Hï Ika - Ministry of Fisheries

New Management Controls
for Eels in the North Island
In 2003, the Minister of Fisheries decided to introduce the
North Island eel fishery into the QMS on 1 October 2004 to
bring it into line with the South Island and the Chatham
Islands.
MFish recognises that this is an important customary and
recreational fishery, and a taonga of great spiritual value to
Maori.
The North Island eel commercial fishery, which started in
the mid 1960s, had restricted numbers of fishers by the mid
1980s, but no catch limit. Before the introduction of the fishery
into the QMS, it was necessary to determine the nature and
extent of the stocks to be managed and the catch limits and
allowances for those stocks.
Consultation hui and meetings have been held and
submissions closed in April 2004. In July 2004, the Minister
produced a decision paper that:
• Re-stated key elements of the Maori fisheries settlement
legislation
• Encouraged further contact between fishery interests,
perhaps through the development of forums, to discuss
common issues
• Decided to set TACs under section 14 of the Act
• Proposed a management strategy for the fishery over the
next 10 years to
- improve average size
- increase the number of eels
- halt any decline over the short term.
As a result, the overall commercial catch in the North Island has
been reduced by 8.25 percent for shortfin eels and 17.8 percent
for longfin eels, in comparison to recent commercial landings.
As eel species only breed once, at the end of their life, there
will be closures to help spawning. All commercial fishing is
prohibited from:
• Motu and Mohaka River catchments
• Most of the Whanganui River catchment, excluding
- western tributaries of Tangarakau, Ohura and
Ongarue River sub-catchments
- ponds and dams not connected to tributaries or
rivers flowing into Whanganui
- the lower stem of the Whanganui River within its
tidal reaches
All commercial fishing will also be prohibited from areas of
special significance to customary Maori interests, being:
• Interconnected lakes Taharoa, Numuti, Rotoroa and Lake
Harihari (Kawhia)
• Whakaki Lagoon (Wairoa)
• Lake Poukawa (Hastings)
• Pencarrow Lake catchment (Wellington).
Other commercial changes include the option to use a slightly
smaller net mesh than 12 mm in order to reduce the abrasions
found on the nose and tail of some eels, which affects their
market value.
The Ministry is confident that the new management controls
for eels will lead to the rebuilding of the fishery. Good research
will enable us to monitor improvement, with improved estimates
of non-commercial catch.
We will also work on the development of a stock strategy for
the fishery to identify the future services that the Government
will provide.
Introduction to the QMS will enhance the opportunity for
fishery interests to develop fisheries plans for the eel fisheries, in
which progress has already been made for a number of stock.
Fisheries Plans are expected to be very successful in the detailed
management of all stock, and should prove particularly effective
with eel fisheries.