheries catch per unit effort found evidence of disturbance, where recent fishing activity reduced catch rates. The disturbance effect was considered useful but was not a “game changer”.
• Seasonal trends in sea temperature, primary productivity, weather, and sea state, could be simply described using a “month” variable.  Spatial and regime shift models improved the fits to data.
• Observed changes in orange roughy age frequency distributions have been poorly fitted in recent stock assessment models, but were better fitted here by models assuming reproduction had dropped to a very low level once the fishery started. One hypothesis that might explain this result is that fishing disturbance reduced reproducti

The red rock lobster supports the most valuable inshore commercial fishery in New Zealand. This fishery has been managed with catch quotas in nine Quota Management Areas (QMAs), which are usually treated as independent populations or stocks.

The catch quotas are calculated for some QMAs using management procedures (MPs). Given an input, such as catch per unit effort (CPUE), MPs return an output such as Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC).

 

This document describes the operation of the current MPs used to manage New Zealand red rock lobster (Jasus edwardsii) in CRA 7 and CRA 8 for the 2025–26 fishing year. The operation of the MPs for the upcoming 2025–26 fishing year indicated that there should be no change in TACC for CRA 8, but indicated an increase in TACC for CRA 7.

This report summarises pāua shell length information collected by sampling the commercial catch from areas PAU 2, PAU 3A, PAU 3B, PAU 4, PAU 5A, PAU 5B, PAU 5D and PAU 7 during the 2022–23 fishing year.

The length frequency distributions were typical of commercial pāua fisheries, and consistent with previous years.

 Methods to reduce and monitor seabird bycatch in tuna longline fisheries are subject to ongoing investigation globally. Proven methods to reduce seabird bycatch are available, while these may not be implemented at sea. This project progressed the development of a working benchtop prototype device designed to monitor deployment of a tori line (a line with streamers attached that is deployed astern the fishing vessel, and reduces the risk of seabird bycatch by deterring birds from attending longline gear during setting), night setting, and the presence of weights on longline branchlines. The benchtop prototype device was transformed into a unit designed for at-sea deployment and subjected to proof-of-concept at-sea testing. The seagoing prototype design incorporated two small IP cameras, a GPS antenna, a rotation sensor, and an externally produced tracking buoy intended to record the location of the terminal end of the tori line. Forty-five hours of camera imagery and associated data were collected from five longline sets during at-sea testing in New Zealand. Tori line deployment could be verified and longline setting time was recorded (relevant to monitoring night-setting). The tracking buoy located at the end of the tori line failed to record GPS information during testing. Therefore, the location of the terminal end of the tori line astern the vessel could not be determined. The project also encountered many logistical difficulties, in part due to taking place at the h

 This report provides estimates of non-target catch and discards in the southern blue whiting fishery between 2006–07 and 2022–23 (comprising 12 195 trawls from 30 vessels).

 This paper summarises commercial catch and effort statistics for red rock lobsters, which are also known in New Zealand as “crayfish” or “kōura”. The summaries are by the fishing year as set out in the Fisheries Act, with the rock lobster legal fishing year defined as the period 1 April–31 March. The summaries presented in this document cover the period 1 April 1979 to 31 March 2024.

 This study estimated the proportion of Patagonian toothfish caught within the New Zealand EEZ that would survive if they were released alive.

We estimate the annual recreational catch of southern bluefin tuna in New Zealand for the 2023–24 October fishing year. This information helps meet the obigation to report all of New Zealand’s catch of this species to the Commission for Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna each year.

Tuna numbers and weights are collected from a number of sources including:

• sportfishing club weigh station records;
• a monthly telephone survey of South Island fishers;
• catch records from online reporting on the fishcatch.co.nz web page;
• catch records from recreational charter boats;
• records of recreational catch taken from commercial vessels for personal use; and
• boat ramp interviews at Waihau Bay in the eastern Bay of Plenty (where most of the recreational catch is landed).

The estimated 2024 recreational harvest of southern bluefin tuna is 992 individual fish, which is fewer than in 2023 (1241 fish).

The estimated total landed weight for the recreational fishery is between 65 and 73 tonnes with a mid-point of 69.5 tonnes.

 The New Zealand Ministry of Fisheries (MFish) convened a review of New Zealand blue cod potting surveys on 16 and 17 April  2009.  The review included: presentations by Expert Panel members about potting surveys; presentations by the scientists working on the New Zealand blue cod potting surveys; questions and discussion about the blue cod surveys; and conclusions from the Expert Panel.  This report summarises the conclusions of the Expert Panel, relative to the Panel terms of reference.

 Ling (Genypterus blacodes) is an important commercial fish species in New Zealand middle depths waters and is caught mainly by bottom trawls, bottom longlines, and increasingly by potting.

This study estimated the survival of four shellfish species (scallops, queen scallops, paddle crabs, and sea cucumbers), when returned to the sea after being caught in New Zealand commercial fisheries. For species such as scallops with a minimum legal size (MLS), those below the MLS must be returned dead or alive, while for others such as sea cucumbers, their release is dependent not on size but on being alive and considered likely to survive (destination type code X). Estimates are based on previous local research, or studies with similar species overseas, along with responses to a questionnaire from fishers and fisheries managers with direct observations of immediate or at-release survival, and researchers with knowledge on post-release or longer-term survival. This information was analysed along with reported fishery data on how the shellfish returned to the sea were caught (such as dredge tow duration, speed, and catch size), to provide a range of likely survival estimates for each species and gear combination (differences between target and non-target fisheries are mainly due to differences in durations, speeds, catch sizes and/or seasons):

For New Zealand scallops, the survival estim

 South Island recreational blue cod (Parapercis colias) fisheries are monitored by Fisheries New Zealand using potting surveys. This report describes the results of the blue cod potting survey carried out off Motunau in North Canterbury during January 2024 – as well as for three previous surveys (2012, 2016, 2020). Estimates are provided for population abundance, size structure from fish length, and age structure from otoliths (ear bones collected for ageing), as well as population sex ratio, total mortality, and fishing mortality. In 2024 the sex ratio was 74% male, and the estimated fishing mortality was nearly four times the target reference level indicating that overfishing is occurring. Survey mean catch rates showed a progressive decline over time, dropping by 66% between 2012 and 2024. The sex ratio over the four surveys was dominated by males with no trend (i.e., 72–76% male). Fishing pressure has been concentrated on just a few older ages, and was considerably higher than the target reference for all the previous surveys.