Minister of Fisheries Jim Anderton proposed emergency action in New Zealand’s developing swordfish fishery on 28 November, in response to unacceptable levels of bird deaths.
“I have been advised that 51 albatrosses and 7 petrels, as well as two critically endangered leatherback turtles were caught by a swordfish vessel in the Kermadec area,” Jim Anderton says. “I am told that most of these birds were Antipodean Albatrosses – a vulnerable species that only breeds in New Zealand waters.
“I’m also advised that other swordfish vessels will soon be fishing in the same area using the same methods. I don’t want another incident like this occurring in the fishery, so I am proposing immediate action under emergency provisions in the Fisheries Act.
“I have formed the initial view that it is necessary to close the entire Kermadec fisheries (QMA10) to surface long-line fishing, and also make night setting mandatory in all New Zealand surface long-line fisheries, as well as requiring tori lines to ward off birds must be used.
“These emergency measures would remain in place for three months, during which time I will consider what long-term measures will be needed to address the concerning level of by-catch we have seen on this occasion in the swordfish fishery. The Ministry of Fisheries will be consulting stakeholders over the next forty-eight hours and following feedback I will make a final decision on whether to impose the measures.”
During a single trip on a swordfish vessel a Ministry of Fisheries’ observer reported 51 albatrosses and 7 petrels caught. Most of the albatrosses are thought to have been Antipodean Albatross. The leatherback turtles and 17 of the albatrosses were released alive. It is not known if they survived.
