Transcript Steps towards Ecosystem Based Management in New Zealand

Steps towards Ecosystem
Based Fisheries
Management in New
Zealand
Rosemary Hurst
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric
Research Ltd.
Pamela Mace
Ministry of Fisheries
Wellington, N.Z.
Outline
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•
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Introduction to NZ
The developing legislative and policy framework
The role of single species management
Examples of progress with specific ecosystem
management measures or initiatives
NZ Management Region
• Large 200 nm EEZ
– 4 mill. km2 = 5th largest
• > 16,000 marine species
identified
– many unique to NZ
– 130 species commercially
fished
• Many migratory species,
including marine
mammals and seabirds
that depend on NZ
breeding areas and
feeding grounds
Oceanography and Bathymetry
• Productivity influenced by
location in the Pacific,
bathymetry, ocean currents,
and climate
• Subtropical to Sub Antarctic
waters
• Large variety of marine
habitats including plateaus,
canyons, ~800 seamounts,
and a trench down to
10,000m = 2nd deepest place
• About 35% of the EEZ is in
trawlable depths (0–1500 m)
Ministry of
Fisheries
Fisheries Act
(1996)
Department
of
Conservation
Wildlife Act (1953)
Marine reserves
Act (1971)
Marine Mammal
Protection Act
(1978)
QMS (1986)
SMEEF (2005)
Marine Protected
Areas (2006)
Biodiversity
Strategy (2000)
Marine Protected
Areas (2006)
Other
Agencies
Draft Oceans
Policy
+ 6 primary and 8
secondary
agencies
+ 5 Agencies
Single species management
• 1978: 200 nm EEZ declared
• 1983: Deepwater policy – IQ on 7 key species
• 1986: the Quota Management System (QMS) –
ITQs on 26 species
• Now 96 species across 628 fishstocks
– total TACC = 573,000t; actual catch = 441,000t
– information to determine stock status on 20% stocks
(50% catch)
• Harvest Strategy Standard 2008
Desired Fisheries Outcome
Environmental Standards
Information
Input and
Consultation:
Links with
other
Environmental
Instruments
Information from
Implementation
Monitor and
enforce
performance
Achieve Environmental Standards
through fisheries management
frameworks, including through
Fisheries Plans
Monitor
effectiveness
of the
Strategy
Actual Fisheries Outcomes
Framework for managing the effects of fishing on the aquatic environment
Seabird Standard
• Pre-Standard : National Plan of
Action (2004), largely voluntary
measures
• Standard Framework:
– Risk management targets
– Ensure depleted populations rebuild
– Potentially include incidental
mortality objectives at the fishery
level
– Link to current management
measures – mitigation devices
Marine Protected Areas (MPA)
• To protect marine biodiversity with a comprehensive and
representative network of New Zealand’s marine habitats
and ecosystems – and to protect habitats and
ecosystems that are outstanding or rare
• Protection standard – 2 levels: “no-take” and limited
extraction/damage
• Multi-agency approach
• Distinct from other closures with differing objectives
• Significant links to other ecosystem initiatives
MPA
• Current focus territorial
sea (12nm)
• Based on 14 Coastal
Biogeographic regions
• First MPA plans begun
west coast South Island
and Sub Antarctic
Islands – slow progress
• Need to link with other
spatial management
measures, e.g. Marine
Reserves (33)
• May lessen quota value
or cause displacement
of effort problems
1. NZ Hoki fishery
(Macruronus novaezelandiae)
300
Tonnes (x1000)
250
W. stock catch
Total catch
TACC
200
150
100
50
0
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
Marine Stewardship Council Certification
• Increased industry awareness of the need to engage and
focus efforts on meeting international standards
• Areas where industry has done or is doing things that
are above what government requires:
–
–
–
–
–
recent fur seal census
developing more active engagement with environmental groups
developing reference points and rebuilding strategy
developing a 10 year research plan
first Environmental Risk Assessment for any NZ fishery
• MSC impact on the significant reduction in seabird catch
and support for research initiatives on benthic effects
and trophic studies is unclear
NZ sea lions -bycatch limitation
(Phocarctus hookeri)
Photo: Louise Chilvers (DoC)
• endemic species, limited
breeding sites on Sub
Antarctic Islands
• population “threatened”,
current size ~10,000
• incidental drownings in
squid trawl fishery around
Auckland Is.
• voluntary industry sealion
excluder devices (SLEDs)
– survival rate difficult to
determine
NZ Sea lion bycatch limit
• Annual fishing-related mortality limit (FRML) comes from
an operational management procedure
• current FRML = 2 * 0.02577 * observed pups in previous
two years
• control rule is based on detailed population model and
extensive simulations
• Goal is to maintain the population at 90% of the zerofishing level, 90% of the time
• FRML is translated to allowable tows, using assumed
catchability of trawls and mortality rates in SLEDs and
trawls
• current season limit is 95
Dolphin exclusion areas
(Cephalorhynchus hectori)
• Hector’s and Maui’s
dolphins (“vulnerable” and
“critical”)
• Small inshore coastal
species with a limited
home range
• Estimated about 7600
• Setnets main threat
• Area restrictions on setnet
and trawl
• 2009 first time observers
used extensively on small
inshore vessels to monitor
interactions
Seamount Closures (2000)
• ~1200 seamounts,
knolls and hills
(UTFs)
• 19 represeantative
seamounts were
closed to bottom
trawling and
dredging
• 18 unfished
• 1 fished “Morgue”
recovery being
monitored
Morgue - remnant cold water coral
reefs (2001 cf. 2006)
Graveyard - “recovery” small Stylasterids
(hydrocorals) : 2001 cf. 2006
Benthic Protected Areas (2007)
• Industry initiative
• Protect 30% of the EEZ
seabed from the use of
bottom trawling and
dredging activity
• Represent about 90% of
all the areas currently
under some form
protection from fishing
• No implementation of
MPAs in EEZ (12–
200nm) to 2013; not yet
clear if BPAs will fit MPA
definition
Benthic Protected Areas (BPA)
• 20 class Marine
Environment
Classification 2005,
based mainly on
physical variables but
incl. research trawls
• BPA based on 9
oceanic classes,
protects ≥10% of
each class
• Current research incl.
invertebrates in the
MEC and fine scale
analysis of bottom
trawl footprints
BPA and seamounts
• 28% of Underwater
Topographical
Features
• 52% of seamounts
(underwater
mountains > 1000 m
in height)
• 88% of active
hydrothermal vents
• Off-bottom trawl
fishing is permitted to
within 100 metres
with strict controls
Conclusions – EBFM Progress
• Ability to limit and control capacity and fishing mortality
key first step towards EBFM
– QMS and ITQs effective at reducing capacity and maximising efficiency
• Significant development of frameworks and approaches
that will contribute to ecosystem management
– Biodiversity and SMEEF strategies
– Variety of protected areas and protected species management
initiatives; Standards under development
– MSC Certification
• Key challenges
– Co-ordinated frameworks that effectively links strategies and measures
– Plugging important information gaps: catching sectors and effects of
fishing and biodiversity research
Acknowledgements
• NIWA: Malcolm Clark, Paul Breen, Suze Baird, Andy
McKenzie
• Ministry of Fisheries:, Steve Halley, Aoife Martin, Jeremy
Halsen, Martin Cryer
• SeaFIC : Kevin Stokes, David Middleton