Observing the catch

For more than 20 years MFish observers have taken to the seas on board commercial fishing vessels.

A group of around 55 people spend days or weeks at sea, collecting data on fishing activities and the catch. They collect biological samples and other information that will help with research, fisheries management, setting sustainable catch levels and monitoring the environmental impact of fishing activities. This work is set by the Ministry of Fisheries and the Department of Conservation’s management and research programmes.

Observers climb aboard vessels in deepwater, middle-depth and pelagic fisheries, as well as smaller fishing vessels operating in the surface and bottom long-line, purse seine, set net and inshore trawl fisheries.

In 2006/07 there was a total of 5,969 days when observers were at sea, an increase of 11 percent on the previous year. This year, 2007/08, we are up 13 percent (or 785 days) on last year’s result.

One highlight of 2007 was the collection of a particularly large biological sample. A male colossal squid caught by a New Zealand fishing vessel in Antarctic waters while longlining for a toothfish and was brought back for scientific study.

Thanks to the combined efforts of the San Aspiring’s crew and the Ministry of Fisheries observer this is the first intact specimen of a colossal squid ever to be landed.