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MINISTRY OF FISHERIES SEALORD CHARTERS LARGER VESSEL FOR HOKI The fishing company Sealord has taken advantage of the higher hoki quota by chartering a larger vessel, the Ocean Dawn, with 10 percent more capacity, for three years. The 64m ship, built in Norway in the early 1990s, arrived in Nelson in late June from Chile. She replaces the freezer-trawler Independent 1, which will be returned to her owners. The Sealord crew moved from one vessel to the other at Nelson. "The recent increase in TACC (total allowable commercial catch) and current survey data signalling another increase in October have reinforced Sealord's confidence in the sustainability of the hoki fishery and this investment is a direct result," said Sealord's general manager harvest operations, Colin Williams. Hoki was New Zealand's second highest value seafood export last year, earning $172 million. The season normally runs until mid-September. Ocean Dawn and ears on the ground you're less likely to get poaching. Where's the most poaching? The poaching is where people aren't." Speaking at the Seafood Industry Council conference in Wellington on June 9, Heatley said if he remained Minister of Fisheries after the election, he wanted MFish to switch their focus from deep-sea fishing regulations and aquaculture legislation to inshore fisheries. "I see huge opportunities to grow catches in that [inshore] area and also get better value." Heatley said up to half the paua take was harvested illegally, much of it poached from areas where commercial operators were prohibited. "I think if you get commercial fishers more active in those areas of the coast, the same amount of paua will be caught [but] it'll be legal, there'll be a return to New Zealand." Heatley also supported relaxing the rock lobster harvest season to allow havesting when the lobsters were in the best condition and when market demand was strongest. "If the government sets the commercial catch, what does it matter when you catch it? WESTERN HOKI POPULATION RECOVERS The Minister of Fisheries, Phil Heatley, has praised the strong fisheries management practices and the decisive joint ministry and industry action that has resulted in recovery of the western hoki stock. "A stocktake of the state of our fisheries management indicates fish stock has rebuilt and that is great news for the fishery industry," said Heatley. "MFish and the industry made large reductions in catches following a period which saw a limited number of young fish entering the fishery, resulting in depleted stocks between 2003 and 2006." The reductions paid off, with the ministry able to declare the hoki stock rebuilt. NET CAST WIDER FOR PAUA The Minister of Fisheries, Phil Heatley, has signalled substantial changes to inshore fishing regulations after the general election, including opening up new areas to commercial paua harvesting in a bid to curb poaching. Heatley told commercial fisheries representatives there could also be substantially larger commercial catch limits for snapper in waters around much of the North Island and greater flexibility over the timing of rock lobster harvesting in Otago. He said the seafood industry had submitted a proposal to be able to harvest around the southern coast near Wellington and parts of the Taranaki coast. Opening the areas would increase vigilance and provide legitimate income, Heatley said. "When you've got eyes "The positive status of the western hoki stock may result in a reconsideration of total allowable catches later this year," he said. New Zealand's success in fisheries management, documented in a science paper, Rebuilding Global Fisheries, was awarded the 2011 Sustainability Science Award from the Ecological Society of America. The report examined several global fisheries and analysed efforts to restore overexploited marine ecosystems. New Zealand and Alaska received the highest ranking for sustainable fisheries management. Stocks in New Zealand had generally not been over-fished and were effectively managed. TWO STAGES TO MAJOR MERGER The Ministry of Fisheries may have merged with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries on July 1, but the two will operate under their current names and branding for the time Marine Surveying Scholarship The New Zealand branch of the INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MARINE SURVEYING is offering the Capt. Barry THOMPSON SCHOLARSHIP to residents of New Zealand and the Pacifi c Islands who are interested in a career in Marine Surveying. The contact address for inquiries is bernard@marinesurveys.co.nz 58 Professional Skipper September/October 2011 VIP.S69 VIP.S83