Rig (lemonfish) is a coastal shark species caught in fisheries around New Zealand. Commercial catches in the central east coast North Island fisheries (SPO 2) have exceeded the Total Allowable Catch Limit in 2022 and 2023 as a result of increased rig catches in the set net fishery that targets school shark and rig. Given this over-catch, a rapid update of the catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) index from bottom trawl—that is used for monitoring abundance of rig in SPO 2—was carried out. Rig abundance in 2023 had increased to 1.7 times the target abundance, and the stock was assessed as very likely to be at or above the target level. Near-shore catch rates of rig in Hawke Bay were reduced in 2023, potentially due to Cyclone Gabrielle impacts.
FAR 2024/64 Updated CPUE for rig in SPO 2 to 2023
Type
Report - Fisheries Assessment Report (FAR)
Published
Last updated