Accidental captures of seabirds and protected marine species by commercial fishers from 1 October to 31 December 2025

About our fishing industry and fish stocks

The seafood sector provides an important source of revenue, jobs, and opportunities to New Zealand with annual export revenue in excess of $2 billion.

Overall, the latest information shows fisheries remain in good shape. Fisheries New Zealand is committed to supporting sustainable fishing so that all fishers (commercial, recreational, and customary) continue to benefit from the sea for generations to come.

To that end, Fisheries New Zealand collects a range of data to support decision-making for sustainable fisheries and minimise the effect of fishing on other wildlife.

Fish stock status

Fishing events between October and December 2025

Over the quarter from 1 October to 31 December, there were:

35,774 reported fishing events
64,240 tonnes of fish landed.

The catch this quarter is comparable with the same quarter from previous fishing years. The decrease compared with the last quarter reflects the end of the fishing season for large volume deepwater fisheries such as hoki, Jack mackerel, and southern blue whiting.

A fishing event is described as each time fishing gear is set and retrieved.

Fish landed is described as all fish reported as caught and required to be reported on a monthly harvest return.

Our catch data spreadsheet contains monthly harvest return data for all Quota Management System (QMS) fishstocks.

Catch data – Q1 2025-26 October fishing year [XLSX, 1.2 MB]

The number of interactions with protected species this quarter

Of the 35,774 fishing events this quarter, 1.9% involved interactions with protected species. These interactions include animals making any contact with fishing gear, including those released unharmed. They include reporting from vessels with cameras on board. The percentage is broadly in line with scientific estimates that we use to assess fisheries risk to protected species populations.

Fishers work hard to reduce these captures and there are a range of voluntary and regulated measures in place. Fisheries New Zealand works with the Department of Conservation (DOC) to manage the range of threats to protected species, including those posed by fishing.

We have plans in place to understand and manage threats to protected marine species, including Hector’s and Māui dolphins, sea lions, and seabirds. These plans include evidence-based approaches to dealing with fishing incidents ranging from education (at the lower end of the spectrum) to fishing restrictions and closures where necessary.

Fisheries New Zealand releases quarterly information reported by commercial fishers about accidental catches of marine mammals, seabirds, reptiles, protected fish, corals, and bryozoans.

Non-fish and protected species caught by commercial fishers [XLSX, 350 KB]

This data can be subject to reporting errors

The data in these quarterly reports has been provided by fishers through the electronic reporting system. Where protected species reporting errors are identified through review of footage from on-board cameras, we work with fishers to update the data.

Details of main accidental captures this quarter

Seabirds

In total this quarter, 717 seabirds were captured with most of these associated with trawl and longline fishing methods.

One hoiho (yellow-eyed penguin) was reported caught in a set net in FMA 5 (Southland) this quarter. Based on a recently completed multi-threat risk assessment of hoiho, measures have been introduced around Otago Peninsula to protect hoiho from the effects of fishing during the current breeding season.

Find out more about the measures to protect hoihos

New rules help reduce captures

New rules that came into effect on 1 October 2024 have reduced the risk of seabirds being caught in the surface longline fishery. The rules require all commercial fishers using surface longline fishing methods to either:

use special hook shielding devices, or
implement '3 out of 3' best practice seabird mitigations at the same time.

The '3 out of 3' mitigations include using bird scaring devices called 'tori lines', using weighted lines to sink hooks faster, and setting gear at night. These measures are targeted to reduce the number of albatross and other seabirds captured.

The work we do to reduce accidental deaths of seabirds

In May 2020, the government approved an updated National Plan of Action for Seabirds (NPOA Seabirds) which sets out the vision, goals, and objectives to reduce accidental deaths of seabirds, as well as how progress against these goals is monitored. Progress is reported in NPOA seabird annual reports.

Reducing deaths of seabirds

Fisheries New Zealand coordinates biannual meetings of the Seabird Advisory Group (SAG) which includes representatives from industry, recreational interests, and the environmental sector. Treaty partners are also invited to participate. The role of the SAG is to track progress against the goals and objectives of the NPOA Seabirds.

Under the NPOA Seabirds, Fisheries New Zealand – in conjunction with the SAG – developed mitigation standards for each fishing method. Mitigation standards show how fishers can reduce the risk of catching seabirds. Annual review of the mitigation standards occurs as part of the drafting of the Seabird Annual Report and follows a process agreed to by the Seabird Advisory Group.

Whales and dolphins

There were no reported Hector's dolphin captures this quarter. Nine common dolphins and one whale were reported caught. Common dolphins are abundant in New Zealand waters, although precise population estimates are largely unknown.

The work we do to reduce threats to whales and dolphins

Hector’s and Māui dolphins face a variety of threats, including from fishing, which are managed by Fisheries New Zealand and DOC. Together, we are responsible for the Threat Management Plan (TMP) for Hector’s and Māui dolphins.

Protecting Hector's and Māui dolphins

To manage threats from fishing, a Bycatch Reduction Plan is in place for South Island Hector’s dolphin. The plan sets out a suite of regulatory and voluntary measures designed to help fishers reduce the accidental capture of Hector’s dolphin towards zero.

Bycatch reduction plan [PDF, 7.2 MB]

Turtles

There were no reported turtle captures across commercial fisheries this quarter.

Reducing sea turtle bycatch

Commercial fishers using the surface longline fishing method have been required to use circle hooks when fishing in New Zealand fisheries waters since August 2023. Research has shown that circle hooks can reduce the catch rate of sea turtles, as well as reducing the proportion of turtles that are deeply hooked. Circle hooks are also wider making them more difficult for sea turtles to become hooked on. Turtles that are hooked in the mouth are likely to have a greater chance of surviving than turtles that swallow the hook.

Fisheries New Zealand is working with DOC on a joint work programme to monitor and address sea turtle bycatch. This includes supporting the continued implementation of best practice handling and release methods, gathering data on interactions through turtle capture questionnaire forms for fishers, and provision of turtle de-hooking kits through DOC’s Liaison Officer Programme.

New Zealand sea lions and fur seals

No sea lions were reported caught in this quarter. New Zealand sea lions are classified as ‘Nationally Endangered'.

One elephant seal was caught in a deepwater trawl on the Chatham Rise.

There were 20 reported captures of New Zealand fur seals this quarter, a slight decrease compared to the 23 reported on the same quarter last year. New Zealand fur seals are classified as 'Not Threatened', and there is evidence of northward expansion of the distribution of breeding colonies.

How we're helping protect NZ sea lions

It is estimated there are around 10,000 New Zealand sea lions, with the main breeding populations found at the sub-Antarctic Auckland and Campbell Islands. These breeding populations have been declining in recent years. However, breeding populations on Stewart Island and the lower South Island are increasing.

Fisheries New Zealand works closely with DOC and Ngāi Tahu on the management of sea lions. This work is captured in the New Zealand Sea Lion Threat Management Plan. Fisheries New Zealand also works closely with commercial fishers to develop and refine operational procedures to mitigate the risk of sea lion captures.

Threat Management Plan for New Zealand sea lion – DOC

Deepwater trawl: Marine mammals operational procedures 2023-24 [PDF, 17MB]

On-board cameras are now live on 222 commercial fishing vessels (as at 31 December 2025)

Experience overseas and in New Zealand is that monitoring of fishing by observers or cameras generally leads to more accurate reporting. Accurate data enables a more transparent and responsive fisheries management system and supports better understanding of the health of our marine ecosystems.

Footage reviewed is based on random selection within a risk-based approach, with higher review rates in fisheries with higher risk of at-risk protected species interaction.

Future research will use data from cameras to update risk and capture estimates to ensure these are based on the best available information.

On-board cameras for commercial fishing vessels

Review of footage this quarter

Of the footage collected from vessels this quarter, 22% was reviewed. This remains high by international standards, reflecting the overlap with the areas identified in the Threat Management Plan for Hector’s and Māui dolphins and other protected species.

Protected species captures are being consistently reported by fishers, with 93% of reviewed protected species capture events also reported by fishers this quarter. Any discrepancies in reporting are referred for follow up action.

There has been increased reporting of protected species in the fisheries where cameras are operating, which aligns with international experience and research undertaken in New Zealand. The levels of protected species captures being reported are broadly in line with our estimates used to inform management advice.

Metric	1 October to 31 December 2025
Number of vessels with cameras	222
Number of fishing events for which footage was recorded*	13,839
Number of events reviewed by MPI	3,169
Percentage of events reviewed by MPI	22%
Percentage of reviewer detected protected species capture events that were also reported by fishers	93%
* A fishing event is defined as each time a net or longline is set and retrieved.

Previous quarterly reports

Information related to previous publications of this quarterly report are available on request to Fisheries New Zealand’s Data Team by emailing rdm@mpi.govt.nz