Science reports
Introduction
Research and science contribute to the management of New Zealand’s fish stocks. However, for many of our fisheries there is a dearth of information that can be reliably used to guide the science process. To ensure a balanced management approach the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council (NZSFC) works with a number of agencies and organisations to achieve our goal of “more fish in the water”.
Having abundant fisheries thriving in a healthy marine environment would provide for all New Zealander’s social, environmental, economic and cultural well-being.
As time allows, the NZSFC will add to this collection of research and science papers, reports and data sheets.
Relevant information
2024
Report. Marine protected areas to asses rock lobster. UoA. September 2024
An Auckland University study compared crayfish populations inside and outside marine reserves around the Hauraki Gulf to provide a fisheries-independent assessment and the degree of recovery following catch reductions. Overall, biomass at fished locations was <10% of that in reserves and there was little evidence of recovery following catch reductions. University of Auckland. September 2024
Report. Rock Lobster review. FNZ. August 2024
An international panel met in July 2024 to review the NZ Rock Lobster stock assessment model, the associated biological reference points, Management Procedures, and the Rapid Assessment Updates that have been used in recent years. This report is their summary of their deliberations, with 25 recommendations for future work. Fisheries NZ. August 2024.
Elephantfish plenary. FNZ. May 2024
Plenary for all elephantfish stocks, most information on ELE 2, 3, 5 and 7. Summaries of historic catches, estimates of current stock status and population projections. Fisheries New Zealand. May 2024.
Flatfish plenary. FNZ. May 2024
Flatfish plenary summarising estimated historic catches of 8 species of flatfish managed together. This document includes fisheries data, stock status estimates and projections for all NZ flatfish stocks – FLA 1, 2, 3 and 7. Fisheries New Zealand. May 2024.
John dory 2 (JDO 2) plenary. FNZ. May 2024
John dory 2 (JDO 2) plenary summarising historic catches, fisheries data, stock status estimates and projections for John dory 2. JDO 2 extends from East Cape, to Wellington, up the west coast to south Waikato. Fisheries New Zealand. May 2024.
Pāua plenary. FNZ. May 2024
Plenary for all pāua stocks summarising estimated historic catches, estimates of current stock size and projections for future population size. Main pāua fisheries are in areas PAU 2, 3A, 3B, 4, 5A, 5B, 5D, and 7. Fisheries New Zealand. May 2024.
Rig 2 (SPO 2) plenary. FNZ. May 2024
Rig 2 (SPO 2) plenary summarising historic catches, estimates of current stock status and projections for the rig population in FMA 2, around the southeast coast of the North Island. Fisheries New Zealand. May 2024.
Snapper 2 plenary. FNZ. May 2024
Snapper 2 plenary summarising historic catches and fisheries related to the snapper population around the southeast coast of the North Island. Includes estimates of stock status and projections. Fisheries New Zealand. May 2024
Snapper 7 plenary. FNZ. May 2024
Snapper 7 plenary summarising historic catches, estimates of current stock size and projections for the snapper population in FMA 7, around the top and west coast of the South Island. Fisheries New Zealand. May 2024.
Snapper 8 plenary. FNZ. May 2024
Snapper 8 plenary summarising historic catches, estimates of current stock status and projections. Snapper 8 extends from North Cape down the west coast of the North Island to Titahi Bay, Wellington.
2023
Report. Tools to identify trawl corridors in the Hauraki Gulf. FNZ. March 2023
Report. Exploring the use of spatial decision support tools to identify trawl corridors in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. Fisheries New Zealand. March 2023.
Report. State of our Gulf. Hauraki Gulf Forum. Aug 2023
Report on the state of the marine environment in the Hauraki Gulf. Hauraki Gulf Forum. August 2023.
Summary. State of our Gulf Report. Hauraki Gulf Forum. Aug 2023
Summary of the report detailing the state of the marine environment in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. Hauraki Gulf Forum. August 2023.
2022
Blue cod plenary. FNZ. May 2022
Fisheries New Zealand plenary summarising the available data, historic catches and projections for New Zealand blue cod stocks. May 2022.
Kina plenary. FNZ. May 2022
Fisheries New Zealand plenary summarising the available data, historic catches and fisheries related to kina, sea urchins. Plenary discusses all kina management areas SUR 1 to 10. May 2022.
Pāua 2 Plenary. FNZ. May 2022
Pāua 2 plenary document including stock assessment results, estimates of recreational harvest and commercial catch data. Fisheries New Zealand. May 2022.
Rig – spotted dogfish. Plenary. FNZ. May 2022
Fisheries New Zealand plenary summarising the available data, historic catches, current status and projections for New Zealand rig, spotted dogfish stocks. SPO 1-10. May 2022.
Tarakihi plenary. FNZ. May 2022
Fisheries New Zealand plenary summarising the available data, historic catches and projections for New Zealand tarakihi stocks. May 2022.
2021
Research priorities. Sediments in coastal waters. DoC. Sep 2021
Report. Research priorities over the next 5 years for sediments in coastal waters. Department of Conservation. September 2021.
Tarakihi plenary. FNZ. May 2021
Fisheries New Zealand plenary summarising the available data on the tarakihi stocks in New Zealand waters. May 2021.
Plenary. Snapper. FNZ. May 2021
Fisheries New Zealand Plenary of the latest data on snapper stocks in New Zealand waters. May 2021.
Bluefin tuna recreational harvest report. FNZ. 2019-20
Estimated harvest of southern bluefin tuna by recreational fishers in New Zealand waters during 2019-20. Fisheries New Zealand. April 2021.
Blue cod plenary. FNZ. May 2021
Fisheries New Zealand plenary summarising the available data on the blue cod stocks in New Zealand waters. May 2021.
Snapper trawl survey of Hauraki Gulf-Bay of Plenty 2019-20. FNZ. March 2021
Trawl surveys of the Hauraki Gulf and Bay of Plenty in 2019 & 2020 to estimate the abundance of juvenile snapper. Fisheries NZ. March 2021. NZSFC – The plots on pages 70 & 76 are useful. The recommencement of the Hauraki Gulf and Bay of Plenty trawl survey series may provide potential to monitor, with reasonable levels of precision, the relative abundance of year classes over 2 years, including recruited snapper. In the Hauraki Gulf the estimated snapper biomass was 20, 618 tonnes (CV 13.6%), whereas in the Bay of Plenty it was 2824 tonnes (CV 8.9%), representing increases of 139% and 87% since the last survey in each area respectively.
2020
Report. Web camera and ramp surveys of recreational effort. FNZ. July 2020
Web camera and boat ramp survey reporting on activity around the North Island and top of the South Is, from 2005 to 2019. This shows trends in fishing activity and catch rates for key species each year. This is used to monitor recreational fishing between the National Panel Surveys. Fisheries New Zealand. July 2020.
Report. State of the Hauraki Gulf environment. HG Forum. Feb 2020
Tikapa Moana – Hauraki Gulf State of the Environment Report. Hauraki Gulf Forum. February 2020.
SNA 7 Plenary. FNZ. May 2020
Fisheries New Zealand Plenary of the latest data on snapper stocks in NZ waters. May 2020.
Plenary. Blue cod. FNZ. May 2020
Fisheries New Zealand summary of data and status of blue cod stocks around New Zealand. Plenary document issued in May 2020.
Plenary. Pōrae 1. FNZ. May 2020
Fisheries New Zealand summary of data for Porae. Plenary document issued in May 2020.
Plenary. All pāua stocks. FNZ. May 2020
Plenary document collating science and catch information on New Zealand pāua stocks. Fisheries New Zealand. May 2020.
Gurnard plenary. FNZ. May 2020
Fisheries New Zealand plenary summarising the available data on the red gurnard stocks in NZ waters. May 2020.
Bluefin tuna recreational harvest report. FNZ. 2018-19
Report. Estimated recreational harvest of southern bluefin tuna by recreational fishers in New Zealand during 2018-19. Fisheries New Zealand. January 2020.
2019
Striped marlin catch and CPUE in NZ to 2018-19. FNZ. Dec 2019
Striped marlin catch and catch per unit of effort in the New Zealand sport fishery 2016-17 to 2018-19. NZ Fisheries Assessment Report. Fisheries New Zealand. December 2019
Plenary. All Scallop stocks. FNZ. Nov 2019
Plenary document collating science information on New Zealand scallop stocks. Fisheries New Zealand. November 2019.
Plenary. Northland scallops (SCA 1). FNZ. Nov 2019
Plenary document collating science information on the Northland scallop fishery (SCA 1). Fisheries New Zealand. November 2019.
Report. SNA 1 age composition of commercial catch 2017-18. FNZ. Sep 2019
Age composition of commercial snapper landings in Snapper 1, 2017-18. Fisheries NZ. September 2019. NZSFC – Catch at age distributions for the SNA 1 bottom longline fisheries in 2017-18 have remained broad since the previous sampling year in 2012-13, with good representation across almost all year classes up to 20 years, resulting in high estimates of mean age: East Northland (9.9 years), Hauraki Gulf (10 years), Bay of Plenty (8.7 years). East Northland remains the only stock with a high proportion of snapper 20 years or older.
Bluefin tuna recreational harvest report MPI 2017-18
Report. Recreational harvest of southern bluefin tuna in New Zealand, 2017–18. MPI. March 2019.
Recreational harvest estimates 2017-18. FNZ. 2019
National Panel Survey results. Estimates of recreational catch in 2017-18. Data per region and fish stock. Finfish and shellfish harvest. Follow up survey to the 2011-12 National Panel Survey. Fisheries New Zealand. 2019.
2018
Striped marlin archival tagging research. Paper. Domeier et al. 2018
First marlin archival tagging study suggests new direction for research. Domeier et al. Marine and Freshwater Research. 7 December 2018
2017
Hauraki Gulf. State of Environment report. HG Forum. Dec 2017
Tikapa Moana – Hauraki Gulf State of the Environment Report. Hauraki Gulf Forum. December 2017.
Hauraki Gulf. State of Environment report summary. HG Forum. Dec 2017
Tikapa Moana – Hauraki Gulf State of the Environment Report summary. Hauraki Gulf Forum. December 2017.
2015
How juvenile snapper benefit from their habitat. Parsons et al. Mar 2015
Report. How do juvenile snapper benefit from their nursery habitat? Research article by Parsons et al. 24 March 2015.
Gurnard Plenary MPI. May 2015
Gurnard plenary. MPI. May 2015.
2014
Recreational harvest estimates 2011-12. MPI. Nov 2014
Report. National Panel Survey of marine recreational fishers 2011-12: harvest estimates. MPI. November 2014.
Hauraki Gulf. State of the Environment report. HGF. 30 Sep 2014
Report. The natural assets of the Hauraki Gulf continue to decline and bold steps are required to improve management. Hauraki Gulf Forum. 30 September 2014.
2011
Hauraki Gulf. State of the Environment report. HGF. Aug 2011
Tikapa Moana – Hauraki Gulf State of the Environment report. Most indicators show ongoing environmental degradation. By 1995 the snapper population had been reduced to 11% of unfished biomass. Hauraki Gulf Forum. August 2011.
2010
Pāua 2 Fisheries Assessment Report. MFish. 15 June 2010
Pāua 2 Fisheries Assessment Report for Wellington, Wairarapa and Taranaki. Ministry of Fisheries. 15 June 2010.
2008
Hauraki Gulf. State of the Environment report. June 2008
Commercial fishing within the Hauraki Gulf is taking around 6800 tonnes of fish (all species) per year, of that around 2000 tonnes is snapper. Hauraki Gulf Forum report. June 2008.
2004
Hauraki Gulf. State of the Environment report. HG Forum. 2004
Tikapa Moana – Hauraki Gulf State of the Environment report. Snapper in the Gulf and Bay of Plenty reached a low point between 1985 & 1995. Reductions in catch limits have contributed to a rebuild. Hauraki Gulf Forum. 2004.
2002
Modification of habitats by trawling. Kaiser et al. Apr 2002
Report. Modification of marine habitats by trawling activities: prognosis and solutions. Kaiser MJ. et al. 23 April 2002.