MPI gathering data for blue cod strategy

Photo / ODT file

Accumulation limits, seasonal and area closures, how to reduce released fish mortality, and improving information about where commercial and recreational fishers are catching fish are all part of the discussion as the Ministry for Primary Industries moves into its second round of public consultation before drafting a National Blue Cod Strategy.

A second online survey is under way and a second round of drop-in information sessions are working their way down the South Island.

After Nelson today, sessions will be hosted in Greymouth, and Christchurch before Dunedin on Saturday, Moeraki on Sunday, and Invercargill on Monday.

MPI inshore fisheries manager Steve Halley said the draft strategy was expected to be ready for consultation in the middle of this year, before approval by the Minister of Fisheries, but as there were 1115 responses to the first survey and 335 people attending the first phase of engagement, he expected a ''high level of interest'' to remain.

Recreational bag limits being set too high was the outstanding ''major issue'' facing blue cod fisheries off the Dunedin and North Otago coasts, according to feedback from fishers, the ministry said after the first round of consultation.

And in its current survey, the ministry notes its expert workshop - including representatives from customary, recreational and commercial fishing sectors - suggested a ''traffic light'' approach to limits with areas with healthy blue cod stocks operating with ''green'', the highest bag limits, or ''orange'', or ''red'' limits if the area was in trouble.

It notes, too, electronic reporting for commercial blue cod potting was being reviewed by the ministry, as commercial blue cod fishers are only required to report for statistical areas of roughly 5000sq km to 10,000sq km units.

It asks whether better information on recreational use of the fishery would require renewing the 6-year-old national panel survey.

Mr Halley said some of the proposals under consultation were already being implemented voluntarily, for example, an increased mesh size for commercial pots in the Southland and Chatham Islands blue cod fishery.

The majority of options were likely to require implementation through the strategy once approved, he said.