The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP), a non-governmental organization committed to maintaining healthy ocean and aquatic ecosystems, challenges recent media assertions about the sustainability of the New Zealand hoki fishery. SFP rates the fishery as one of the best managed whitefish fisheries in the world, in spite of declines in stock size in recent years.
In the mid-90’s an unusually low number of young fish recruited into the fishery (i.e. reached commercial size). The stocks were healthy and the recruitment of young fish naturally varies greatly, so managers kept quotas constant, betting on next year being better. Unfortunately,
poor recruitment continued and the stock declined.
With the strong support of leading fishing companies, managers cut quotas deeply, reducing fishing mortality by 50% between 2003 and 2007. With more fish left in the water, the stock was able to rebuild to healthy levels this year. Environmental impacts are also being addressed
through habitat and species protection measures. For example, New Zealand has put more of its seas off limits to bottom trawling than any other country.
See the complete press release from the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership.