Managing our catches

How we manage New Zealand'sZealand fisheries

We've got controls on fishing methods and ongoing research in place to manage our fisheries. Whether it's recreational, commercial or customary fishing, sustainability is our top priority.

Managing recreational fishingfisheries

Fishing is a favourite pastime for many New Zealanders. But there areMPI has recreational fishing rules to follow wherever you're fishing in Newin place across New Zealand. The rules outline bag and size limits, area closures and other restrictions.

People will usually follow rules if they understand them. We do a lot of education and promotion to encourage people to follow and understand recreational fishing rules. We provide brochures, post signs in fishing areas and share information online. We also have an app – the NZ Fishing Rules App.We're also working to improve communication with recreational fishers through our Recreational Fishing Initiative.

Find out more about the initiative

Customary fishingfisheries

Tangata whenua have an enduring interest in their local fisheries – a right guaranteed to them by the Treaty of Waitangi.

Fish and seafood taken for customary use is controlled and authorised by appointed Tangata Kaitiaki/Tangata Tiaki (guardians), who report this catch to us. MPI regulations also help to strengthen the rights of tangata whenua to manage their local fisheries.

Managing commercial fishingfisheries

Seafood is one of New Zealand's significant export earners – fisheries exports were worth $1.2 billion in 2015 alone.

Maintaining this industry is important, and the Quota Management System (QMS) plays a key role. Each year, the Government sets a catch limit for every fish population (stock) in the QMS to ensure the sustainability of commercial catches. Government observers on commercial fishing vessels and vessel inspections by MPI help ensure fishing data is accurate. We are looking at improved methods for recording catch and by-catch on inshore vessels.

The Treaty of Waitangi acknowledges Māori possession and use of fisheries. Since 1992, Māori have been allocated 20% of the commercial quota for each species managed under our QMS.

Find out more

• The Quota Management System
• Shared fisheries for the future
• Sustainable fisheries management and allocation
• Status of the fisheries resourcesCustomary rules, rights and regulations

Other recreational and commercial catch restrictionsEnsuring fishers know the rules

Along with bagTo encourage people to follow and catch limits,understand recreational fishing rules, we do a lot of education and promotion. We provide brochures, post signs in fishing areas and promote online information. We've also set minimum size limits for certain fish species. These limits letgot an app – the fish reach maturity and spawn before being caught.NZ Fishing Rules App.

We've also banned certain damaging fishing methods, and all fishing nets and traps must haveOur rules come with penalties, but people will usually follow the correct mesh size or escape openings to let small fish get away.rules if they understand them.

Read more about fishing methodsCheck recreational fishing rules

Targeted compliance efforts

There are more than 1,100 registered commercial fishing vessels in New Zealand and over 600,000500,000 recreational fishers. That's a lot of fishing activity to manage.

We focus our compliance efforts on people and areas where offending has occurred before or is likely to occur in the future.

It's difficult and expensive to monitor our fisheries, as breachesoffending usually occuroccurs out at sea. We do several hundred at-sea inspections of commercial catch and catch records each year. Sometimes we use our own vessels, and sometimes we work with the Navy or Air Force.

More than 25% of all deepwater catch is taken by vessels with an MPI observer on-board. Our observers gather important information on the size and ages of fish caught. Observer coverage on inshore vessels focuses on areas where we need information, particularly regarding marine mammals and seabirds.

• Find out how we count fish
• MPI's fishery management initiatives
• Commercial compliance

Once landed, commercial catches are under constant scrutiny. Every year, MPI will carry out hundreds of vessel inspections at wharves around New Zealand. We'll compare the species and weight of fish in a hold with a skipper's catch records.

MPI also does about 1,000 checks each year of fish buyers and sellers. Our officers look for evidence of black market fish – those fish that haven't been reported.

In 2015, MPI inspected the catches of over 23,000 recreational fishers. Many of these inspections were carried out by our honorary fishery officers – volunteersHonorary Fishery Officers - volunteers working to safeguard their local fisheries.

Find out about the work of honorary fishering officersRead more about recreational fishing

Investigations and prosecutionsInvestigation and prosecution

In 2015 alone, we carried out over 2,500 inspections of commercial fishers and fish sellers. We identified 260 breaches of legislation – a 90% compliance rate. The compliance rate for recreational fishers was 94%.

When we have evidence that fishers or companies have broken the law, we issue fines and in some cases prosecute. In 2015, we pursued over 250 to 300 prosecutions through the courts.

Fisheries management in the future

Public views of what was considered normal behaviour 30 years ago have changed and people increasingly want assurance of sustainability and environmental consideration in our fisheries. MPI is exploring new ways of monitoring fish catches, particularly for inshore fish, and managing the environmental effects of fishing.

MPI is carrying out an operational review of New Zealand’s current fisheries management system. We're looking at complex issues such as shared fisheries and who should be apportioned rights of access, improving marine protection, howThrough our Fisheries Management System Review, we manage fisheries within a wider ecosystem, and how we can use new technologieswork to improve fisheriesensure our management to meet future expectations.system is still fit-for-purpose.

Technology is quickly transforming how we work. The Integrated Electronic Monitoring and Reporting System (IEMRS) will soon revolutionise how we manage commercial fisheries. It will be able to tell us – in real time – where vessels are, what they're catching and how many fish they've caught. This is particularly useful for small inshore vessels without the space to carry observers.

• Find out more about IEMRS and other management initiatives

Who to contact

If you have questions about fisheries management, email info@mpi.govt.nz.info@mpi.govt.nz.