Download FSR 2026/02 2026 Independent International Review of Orange Roughy Stock Assessment Modelling

In 2026, Fisheries New Zealand commissioned an independent review to ensure that the science we use to understand the state of orange roughy stocks is as robust and informed as possible.

Orange roughy are among the world's longest-lived fish, reaching around 120–150 years old, making their stock assessment uniquely challenging.

The review concluded that New Zealand’s orange roughy research is “built on a solid foundation and is broadly consistent with orange roughy assessments in other jurisdictions”. It made 26 recommendations to improve our understanding of orange roughy fish stocks. They cover survey methods, biological information, assessment models, quality assurance processes and management frameworks.

The review found that “the single most important near-term science priority” for orange roughy is to resolve divergences between the 38 and 120 kHz acoustic biomass surveys. An acoustic survey is being planned for the East-South Chatham Rise (ESCR) orange roughy fishery, which will be conducted in July 2027. The findings from the review will be incorporated in the planning and delivery of this survey, which will ensure a robust biomass estimate for the next stock assessment for the fishery.

A work programme that responds to recommendations on biological parameters, age data and sampling design, and model structure will be developed in the short term. Work on reference points and management procedures will be refined and assessed by the Deepwater Working Group as it becomes available.

In response to the decline in abundance and uncertainty around biomass in the ESCR fishery, there have been significant catch limit cuts in recent years and, in 2026, an annual closure of key orange roughy spawning areas was put in place.

The independent international panel review met in May and June 2026 to evaluate the science behind these assessments, examining data quality, model assumptions, and uncertainty.