Download FAR 2026/09 Inshore trawl survey off the west coast North Island, February-March 2025 (KHR2502)

This report presents the results from the first inshore trawl survey onboard the new research vessel Kaharoa II.

The survey extended from Scott Point on Ninety Mile Beach to Airedale Reef, to the north of New Plymouth, covering a depth range from 10–200 m, and was conducted from 13 February to 04 March 2025. There was no sampling within 2–4 nautical miles of the coast between Maunganui Bluff and the Waiwhakaiho River, New Plymouth, in the no-trawl area established to protect the Māui dolphin. The target species for the survey were snapper, red gurnard, John dory, and tarakihi.

All 67 planned Phase 1 stations were completed, followed by three Phase 2 tows for improving the coefficient of variation for tarakihi. Everything that is caught in the trawl is sorted, identified, and weighed. Length and maturity data are collected for selected species and otoliths (fish ear stones) are removed for ageing from the four target species. The trawl survey provides relative abundance estimates and age, length, and maturity stage information used for stock assessments and fisheries management advice for key inshore species.

Snapper catches were much smaller and concentrated much closer inshore than in previous west coast North Island surveys, which had been carried out in October-November. The results suggested that in late summer a significant proportion of the population, particularly older adults, remained in very shallow coastal areas that are largely closed to trawling and therefore not fully covered by the survey. As such, the February timing is not optimal for a snapper survey, although younger age classes (< 30 cm) were still sampled reasonably well. Catches were also low for the three other target species and some other QMS species also.

Based on these results, it was recommended by the Inshore Working Group that future surveys are carried out in autumn, starting in 2026.