Fisheries New Zealand seek feedback from tangata whenua and stakeholders on proposed changes to the Fisheries (Seabird Mitigation Measures – Surface Longlines) Circular 2019.

Commercial fishers using surface longline are required by law to use a number of mitigation measures to reduce the risk to seabirds. During setting, fishers must either:

• Use hook-shielding devices on all hooks.
OR
• Deploy a legal tori (streamer) line, and either set at night, or line weight to legal specifications.

Additional voluntary best practice measures are set out in the Mitigation Standards to Reduce the Incidental Captures of Seabirds in New Zealand Commercial Fisheries. For example, simultaneous use of tori (streamer) lines, line weighting, and night setting.

These potential changes to the circular aim to better align it with the voluntary mitigation measures.

The consultation closes at 5 PM on Friday the 28^th of April 2023.

For more information see the Fisheries New Zealand website.

Additional Resources

MPI Circular - Fisheries (Seabird Mitigation Measures – Surface Longlines) Circular 2019

MPI Discussion Document - Review of the Fisheries (Seabird Mitigation Measures – Surface Longlines) Circular 2019

MPI Discussion Document - Mitigation Standards to Reduce the Incidental Captures of Seabirds in New Zealand Commercial Fisheries

MPI Media Release - Have Your Say on Proposed Additional Methods Used by Surface Longline Fishers to Protect Seabirds