ELI is concerned to see many stocks in the current consultation round are showing significant signs of decline or collapse, yet options proposed are not always sufficient to enable recovery. In particular, some of the consultation papers present status quo options even where the material indicates that existing catch settings are causing decline.

Fisheries New Zealand (FNZ) has not provided a detailed analysis of why status quo options continue to be presented even where sustainability issues have been flagged. Where the evidence indicates that current settings are not achieving the sustainability outcomes required under the Act, maintaining those settings is not a lawful or acceptable management response.

SNA 2 is a major New Zealand inshore fisheries management area for snapper (Pagrus auratus), stretching along the east coast of the North Island from Gisborne down to Wellington/Makarā.

In ELI’s view, two of the three Options as currently developed present significant risks of kina barren proliferation, as has occurred within SNA 1. Emerging science on Snapper predation on kina provides strong support for the need to avoid kelp loss to prevent ecosystem collapse.

We welcome a significant High Court win, after the Court declared the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries’ previous orange roughy catch limit decision unlawful.

In the winter months, long-lived orange roughy assemble to spawn. In recent decades, orange roughy stocks have collapsed.

Yesterday, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced a partial closure of an area in the East and West Chatham Rise for a 6-week period in response.

New data obtained by the Environmental Law Initiative (ELI) shows 146 marine mammals, including numerous Hector’s dolphins, Dusky dolphins, and seals, have been killed inside Aotearoa New Zealand’s marine mammal sanctuaries over the past two fishing years.

We submit

We submit that DOC should consider the possibility of moving safe zones for marine mammals and spell out how it will achieve improved enforcement within Te Pēwhairangi Marine Mammal Sanctuary.

We’re calling for urgent action to stop mammal deaths in marine mammal sanctuaries.

The Environmental Law Initiative (ELI) welcomes today’s announcement of a significant closure of the Northland spiny rock lobster (kōura) fishery, a long‑overdue response to the ecological crisis unfolding across northeast Northland. 

Submission on the establishment of Puketeraki mātaitai reserve in East Otago.

ELI says Fisheries New Zealand needs to act quickly to improve its long-term options for protecting hoiho, as the urgent hearing on emergency measures wrapped up today in the Wellington High Court.

ELI is in the High Court this week for an urgent hearing challenging the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries’ emergency set-net fishing closure, which ELI argues is inadequate to protect the critically endangered northern hoiho (yellow-eyed penguin). 

We’re calling on the government to take immediate action to prevent fishing-related deaths of critically endangered West Pacific leatherback turtle in New Zealand waters. 

The Environmental Law Initiative (ELI) has filed High Court proceedings against the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, challenging a recent decision to close a portion of northern hoiho habitat to setnet fishing.

The Environmental Law Initiative (ELI) says today’s announcement of an emergency three-month closure of set-net fishing around the Otago Peninsula by Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Shane Jones will protect some hoiho, while leaving others unprotected.

The support of Otago set-net fishers for emergency closures of set-net fishing shows action to urgently protect hoiho has broad backing, and it is time for Ministers to act.  

Hoiho are in serious trouble, especially the mainland population, which is in rapid decline and at risk of extinction. We’ve written to Ministers calling for urgent action to protect hoiho.

The Environmental Law Initiative says the Government is under-levying the fishing industry by millions of dollars, which is contributing to the insufficient resourcing of marine conservation research and the decreasing deployment of fishery observers.  

From the shallows to the deep, the oceans surrounding Aotearoa are among the most biodiverse on Earth. They are a taonga — and caring for them is essential. 
 
We’re taking the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries to the Wellington High Court for failing to uphold the law in managing orange roughy fisheries.