Developing a Fisheries plan 4. Decide on management measures and develop operational plan 1. Describe the current situation 2. Develop management objectives 3. Assess the fishery

West Coast Fisheries Plan - Current Situation   Health of the aquatic environment is protected;   People realise best value from sustainable and efficient use of resources;   Credible fisheries management

Health of the aquatic environment is protected   North West Coast Marine Environment   Managing for Maximum Sustainable Yields   Biodiversity   Benthic impacts   Spirits Bay Sponges   Habitats of Particular Significance to Fisheries Management   Associated or Dependent Species   Protected Species   Bycatch Species   Other Resource Users

NW Coast Marine Environment  Exposed sandy beaches;  Rocky bluffs and outcrops;  Offshore gravels and iron sands;  Several harbours;  Areas of special interest – Sugar Loaf and Gannet islands, Cape Reinga sponges

Providing for Utilisation while Ensuring Sustainability   FA s13, stocks to be managed at or above a level that produces maximum sustainable yield;   Achieved by management measures of all kinds that balance sustainability and utilisation;   Biological characteristics and indices of abundance help determine management strategies for individual NIWC species;

Biological characteristics that influence species productivity   Natural mortality/age at maturity/ growth rates;   Fecundity   Recruitment;   Juvenile (fishing) mortality;   Distribution;  Fast growing, short-lived, high natural mortality – ongoing fluctuations. Less vulnerable to fishing pressure. (Also mullet)  Slow growth, late maturity, low fecundity. Vulnerable to over fishing but stable populations (Also rig, snapper, kahawai).  Slow growth, late maturity,, longer-lived, most vulnerable to overfishing (also tarakihi, probably hapuku).

Biodiversity   FA 1996 – biological diversity of aquatic environment should be maintained

Benthic Impacts   Impacts on animals and plants living on, or attached to the seabed from MHW to deepest level

Spirits Bay Sponges   Diverse sponge and byrozoan communities, corals, probably black corals, wide variety of invertebrates with sub-tropical affinity;   Possible impacts of trawling, scallop dredging on benthic environment

Significant habitats for fisheries management   FA 96 requires protection of areas important in parts of lifecycles of some fish species, and of habitat of rare species and those vulnerable to some fishing methods;   Important west coast habitats: - Spawning and recruitment areas, - estuaries, - migratory routes, - areas with high biodiversity

Maui’s dolphin   Advice being prepared for Minister on Treat management Plan issues and related submissions from stakeholders;   Main issues: - does dolphin range extend to harbours? - are trawlers operating in the region where there are dolphins a threat? - is set and drift netting at Port Waikato a threat?

Associated or dependent species   FA 96 requires that associated or dependent species are maintained above a level that ensures their long- term viability;   Defined as any species not intended to be caught that are taken or affected in some way by catching of target species   West coast protected species: - dolphins, - seabirds, - turtles, - black coral, - spotted groper - white pointer   Fishing activities must be done in ways that as far as possible avoid catching or harming these species

Bycatch   All target WCNI fisheries take high proportion of bycatch   By catch species include: barracouta, kahawai, school shark, rig jack mackerel;   Target grey mullet, flatfish, rig and school shark set net fisheries take 100 – 150 bycatch species;   Snapper, trevally red gurnard mixed fishery;

Other resource uses   Marine farming – Kaipara Harbour oyster farms   Sand and oil extraction;   Trans Tasman cable;   Sedimentation due to land use