New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and the Department of Conservation (DOC) have recently trialled an electronic monitoring programme in the Timaru set net fishery, in partnership with the fishing industry.
The trial used electronic monitoring technology (onboard sensors, cameras and GPS receivers) to automatically record information such as vessel location and interactions between set net fishing vessels and protected species, including Hector’s dolphins.
Two incidental captures of Hector’s dolphins were recorded as part of the programme, with one live release and one mortality.
DOC and MPI say they are both encouraged by the preliminary results of this trial and are aware that fisheries need to be able to demonstrate their sustainable use of marine resources, including providing information that allows impacts on protected species to be assessed and managed.
Steve Halley, MPI’s Acting Inshore Fisheries Manager, says the results of the programme will be combined with the results of other research currently underway to inform future management decisions on impacts on Hector’s dolphins. This includes a new abundance survey, the first since 1998.
Alongside MPI Observers, who monitored 75 fishing events, there was electronic monitoring of 170 fishing trips by equipment onboard 80% of the set net fishing vessels which operated out of Timaru during the 2012/13 season.
