Vulnerable marine ecosystems are deep-sea ecosystems that are highly vulnerable to fishing activity. There is a need to develop spatial management options for the protection of VMEs in the South Pacific Ocean region. Habitat suitability models for VME indicator taxa, historical fishing data, and the Zonation conservation planning software tool were used to illustrate how options for spatial management can be developed.

Commercial fisheries often catch species that are not targeted by the fishing operation (bycatch). Since this bycatch is not fully recorded it is necessary to estimate the absolute quantity using observer data. In this study we compare estimates from a ratio-based approach with a model-based estimator using data from the ling longline fishery, and scampi and squid trawl fisheries. It is argued that a model-based estimator should be the preferred approach for future work of this kind.

In Jan-Mar 2006, RV Tangaroa conducted a geophysical survey of the Ross Sea outer shelf and eastern slope. Secondary objectives of the voyage included an opportunistic biological sampling programme which increased knowledge about the distribution and abundance of a wide variety of surface, water column and benthic fauna on the scale of the Ross Sea.

This report attempts to assess fisheries risks to the population viability of Gibson’s wandering albatross (Diomedea gibsoni). Three data sets were analysed: mark-recapture, nest-based, and counts of breeders.
Three conclusions are possible: most fisheries mortality is caused by surface longlines; mortality from fishing is now probably lower than it was; and there is no indication that the drops in demographic rates were caused primarily by fishing.

A set of indicators are proposed for reporting on the state of the New Zealand marine environment. The recommended indicators are intended to form part of New Zealand’s Atmospheric and Ocean Climate Change Tier 1 Statistic, and are relevant to “State of the Environment” reporting. This project focusses on physical changes to the ocean-climate environment and does not include biodiversity indicators, which were recommended separately (project ZBD2015/01).

The limited capacity of elasmobranch populations to compensate for increased mortality, both in adult and juvenile stages, is widely recognized, and the management of these species should include protecting juvenile populations including the maintenance of healthy nursery areas, where they exist. The objective of this study was to identify threats to these nursery ground areas and recommend mitigation measures.

Vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) are ecosystems that are vulnerable to damage from bottom-contact fishing. Preliminary habitat suitability models have been developed to predict the occurrence of VME indicator taxa in the area managed by the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation. A survey of seamounts along the Louisville Seamount Chain in the area was carried out to validate the preliminary large-scale models and collect data to develop new seamount-specific models for VMEs.

Systematic literature review addressing methods of reducing shark catch rates on longline fishing gear. Gear technology as well as operational and environmental variables were evaluated as potential elasmobranch bycatch reduction methods for use in New Zealand commercial longline fisheries. Methods of mitigating shark bycatch that ranked highest in this assessment were nylon leaders, large hooks and squid bait. Circle hooks appeared to increase shark retention but may complement nylon leaders by improving the odds of survival for animals that bite off the leader.

In October 2012, the New Zealand Government signed off on the development of a “Marine Biodiversity” Statistic to report on the wellbeing and knowledge state of marine biodiversity in New Zealand waters. This project evaluated potential metrics for New Zealand marine biodiversity including: 1) species richness per square km; 2) state of knowledge index; 3) proportion of endemic species; and 4) number of threatened species.

New Zealand long-line fishery data were fitted with Boosted Regression Tree models to examine the extent to which biological and physical environmental forces might predict the distribution of highly migratory species.
Models fitted to presence/absence generally performed better than those predicting the number caught. Smaller datasets, or those with limited spatial distributions had poorer predictive ability.
Sea surface temperature, latitude and subarea were most influential in Binomial models

This report presents an authoritative data set of documented captures of New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) in New Zealand’s commercial trawl fisheries. Data were sourced from the Ministry for Primary Industries observer programme, fisher-reported captures, necropsy records, and Deepwater Group records. Data was collated into a single database and linked to rectify duplicate or conflicting records.

Bottom trawl gear in New Zealand coastal waters out to 250 m depths contacted about 46 000 km2 of the seafloor annually (2007–08 to 2011–12). The total five year trawl footprint contacted about 48% of the seafloor: about 60% of the seafloor in depths of less than 100 m; 50–58% of the sand, mud, and gravel areas; and 30–64% of the five main BOMEC environmental classes. Available data were inadequate to describe benthic habitats or test sensitivity of benthic organisms to fishing disturbance.

Monitoring of benthic habitats and communities is needed to detect and manage adverse effects of disturbance from fishing and other factors. This report explores options for designing a deep-sea benthic monitoring programme for New Zealand waters. The issue is approached by considering: the usefulness of data presently available; characteristic spatial scales of variability that emerge from these data; which attributes of the benthos are appropriate for monitoring; survey design, and costs.

We analyse the distribution of bottom contact trawling in 89/90 - 10/11 using TCEPR data. Eleven target species, all other species in aggregate and all species combined are analysed. Statistics for the footprint and effort per 5 x 5km cell in relation to depth zones, fishable area, habitat and preferred habitat of each species are provided. The all-species footprint is 387 990km2 (~ 9% of the EEZ & TS) an increase of 2 958 since 09/10, the cumulative area is 3 295 423km2 (24% of EEZ & TS cells).

This study was commissioned to review current levels of marine environmental monitoring, and evaluate the possibility of developing a comprehensive long-term marine environmental monitoring programme for New Zealand’s marine environment (including oceans, coasts and estuaries) from existing sampling programmes.

A protocol is developed for estimating the amount of commercial scallop fishing displacement likely to result from a spatial restriction in the SCA 7 scallop fishery. The cumulative catch loss to date from the SCA 7 fishery due to authorised marine farms is estimated. Sensitivity of estimates to variations in footprint size, catch history period, defined spatial extent of the fishery, and choice of estimator are demonstrated.