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Protected species bycatch

Creative commons attribution, Sarah Stewart.
White-capped albatross by a fishing vessel near Dunedin. White-capped albatross
are one of the bird species that are incidentally killed by New Zealand fishing
operations.
Observed captures


PROTECTED SPECIES BYCATCH IN NEW ZEALAND FISHERIES

Seabirds, marine mammals, turtles, as well as protected sharks and rays, are
incidentally caught during commercial fishing operations. In order to monitor
the impacts of fishing on these species, government observers on fishing vessels
record any protected species bycatch incidents that occur. Observer data on
protected species captures are maintained by the Ministry for Primary
Industries, with identification of captured animals carried out by the
Department of Conservation. Recent reports on protected species captures are
available from the Ministry for Primary Industries.

This website provides a summary of protected species captures in trawl and
longline fisheries, from the 2002–03 to 2020–21 fishing year (fishing years run
from October 1 to September 30).

Observers are only present on some fishing vessels. To estimate total captures
in a fishery, it is necessary to use statistical methods to extrapolate from
observed fishing to unobserved fishing. The total observable captures are an
estimate of the captures that would have been reported, had observers been
present on all fishing vessels. There may be additional mortalities (such as
birds that are struck by fishing gear but not brought on board the vessel) that
are not recorded by observers. These are referred to as ‘cryptic mortalities’
and are not included in the estimates of total captures, nor is there any
evaluation of potential survival of seabirds recorded as captured but
subsequently released alive.

Estimates of total captures have been provided for seabirds, fur seals and
common dolphins (some fisheries only - others have not been estimated due to
limited observations of captures). Fisheries New Zealand also have produced or
are in the process of producing spatial risk assessments which provide
alternative estimates of fishing related captures and mortality for seabirds,
Hector’s and Maui dolphin, New Zealand sea lion and other marine mammal species.
Estimates of total captures will differ between these two methods and the method
used to generate any estimate cited should be explicit. In general the view of
Fisheries New Zealand is that the spatially explicit approach will allow for
more accurate estimates of total captures, but this may differ in specific
instances.


AVAILABLE DATA

Currently available datasets include:

 * Protected species captures, 2002–03 to 2020–21. Summary of observed and
   estimated total captures of seabirds, marine mammals and turtles in New
   Zealand trawl, longline, and set net fisheries.



This summary of protected species captures in New Zealand fisheries is based on
data held by the Ministry for Primary Industries.