The Ministry of the Environment and Statistics New Zealand has revealed that New Zealand fish stocks are in good heart, due to commercial fisheries being sustainably managed and overfishing decreasing.
Environment Aotearoa 2015, an independence nationwide set of statistics, showed that overfishing had reduced from 25% to 14% within the past year and more than 95% of fish caught were from stocks that were not overfished.
Tim Pankhurst, Seafood New Zealand chief executive, said: “This robust and independent report confirms the body of science that tells us that our fish stocks are in good heart and are improving.”
The report notes that seabed trawling is decreasing, the number of dredge tows reported in New Zealand waters decreased by 83% from 1996-2014.
New Zealand has received international recognition for its sustainable seafood industry. Mr Pankhurst said: “74% of the countries deepwater seafood production is certified sustainable by the international body, Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the gold-star for sustainable seafood.”
However, the report also notes the adverse pressures of fishing bycatch on seabirds and marine mammals.
Mr Pankhurst explained that the industry is working with government agencies to minimise the impact of bycatch: “We help fund and participate in the Southern Seabird Solutions trust to reduce harm to seabirds through fishing.”
“We have already invested heavily in research and technologies to reduce the impact of fishing on marine mammals,” he concluded.
