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Blue cod numbers declining in southern waters
Shannon Hawkless, left, and Jamie Adams, owner and skipper of Bluff-based commercial fishing boat Glory Days, say blue cod numbers in southern waters have declined over the years. Robyn Edie / Southland Times
Declining numbers of blue cod in southern waters have prompted a review of catch limits for the 2024-25 year.
The “poor” blue cod catch rates coincide with challenging times for Bluff oyster fishermen and a terrible mutton birding season this year.
A Fisheries New Zealand discussion paper says a survey of Foveaux Strait in 2023 concluded the abundance of blue cod in that area had declined by 57% since 2020 and the stock in Foveaux Strait was significantly overfished.
“Catches of blue cod in [Southland and Sub-Antarctic area] have consistently declined for the last 20 years.”
A survey of the commercial catch also showed few female cod above the minimum legal size of 33cm within Foveaux Strait.
“A skewed sex ratio in blue cod populations indicates overfishing and has implications for spawning success and recruitment,” the paper said.
This week, Fisheries New Zealand fisheries management director Emma Taylor said the popularity of blue cod throughout New Zealand had led to reductions to both the commercial and recreational catch limits over the years, to help ensure the sustainability of the stock.
An average of 49 fishing vessels reported targeting blue cod annually over the last three years in the Southland and Sub-Antarctic waters. But poor catch rates had prompted the association representing those fishers and quota holders to ask for the fishery to be reviewed for the 2024-25 fishing year, starting October 1.
Since 2020, the total allowable commercial catch for the area has been 800 tonnes per year, and the proposed options were to reduce it to 665 tonnes, which was the industry-preferred option, or to 500 tonnes.
The last option was the most likely to prevent overfishing from occurring, the Fisheries New Zealand paper said.
“It also reduces catch to a level that recognises potential environmental change, such as marine heatwaves, which may influence blue cod recruitment.” However, it did not consider that blue cod could still be in the area but had moved to deeper cooler waters.
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