Fisheries New Zealand is making data about accidental fisheries bycatch more accessible to keep pace with changes to the way data is collected, says Fisheries New Zealand director of fisheries science Simon Lawrence.

"Keeping track of the accidental capture of non-target species is an important part of making sure fisheries are sustainable," says Simon Lawrence.

"The introduction of cameras across more vessels, and the information gathered as a result, has provided a good opportunity to consider the way accidental capture information is presented that is easier to find and more accessible.

"We've taken information currently provided at different times and places and presented it in a clearer and quarterly format so that people can see it in context."

Simon says data about accidental captures is collected from commercial fishers and verified by the Fisheries New Zealand observers and cameras on board fishing vessels, with scientific modelling applied to help build a more fulsome picture of what is happening on the water.

"Fisheries New Zealand and the Department of Conservation respond in near-real time to captures of protected species. Depending on the situation this could range from supporting fishers to make small changes to reduce risk through to formal fishing restrictions and closures.

"Data about captures is also used by people with a stake in our fisheries, including commercial fishers, iwi, Environmental NGOs, researchers, and fisheries scientists. In addition, we know a lot of members of the public care about bycatch and will benefit from the information refresh."

Fisheries New Zealand is committed to ensuring sustainability of fisheries and preventing bycatch.

"One example is new rules coming into effect in October 2024 that will significantly reduce the risk to seabirds, including critically threatened albatrosses being captured in the surface longline fishery.

"These will require all commercial fishers using surface longline fishing methods to either use special hook shielding devices or implement all three seabird mitigations at the same time. These mitigations include: using bird scaring devices called 'tori lines', as well as using weighted lines to sink hooks faster and setting gear at night."

Over the latest quarter, from January 1 to March 31, there were 37,151 reported fishing events and 81,811 tonnes of fish landed (a fishing event is described as each time fishing gear is set and retrieved).

More information from the latest quarter includes data on seabird and dolphin captures and is on MPI's website.

Seabirds and protected marine species caught by commercial fishers