Download FAR 2025/14 Assessment of hoki (Macruronus novaezelandiae) in 2024

McGregor, V.L.; Langley, A.D. (2025). Assessment of hoki (Macruronus novaezelandiae) in 2024. New Zealand Fisheries Assessment Report 2025/14. 266 p.

Integrated stock assessments provide estimates of stock status based on available data and information. Stock status is the current biomass of the stock as a percentage of the biomass before the stock was fished.

This report presents an integrated stock assessment for hoki, New Zealand’s largest finfish fishery. It includes information on movement and biology of hoki and data from commercial fisheries and research surveys.

The base model assumes there are two hoki stocks, an eastern stock that spawns in the Cook Strait and off the east coast of South Island and a western stock that spawns off the west coast of South Island. To allow for uncertainty in this assumed stock structure, an alternative model with a single stock is also presented.

Results from the assessment estimated current stock status to be at 51% of its unfished level for the eastern stock and 41% for the western stock. The combined stock status was estimated to be 45% (two-stock model) or 46% (single-stock model) of its unfished level. All assessments indicate the stock status for hoki is currently within the management target range of 35–50% of its unfished level.