High Seas Fisheries

There are still vast areas of the ocean that are not part of any nation’s Exclusive Economic Zone. These are referred to as the high seas.

Because the high seas don’t belong to one country, many nations catch the fish that live in or migrate through these waters. This is having an impact on the stocks. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recently warned that more than two-thirds of high-seas fish stocks are depleted or at high risk of collapse.

New Zealand is working with other countries to develop international agreements to manage fishing in a sustainable way. It is important for New Zealand to lead by example. We need to do the best we can to ensure our fisheries remain healthy. That means making sure our commercial fishers abide by our laws and that we don’t buy or sell illegally caught fish.