A programme to estimate the age composition of snapper (SNA) caught by bottom trawl fisheries targeting snapper (SNA 7) and flatfish (FLA 7) was conducted during the 2013–14 fishing year. Landings were dominated by young snapper, with those six years or less collectively making up 96% of the landed catch by number. The 6-year-old year class was singularly the most dominant in the fishery (69% of fish landed), and is likely to be significant to the fishery for a number of years.

During 2014, MPI undertook a public consultation on options to change the requirements for the sale of raw milk to consumers. Individuals, businesses and organisation with an interest in raw milk were invited to submit comments in response to a discussion paper canvassing future policy options for the sale of raw milk. This documents presents a brief overview of submitters' comments, and MPI's response.

Here we assessed the influence of environmental variables on yellow belly flounder (YBF) in the Kaipara Harbour using commercial YBF catch data. This involved creating a YBF catch index and lagging it so water quality and climatic data were compared to periods when YBF were juveniles. Nitrate and the Southern Oscilation Index (SOI) were often related to YBF catch rates (Pearson = 0.4 – 0.6), emphasising the potential influence of land use and SOI positive (La Nina) events to YBF recruitment.

In five recent New Zealand assessment reports authors deviated from the conventional practice of assuming a lognormal prior for year-class strengths. From an evaluation of the information available for developing these priors we formulated a rationale for deciding when it was acceptable to use other than a lognormal prior. According to this rationale the use of non-lognormal priors was not acceptable in any of these recent reports.

This report is a summary of several studies that have been prepared by a range of people for the Waikato Economic Impact Joint Venture. It describes how baseline information has been collected about the Waikato-Waipa catchment and the value of the waterways to its users. This has been used to develop economic modelling for the catchment. This approach is being presented to help the community assess options for regional water management.

The aim of this case study is to provide evidence on the impact of different options to
maximise the value of available fresh water and meet required allocation limits in the Waimea Plains, in the Tasman District.