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The longline fisheries for LIN 3, LIN 4, LIN 5, LIN 6, and LIN 7 have been MSC certified since 2014. They passed their third surveillance audit in June 2022 and will be undergoing a fourth audit in 2023.

[Update: these fisheries passed the fourth surveillance audit. To view Lloyd's Register's Surveillance Report October 2023 - click here].

DWG undertakes to make all non-confidential information that is provided to the Conformance Assessment Body publicly available on this webpage to ensure all documents are easily accessible by all participants.

A summary of the key information from these references can be found in the Situation Report [click here].

MSC sets the highest independent science-based international seafood sustainability standards, covering three broad principles:

PRINCIPLE 1 - SUSTAINABLE FISH STOCKS

"A fishery must be conducted in a manner that does not lead to over-fishing or depletion of the exploited populations and, for those populations that are depleted, the fishery must be conducted in a manner that demonstrably leads to their recovery."

The intent of this principle is to ensure that the productive capacities of the resources are maintained at high levels and are not sacrificed in favour of short-term interests. 

Key P1 References

FNZ (2023). Fisheries Assessment Plenary May 2023: Stock Assessments and Stock Status, Vol. 2 Horse mussel to Red crab (Ling pp.795-842). [click here]

Horn, P.L. (2022). A synopsis of the biology of ling (Genypterus blacodes) and a history of its fishery and assessment in New Zealand. New Zealand Fisheries Assessment Report 2022/27. 78 p. [click here]

Mormede, S.; Dunn, A. & Webber, D.N. (2021). Stock assessment of ling (Genypterus blacodes) in the Sub-Antarctic (LIN 5&6) for the 2020–21 fishing year. New Zealand Fisheries Assessment Report 2021/64. [click here]

Mormede, S.; Dunn, A.; Webber, D.N. (2022). Descriptive analysis of ling (Genypterus blacodes) on the Chatham Rise (LIN 3&4) up to 2020–21 and inputs for the 2022 stock assessment. New Zealand Fisheries Assessment Report 2022/64. 81 p. [click here]

Mormede, S.; Dunn, A.; Webber, D.N. (2023). Spatial-temporal standardisation of commercial longline and trawl survey catches of ling on the Chatham Rise (LIN 3&4) up to 2020–21. New Zealand Fisheries Assessment Report 2023/13. 10 p. [click here]

Mormede, S.; Dunn, A.; Webber, D.N. (2023). Stock assessment of ling (Genypterus blacodes) on the Chatham Rise (LIN3&4) for the 2021–22 fishing year. New Zealand Fisheries Assessment Report 2023/14. 39 p. [click here]

Saunders, R.J.; Ballara, S.; Hart, A. & Sutton, C.P. (2022). Catch-at-age for hake (Merluccius australis) and ling (Genypterus blacodes) for the 2019–20 fishing year and from a research trawl survey in 2020, and a summary of the available data sets from the New Zealand EEZ. New Zealand Fisheries Assessment Report 2022/09. 95 p. [click here]

PRINCIPLE 2 - MINIMAL IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT

"Fishing operations should allow for the maintenance of the structure, productivity, function and diversity of the ecosystem (including habitat and associated dependent and ecologically related species) on which the fishery depends."

The intent of this principle is to encourage the management of fisheries from an ecosystem perspective under a system designed to restrain the impacts of the fishery on the ecosystem.

Key P2 References

Abraham E. R., Thompson F. N. (2015). Captures of all birds in ling longline fisheries, in the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone, during the 2014–15 fishing year. Retrieved from psc.dragonfly.co.nz, July 2023.

Anderson, O.F. (2014). Fish and invertebrate bycatch and discards in New Zealand ling longline fisheries from 1992-93 until 2011-12. New Zealand Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Report No. 138. 68 p. [click here]

Ballara, S.L. (2015). Fish and invertebrate bycatch in New Zealand fisheries from 1990–91 until 2012–13. New Zealand Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Report No. 158. [click here]

Baker, B. & Hamilton (2010). Assessment of the impact of incidental fisheries mortality on the Campbell Island New Zealand sea lion Phocarctos hookeri population using the Potential Biological Removal technique..  [click here]

Bell, M. (2017). Chatham Island seabird research 2016-17. DOC CSP Report. 25 p. [click here]

DWG (2021) Deepwater Group Environmental Liaison Officer (ELO) Report for 2020-21 Fishing Year [click here]

Finucci, B., Anderson, O.F. and Edwards, C.T.T. (2020). Non-target fish and invertebrate catch and discards in New Zealand ling longline fisheries from 2002-03 to 2017-18. New Zealand Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Report No. 241. 83 p. [click here]

FNZ (2022a). Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Annual Review 2021. Compiled by the Aquatic Environment Team, Fisheries Science and Information, Fisheries New Zealand, Wellington New Zealand. 779 p. [click here]

FNZ, (2022b) National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks 2022 Draft for Consultation. Fisheries New Zealand, July 2022 [click here]

FNZ (2022c). Annual Operational Plan for Deepwater Fisheries 2022/23. Fisheries New Zealand Technical Paper No: 2022/01. [click here]  

Ford, R.B.; Francis, M.P.; Holland, L.; Clark, M.R.; Duffy, C.A.J.; Dunn, M.R.; Jones, E.; Wells, R. (2018). Qualitative (Level 1) risk assessment of the impact of commercial fishing on New Zealand chondrichthyans: an update for 2017. New Zealand Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Report No. 201. 103 p [click here]

Helson, J., Leslie, S., Clement, G., Wells, R. and Wood, R. (2010). Private rights, public benefits: Industry-driven seabed protection. Marine Policy 34, 557–566. [click here]

Middleton, D.A.J., and Guard, D. (2021) Summary and evaluation of the electronic monitoring programmes in the SNA 1 trawl and bottom longline fisheries. New Zealand Fisheries Assessment Report 2021/37. ISSN 1179-5352 (online) [click here]

MPI (2013). National Plan of Action – 2013 to reduce the incidental catch of seabirds in New Zealand Fisheries. 63 p. [click here]

Pierre, J.P. & Goad, D.W. (2016). Improving tori line performance in small-vessel longline fisheries. Conservation Services Programme Project MIT2014-02. DOC: Wellington [click here]

Plencner, T. 2023. CSP Liaison Programme Annual Report 2021-22. Final Report for MIT2021-01, Department of Conservation. 44 p. [click here]

Richard, Y. & Abraham, E.R. (2015). Assessment of the risk of commercial fisheries to New Zealand seabirds, 2006-07 to 2012-13. New Zealand Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Report 162. 85 p. [click here]

Richard, Y. & Abraham, E.R. (2015a). Assessment of the risk of commercial fisheries to New Zealand seabirds, 2006-07 to 2012-13: Supplementary information. New Zealand Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Report 162. [click here]

Richard, Y.; Abraham, E.; Berkenbusch, K. (2020). Assessment of the risk of commercial fisheries to New Zealand seabirds, 2006–07 to 2016–17. New Zealand Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Report 237. 57 p. [click here]

Tingley, G.A. (2017). Managing the impacts of fishing on benthic habitat in New Zealand. Report prepared for Deepwater Group. 3 p. [click here]

PRINCIPLE 3 - EFFECTIVE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT

"The fishery is subject to an effective management system that respects local, national and international laws and standards and incorporates institutional and operational frameworks that require the use of the resource to be responsible and sustainable."

The intent of this principle is to ensure that there is an institutional and operational framework for implementing Principles 1 and 2, appropriate to the size and scale of the fishery.

Key P3 References

DWG (2018a) Deepwater Trawl - Reporting Operational Procedures Version 3.0 [click here]

DWG (2018b) Deepwater Trawl Seabirds Operational Procedures Version 6.0 [click here]

DWG (2018c) Deepwater Trawl Marine Mammals Operational Procedures Version 9.0 [click here]

DWG (2020) Deepwater Trawl Sharks Operational Procedures Version 3.0 [click here]

DWG (2022) Deepwater Trawl Benthic Operational Procedures 2022-23 [click here]

DWG (2023) Ling Bottom Longline LIN 2 - 7 Operational Procedures Version 4.0 [click here]

FNZ (2019a) National Fisheries Plan for Deepwater and Middle-depth Fisheries 2019. Fisheries New Zealand Technical Paper No: 2019/03. ISBN No: 978-1-77665-816-9 (online) [click here]

FNZ (2019b) Review of the National Plan of Action - Seabirds (2013). ISBN No: 978-1-99-001705-6 (online) [click here]

FNZ (2020a) National Plan of Action – Seabirds 2020 Reducing the incidental mortality of seabirds in fisheries. ISBN No: 978-1-99-001762-9 (online) [click here]

FNZ (2020a) National Plan of Action – Seabirds 2020 Supporting document ISBN No: 978-1-98-859485-9 (online) [click here]

FNZ (2021) Medium Term Research Plan for Deepwater Fisheries 2021/22 – 2025/26 Fisheries New Zealand Information Paper No: 2021/16 ISBN No: 978-1-99-100999-9 (online). [click here]

FNZ (2022a) National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks 2022 Draft for Consultation [click here]

FNZ (2022b) Review of NPOA Sharks 2013: Progress against Objectives and Actions [click here]

FNZ (2022c) Annual Operational Plan for Deepwater Fisheries 2022/23. Fisheries New Zealand Technical Paper No: 2022/01. ISBN No: 978-1-99-102697-2 (online) [click here]

FNZ (2022d) Annual Review Report for Deepwater Fisheries 2020/21 Fisheries New Zealand Technical Paper No: 2022/02. ISBN No: 978-1-99-103941-5 (online) [click here]

FNZ (2022e) Summary of proposed amendments to fisheries regulations [click here]

Ministry of Fisheries (2009). Fisheries 2030: New Zealanders maximising the benefits from the use of fisheries within environmental limits. Author: Wellington. [click here]

Ministry of Fisheries. (2017). National Fisheries Plan for Deepwater and Middle-depth Fisheries – Part 1A. MPI Discussion Paper No: 2017/26 [click here]

MPI (2011) Ling – Fisheries Plan Chapter September 2011 ISBN No: 978-0-478-42015-9 (online) [click here]

Additional Supporting Documents

DWG (2023) Report on Ling Longline Bait Use [not yet available]