Fisheries science and management IV: internationally and in NZ

Question 1

When was the EEZ put in place?

Answer 1

1978

Question 2

When was the QMS first introduced?

Answer 2

1986

Question 3

What changes were introdced for commercial and recreational fisheries in 2014?

Answer 3

Recreational: reduction to the recreational bag limit from 9 to 7 fish p/p/d and increase to the minimum snapper size from 27 cm to 30 cm

Commercial: camera or observer coverage in place on 25% of trawl vessels increased to 100%

system that provide for monitoring vessel position in place on all commercial vessels

fisher will be required to report catch of all snapper including juveniles

Question 4

Why is snapper management more successful than orange roughy?

Answer 4

• Snapper don’t live as long -> mature earlier (3-4 yr)
• Higher fecundity (17x more eggs)
• snapper grow quicker

Question 5

What does our experience tell us about our ability to manage fisheries on a sustainable basis?

Answer 5

• Fish harvest – obtain food for people
• Fisheries management – Maximise amount of harvest that can be sustained indefinitely
• BUT – there are other objectives and values surrounding the use of the ocean

Question 6

What are the objectives of fisheries management and the problems attached?

Answer 6

•Focused on managing a single target species

BUT sometimes don’t consider:

• Species interactions
• Ecological effects on the habitat
• Changes in the structure and function of ecosystems and food webs
• Bycatch

Question 7

What is ecosystem based management?

Answer 7

“Ecosystem-based management (EBM) is an integrated management approach that recognizes the full array of interactions within an ecosystem, including humans, rather than considering single issues, species, or ecosystem services in isolation”

Question 8

What do scientists need to know to implement EBFM?

Answer 8

• Species interactions and indirect effects of fishing
• Good understanding of the biology of the fish species
• Effects of multiple and cumulative impacts/disturbances
• The human element – social science - fisheries only exist because of humans + we also need to manage other human values of the ocean (ecosystem services)
• Zones of vulnerability – spatially and temporally
• Plus lot’s more!