“He pänui” MFish Update

Northern Region May 2007

Protecting Maui’s Dolphin

MFish will soon begin consulting with west coast fishing communities about measures that could be applied to protect the critically endangered Maui’s dolphin. This is part of a process of preparing a threat management plan that will apply to the North Island Maui’s population and to the more numerous Hector’s dolphin in the South Island. Dolphin experts have determined that even one death a year caused by human activities places the entire population further in danger of extinction.

The main issues that need to be addressed in order to prevent such deaths are:

• determining whether trawling represents a threat;
• whether the dolphins’ range extends beyond the current set net closed area into Taranaki;
• the need to ensure nets used at Port Waikato are not lost to drift offshore where there are often dolphins; and
• determining whether dolphins come in to the west coast harbours where they would be at risk from set nets.

The draft Threat Management Plan will be released for public comment later this year.

Hauraki Gulf shellfish surveys

Good progress has been made by a project team that is establishing community groups to carry out shellfish surveys around the Hauraki Gulf. The project was initiated by the Hauraki Gulf Forum and is generally following the example of the Cheltenham Beach Caretakers – a group of residents who began annual surveys of their beach following the disappearance of cockles that had once been plentiful there. The project team has members from MFish, DOC, the Auckland and Waikato regional councils, tangata whenua and Manukau City. It has acquired both the equipment needed for surveys and has devised a standard survey methodology so that surveys of different beaches can be compared. Some groups have already begun surveys and others can now be assisted to do so.

The 2007 Review of sustainability measures and other management controls

Each year the Ministry of Fisheries reviews the fisheries management settings in a variety of fisheries. The review of sustainability measures and other management controls is undertaken to give effect to the purpose and principles of the Fisheries Act 1996. The Minister of Fisheries sets or varies a range of sustainability measures, having considered various obligations set out in the Act, and after consultation with tangata whenua, recreational, commercial and environmental interests. The process to adjust management settings for the fishing year beginning 1 October 2007 has just begun. Issues likely to be reviewed that are of interest to fishers in the northern region include:

• a review of catch limits applying to North Island longfin and shortfin eel stocks;
• a review of the catch limits applying to tarakihi and school shark in the northern half of the North Island;
• a review of the regulation that presently allows commercial set-netters to stall their set nets in the Kaipara Harbour; and
• the development of a threat management plan for Maui’s dolphin.

A consultation paper on the confirmed issues for review is scheduled to be available from mid June 2007.

Kahawai update

The High Court directed the Minister of Fisheries to review the management of the Kahawai 1 fishery (the area between North Cape and Cape Runaway). Commercial stakeholders in this fishery have appealed the High Court’s decision and all parties are now considering their responses to the current situation.

Kaipara harbour scallop fishery closure

A two-year temporary closure of the Kaipara Harbour scallop fishery was put in place in July 2005 to address concerns about size and availability of scallops in the harbour. Tangata whenua and much of the Kaipara community are looking to continue the closure for a further year, until July 2008. The Ministry of Fisheries is in the process of commissioning research to assess the state of the scallop beds in the Kaipara before the current closure ends in July. Input on this research has been sought from Te Uri o Hau (a hapu of Ngati Whatua) and from the broader community.

Harvesting of mussel spat on Ninety Mile Beach

Research has been conducted on two methods of harvesting green-lipped mussel spat on Ninety Mile Beach. Both methods involve using a modified tractor in shallow water to harvest the spat. The research compared the impact of the methods on shellfish and other invertebrates that are found in the intertidal area of the beach.

In summary, the research found that:

• there is no notable difference between the two harvesting methods in terms of shellfish survival rates
• the impact of a tractor on key shellfish species is likely to be minimal.

The research findings will be discussed at a Fisheries Science Aquatic Environment Working Group meeting in Wellington on Monday 28 May 2007. Tangata whenua and stakeholders who have an interest are welcome to attend and take part in the discussion.

New Deemed Value Standard

The Ministry of Fisheries has recently implemented the Deemed Value Standard. This standard makes a number of revisions to the catch balancing (deemed value) guidelines that were implemented in 2001. The new standard will result in more effective deemed value rates being set and will encourage fishers to balance their catch with ACE rather than through the payment of deemed values. Deemed values will now be monitored and reviewed at a fish stock level. A wider range of information sources will be gathered and analysed to assist in the setting of deemed values, such that they provide fishers with the necessary incentive to balance catch with ACE. This standard has recently been used to set the new deemed value rates for all deepwater crab stocks and will be used to review and possibly amend the deemed value rates for a range of fish stocks as part of the October sustainability round. The Ministry will keep its northern stakeholders posted regarding any changes to deemed values in northern fishstocks.

Waka Te Haua taiapure-local fishery proposal

In October 2006 the Ministry received a proposal for a taiapure-local fishery for the waters surrounding Waka Te Haua (the Bluff on Ninety-mile Beach) from the Aupouri Maori Trust Board, Te Runanga O Te Aupouri and Te Aupouri Negotiations (Treaty) Claims Company. The proposal process commences with the Minister of Fisheries (in consultation with the Minister of Maori Affairs), deciding whether or not the proposal will be approved in principle and notified in the Gazette. Should that occur, anyone who could be affected by or has a role that relates to the proposal will have two months to lodge an objection or make submissions to the Maori Land Court. Following the submission period, a hearing will be held by the taiapure tribunal established under the Maori Land Court.

Science working groups and the fishery plenary

The beginning of May sees the annual four day fisheries plenary held in Wellington. The purpose of the plenary is to bring together and debate all the information and research discussed at working groups over the last year and combine it into a Plenary Report. This report outlines the state of New Zealand’s fish stocks and forms a significant part of the advice given to the Minister of Fisheries about which management measures are required in the coming year.

Upcoming working group meetings for 2007 include:

Upcoming customary and recreational forums

Tangata whenua from broad geographic areas in the upper North Island and representatives from the Ministry of Fisheries meet every few months to discuss topical fisheries issues and provide a means for better input and participation in Ministry of Fisheries processes. Similarly, recreational fishers are also able to participate in forums representing broad areas and meet with MFish staff to discuss fishing issues in their areas. Upcoming meetings include:

If you would like more information on anything discussed in this update, please contact MFish’s Auckland office – Phone (09) 820 1990