Download AEBR 338 A review of fishery classifications for reporting of environmental and ecosystem considerations

Middleton, D.A.J.; Gibbs, N.; Tuck, I.D.; Tunley, K.L. (2024). A review of fishery classifications for
reporting of environmental and ecosystem considerations.
New Zealand Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Report No. 338. 63 p.
The environmental and ecosystem information needs of fisheries managers and other stakeholders were
assessed through a workshop and survey. We concluded that reporting the environmental impacts of
fishing by fishery, rather than species, was the best approach.
Similar approaches to defining fisheries are used in New Zealand and internationally. However, when
projects do not use the same definition for a fishery this complicates compiling results at the fishery level.
A well-defined, and comprehensive, classification is recommended for future reporting. It should be
hierarchical, allowing groups to be merged or split as required.
Existing resources can be built upon to efficiently implement a new framework for annual, fishery-level
reporting.