Sustainable Fishing

Managed fisheries

The jack mackerel, blue mackerel, kahawai and trevally we capture are managed under New Zealand’s Quota Management System (QMS). Globally recognized as world leading, the QMS was introduced in 1986 to ensure the sustainable use of fishery resources within New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone. Catches of each of our stocks are limited and subject to regular review, to ensure catches are retained within sustainable limits and overfishing does not occur.

Non-Quota species – Skipjack tuna

As a highly migratory species that occupy vast oceanic waters extending beyond New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone, Skipjack tuna are managed regionally by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC). The skipjack we capture is part of the larger Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) stock. The total landing of tuna within New Zealand waters makes up a very small portion of the overall landings for the WCPO (typically 0.5-0.8%).

We take the sustainability of the fishery very seriously. We invest heavily in fisheries biology and management activities to ensure the stocks we fish are in good health. This includes engaging an inhouse Scientist.

It is our cultural and industry responsibility to act as guardians to sustain and protect our resources, our environment, and our people.

Shark Finning Policy

We support international efforts to stop the illegal, unreported and unregulated harvesting of sharks, and we condemn the practice of shark finning (the removal of fins from a shark and discarding the carcass at sea).

New Zealand has adopted a National Plan of Action which sets the direction to ensure the conservation, management and sustainable utilisation of sharks caught in New Zealand waters. The National Plan includes a ban on the practice of shark finning. We unreservedly support this initiative.

Our Shark Finning Policy is available here Shark Finning Policy

Tuna Retention Policy

We are a member of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) and we support the requirements for full retention of tuna onboard our purse seine vessels.

Our Tuna Retention Policy is available here Full Retention of Tuna Policy

FAD Free Policy

Fish Aggregation Devices (FAD) are man-made structures made in the open sea to attract fish. We do not use or support the practice of using FADs.

Our FAD Free Policy is available here FAD free policy