Source: New Zealand Government
Proposals to close parts of the Chatham Rise orange roughy fishery to protect spawning areas and help rebuild the fishery are open for public consultation, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says.
“The East and South Chatham Rise orange roughy fishery is under pressure and needs careful management to recover.
“I took the first step last year when I significantly cut commercial catch limits for the fishery. At that time, I also directed officials to investigate options to protect orange roughy spawning areas in the fishery to help numbers to grow.
“These new options to close spawning areas are based on the best available scientific information. The information shows fishing on groups of spawning orange roughy has a big impact on abundance because it reduces the fishery’s ability to replenish.”
There are three potential closure areas of different sizes included in the proposals, representing options for protecting the main spawning orange roughy spawning sites.
For each option there is the possibility of either a seasonal closure covering the main spawning period from 1 June to 16 July, or a year-round closure.
“The Chatham Rise fishery has supported jobs and our export industry for many years. Ensuring sustainability is important so the fishery continues to benefit New Zealand. I encourage people to have their say,” Mr Jones says.
More information on the proposals, including how to make a submission, can be found on MPI’s website.
