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One of Franklin’s most popular sports could run high and dry if fishers don’t share their thoughts on catch limits.
Sought by Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Shane Jones, consultation on the issue is open now, however time is running out.
“Twice a year, formal reviews are done on a range of fish stocks and proposals developed to adjust settings where necessary,” he confirms. “The proposed options are developed using the best available science and information about the fishery.”
Sustainability is key to knowing which fish become the ones that get away.
“When a fishery can sustainably handle more harvesting, contributing to our economy, we should allow it. [However] it’s in everybody’s best interests to reduce fishing when needed.”
When selecting stocks for review, a range of factors is considered including information about the stock from assessments and monitoring, information from tangata whenua, the public and environmental factors.
Top of the list for consideration this time is tarakihi.
“Tarakihi is one of New Zealand’s favourite fish species, with around 95 percent of commercially caught tarakihi sold and consumed domestically,” Jones explains. “Warming waters are likely to have impacted the number of juvenile fish.
Despite efforts to reduce pressure – supported by industry, including catch limit reductions in 2018, 2019, and 2022– the fishery has not recovered as well as hoped.”
The review also includes proposals for changes to deemed value rates, paid by fishers on catches exceeding annual catch entitlement.
“Once consultation closes, officials will analyse the submissions and provide me with advice,” Jones adds. “My decisions will be announced before the start of the fishing year on October 1.
I encourage anyone with an interest in these fisheries to read and provide feedback.”
Consultation closes on July 24. For additional details or to provide feedback visit mpi.govt.nz/consultations.
