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Review of sustainability measures for fisheries – April 2024 round

Updates

22 March 2024 - Minister’s decisions released

Following consultation, the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries has made decisions on sustainability measures for selected fish stocks as part of the April 2024 sustainability round.

We have released:

  • the Minister's decision letter and advice papers
  • summaries of the decisions for each stock.

The submissions received during public consultation will be released in the coming weeks.

Decision letter, advice papers, and submissions

The decision letter – Minister for Oceans and Fisheries [PDF, 575 KB]

Review of sustainability measures for the 2024 April round decision paper [PDF, 17 MB]

Review of sustainability measures for spiny rock lobster (CRA 3) for 2023/24 decision paper [PDF, 2 MB]

Summary table of the minister’s decisions

Species

Stock/area

 Proposal

Rationale for review

Gemfish / tiikati, maka-taharaki, maka-tikati

SKI 3 – Chatham Rise, Southland, and the sub-Antarctic

↑  
  • Increase the TAC from 1,103 to 1,433 tonnes
  • Increase the allowance for all other mortality caused by fishing from 11 to 14 tonnes
  • Increase the TACC from 1,091 to 1,418 tonnes

SKI 7 – West Coast of the South Island, Wellington, and Taranaki

↑  
  • Increase the TAC from 1,103 to 1,433 tonnes
  • Increase the allowance for all other mortality caused by fishing from 11 to 14 tonnes
  • Increase the TACC from 1,091 to 1,418 tonnes

Silver warehou

SWA 4 - Eastern Chatham Rise and Sub-Antarctic

↑  
  • Increase the TAC from 4,545 to 5,227 tonnes
  • Increase the allowance for all other mortality caused by fishing from 45 to 52 tonnes
  • Increase the TACC from 4,500 to 5,175 tonnes
Southern blue whiting SBW 6B – Bounty Platform, Sub-Antarctic

↑  
  • Increase the TAC from 2,309 to 4,988 tonnes
  • Increase the allowance for all other mortality caused by fishing from 45 to 100 tonnes
  • Increase the TACC from 2,264 to 4,888 tonnes

Southern bluefin tuna / ika tira iti

STN 1 – All of New Zealand and Extraterritorial

↑  

From 1 April 2024 to 30 September 2024:

  • Increase the TAC from 1,102 to 1,288 tonnes
  • Generate 151 tonnes of additional ACE
  • Increase the allowance for recreational fishing from 34 to 69 tonnes

For the new fishing year beginning 1 October 2024:

  • Increase the TAC from 1,102 to 1,288 tonnes
  • Increase the allowance for recreational fishing from 34 to 69 tonnes
  • Increase the TACC from 1,046 to 1,197 tonnes

Kaikōura recreational pāua fishery

PAU 3A and PAU 7 from Marfells Beach to the Conway River

-
  • Open the wider Kaikōura pāua fishery to recreational fishing for a period of two months from 22 April to 21 June 2024

Spiny rock lobster / Kōura papatea

CRA 7 – Otago

-
  • Confirm the use of a management procedure

CRA 8 – Fiordland, Stewart Island, & Auckland Islands

↑  
  • Confirm the use of a management procedure
  • Increase the TAC from 1,453 to 1,601 tonnes
  • Increase the allowance for recreational fishing from 33 to 39 tonnes
  • Increase the allowance for all other mortality caused by fishing from 139 to 140 tonnes
  • Increase the TACC from 1,251 to 1,392 tonnes

CRA 3 – Gisborne

↓  
  • Reduce the TAC from 302 to 244 tonnes
  • Reduce the allowance for recreational fishing from 12 to 8 tonnes
  • Reduce the allowance for all other mortality caused by fishing from 75 to 60 tonnes
  • Reduce the TACC from 195 to 156 tonnes
  • Reduce the recreational daily limit of spiny rock lobsters from a maximum of 6 within the combined daily limit to a maximum of 3

Other changes from 1 April 2024

During the 2023 October sustainability round, the Minister at the time made decisions relating to catch limits and allowances for green-lipped mussel across Waikato, West Coast of Auckland and Northland, and Te Oneroa a Tōhe/Ninety Mile Beach (GLM 9). The TAC change decided in that round will come into effect on 1 April 2024. Details of the changes for GLM 9 are on the October 2023 consultation page.

Review of sustainability measures for fisheries – October 2023 round

4 January 2024 – Southern blue whiting (SBW 6B) consultation document released, updates for spiny rock lobster (CRA 3) and Kaikōura pāua consultations

Southern blue whiting (SBW 6B) – Bounty Platform

Fisheries New Zealand now welcomes feedback on the review of the Bounty Platform southern blue whiting fishery (SBW 6B) for 2024.

Summaries and consultation documents

The closing time for submissions on this review is the same as the other proposals – 5pm on Friday 2 February 2024.

Spiny rock lobster (CRA 3)

Fisheries New Zealand has amended the consultation and summary documents for the review of the Gisborne spiny rock lobster fishery (CRA 3) to include a status quo option. This option would maintain the current catch limits and allowances for the CRA 3 fishery from 2024. The updated consultation document and summary for CRA 3 are now available.

Summaries and consultation documents

The closing time for submissions on this review remains 5pm on Friday 2 February 2024.

Kaikōura pāua recreational fishing season

For the avoidance of doubt, note that:

  • the recreational allowance for PAU3A is 5 tonnes, and the recreational allowance for PAU7 is 15 tonnes. Recreational fishing is to be managed in a way that meets these allowances 
  • in addition to feedback on the options described in the consultation document, we welcome feedback on alternative options to achieve this
  • there will be a recreational survey to estimate recreational catch in PAU3A on a weekly basis. This would allow actions during the season to further constrain recreational catch if appropriate (as described in paragraph 77 of the discussion document)
  • the PAU3 and PAU7 fisheries plans approved under s11A of the Fisheries Act 1996 contain strategies that are relevant to the wider management of the Kaikōura Pāua Fishery and these will be taken into account.

The consultation document and summary for this review remain unchanged.

Summaries and consultation documents

The closing time for submissions on this review remains 5pm on Friday 2 February 2024.

18 December 2023 – CRA 7 and CRA 8 consultation document released

Fisheries New Zealand now welcomes feedback on the review of spiny rock lobster stocks CRA 7 and CRA 8 for 2024.

Summaries and consultation documents

Submissions for the review of CRA 7 and CRA 8 will close at the same time as other proposals at 5pm Friday 2 February 2024.

Consultation background

Fisheries New Zealand consulted on proposed changes to sustainability measures for a range of fish stocks as part of the 2024 April sustainability round. We invited feedback from tangata whenua, stakeholders, and the public on these proposed changes.

About the proposed changes

Fisheries New Zealand reviews catch limits for selected stocks twice a year. This is consistent with the purpose of the Fisheries Act 1996 to allow for sustainable utilisation.

In this round, we reviewed:

  • catch limits, allowances, and the recreational daily limit for spiny rock lobster (CRA 3 – Gisborne)
  • a proposed management procedure for spiny rock lobster (CRA 7 – Otago)
  • a proposed management procedure, catch limits, and allowances for spiny rock lobster (CRA 8 – Southland, Stewart Island, and Fiordland)
  • an in-season increase to catch limits and a review of the full-year catch limits and allowances for southern bluefin tuna (STN 1 – all of New Zealand)
  • the recreational fishing season for the Kaikōura pāua fishery.

We also reviewed catch limits and allowances for:

  • silver warehou (SWA 4 – Southland, Sub-Antarctic, and the Chatham Rise)
  • gemfish (SKI 3 and 7 – South Island and Chatham Rise)
  • southern blue whiting (SBW 6B - Bounty Platform)

All the proposals in this round were assessed:

  • in the context of the relevant statutory requirements
  • using the best available information, including the latest scientific information on the status of the stocks and tangata whenua and stakeholder input.

Summary of the proposals

Species

Stock/area

Proposal

Spiny rock lobster

CRA 3

TAC ↓

Spiny rock lobster

CRA 7

Management procedure

Spiny rock lobster

CRA 8

Management procedure, and TAC ↑  

Pāua

Wider Kaikōura recreational pāua fishery

Recreational season re-opening

Southern bluefin tuna

STN 1

TAC ↑  

Silver warehou

SWA 4

TAC ↑  

Gemfish

SKI 3 and SKI 7

TACs ↑  

Southern blue whiting

SBW 6B

TBC

Consultation documents

Review of the Bounty Platform southern blue whiting fishery (SBW 6B) [PDF, 875 KB]

SBW 6B summary [PDF, 619 KB]

Review of management procedures for spiny rock lobster (CRA 7 and 8) [PDF, 1.6 MB]

CRA 7 and CRA 8 summary [PDF, 756 KB]

Review of sustainability measures for spiny rock lobster (CRA 3) for 2024/25 [PDF, 1.2 MB]

CRA 3 summary [PDF, 652 KB]

Review of the Kaikōura recreational pāua fishery for 2023/24 [PDF, 765 KB]

Kaikōura pāua summary [PDF, 739 KB]

Review of sustainability measures for southern bluefin tuna for 2024/25 [PDF, 625 KB]

STN 1 summary [PDF, 630 KB]

Review of sustainability measures for silver warehou (SWA 4) for 2024/25 [PDF, 790 KB]

SWA 4 summary [PDF, 676 KB]

Review of sustainability measures for gemfish (SKI 3 and SKI 7) for 2024/25 [PDF, 1.2 MB]

SKI 3 and SKI 7 summary [PDF, 643 KB]

Review of sustainability measures for the 2024 April round: Overview of legislative requirements and other considerations in relation to sustainability measures [PDF, 374 KB]

Related information

Fisheries Act 1996 – NZ Legislation

Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act 2000 – NZ Legislation

About the Quota Management System (QMS)

The Harvest Strategy Standard 

Operational Guidelines for New Zealand's Harvest Strategy Standard [PDF, 843 KB]

The Deemed Values Guidelines [PDF, 1.4 MB]

Glossary of relevant terms 

National Fisheries Plan for deepwater and middle-depth fisheries [PDF, 1.4 MB]

Regional plan provisions and policy statements [PDF, 324 KB]

Submissions are public information

Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.

People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.

If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.

Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation

MPI business units