---

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 re-assessment in 2023.

To view Lloyd's Register's Surveillance Report August 2022 [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 (2021). Review of Sustainability Measures for the 2021 October Round. Fisheries New Zealand Decision Paper. 272 p. [click here]

FNZ (2021a). Changes to sustainability measures for the 2021 October Round. 16 p. [click here]

FNZ (2022). Fisheries Assessment Plenary May 2022: Stock Assessments and Stock Status, Vol. 2 Horse mussel to Red crab (Ling pp.775-819). [click here]

Holmes, S. (2019). Stock assessment of ling (Genypterus blacodes) on the Chatham Rise (LIN 3&4) for the 2018-19 fishing year. New Zealand Fisheries Assessment Report 2019/70. 45 p. [click here]

Horn, P L (2007) Stock assessment of ling (Genypterus blacodes) on the Bounty Plateau and in Cook Strait for the 2006–07 fishing year. Final Research Report for Ministry of Fisheries Research Project LIN2005-01, Objective 3. 51 p. (Unpublished document held by Fisheries New Zealand, Wellington.)

Kienzle, M (2021) Stock assessment for ling off the west coast South Island (LIN 7WC) to the 2018–19 fishing year. New Zealand Fisheries Assessment Report 2021/18. 22 p. [click here]

Mormede, S; Dunn, A; Webber, D N (2021) Descriptive analysis and stock assessment model inputs of ling (Genypterus blacodes) in the Sub-Antarctic (LIN 5&6) for the 2020–21 fishing year. New Zealand Fisheries Assessment Report 2021/60. 113 p. [click here]

Mormede, S.; Dunn, A. & Webber, D.N. (2021a). 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 (in prep a) Descriptive analysis and stock assessment model inputs of ling (Genypterus blacodes) on the Chatham Rise (LIN 3&4) for the 2021–22 fishing year. Draft New Zealand Fisheries Assessment Report.

Mormede, S; Dunn, A; Webber, D N (in prep b) Stock assessment of ling (Genypterus blacodes) on the Chatham Rise (LIN 3&4) for the 2021–22 fishing year. Draft New Zealand Fisheries Assessment Report.

Mormede, S; Dunn, A; Webber, D N (in prep c) Spatial-temporal standardisation of commercial longline and trawl survey catches of ling (Genypterus blacodes) on the Chatham Rise (LIN 3&4). Draft New Zealand Fisheries Assessment Report.

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]

Stevens, D.W., O’Driscoll, R.L., Ballara, S.L. & Schimel, A.C.G. (2021). Trawl survey of hoki and middle depth species on the Chatham Rise, January 2020 (TAN2001). [click here]

Stevens, D.W., MacGibbon, D.J., Ballara, S.L., Escobar-Flores, P.C. & O’Driscoll, R.L. (2022). Trawl survey of hoki and middle-depth species in the Southland and Sub-Antarctic areas, November-December 2020 (TAN2014). New Zealand Fisheries Assessment Report 2022/08. [click here]

Webber, D N; A Dunn & Mormede S (2021) Stan-ASD: A new age-structured stock assessment model, with an application to sub-Antarctic hake (Merluccius australis) and ling (Genypterus blacodes). New Zealand Fisheries Assessment Report 2021/59. 43 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

Baker, G. B., Jensz, K., Cunningham, R., Holdsworth, M. & Chilvers, B. L. (2015). White-capped albatross aerial survey 2015. Report prepared by Latitude 42 Environmental Consultants Pty Ltd for the New Zealand Department of Conservation, Wellington. 31p. [click here]

Baker, B., Jensz, K. (2019). 2018 aerial survey of Salvin's albatross at the Bounty Islands. Final report to the Conservation Services Programme, Department of Conservation. Latitude 42, Australia. 11 p. [click here]

Bell, M.D.; Bell, D.J.; Boyle, D.P. (2017). Chatham Island Mollymawk research on Te Tara Koi Koia: November 2016. Report prepared by Wildlife Management International Limited for the Department of Conservation, Wellington. 24p. [click here]

Bell, E.A. (2013 [updated 2018]). Grey petrel. In Miskelly, C.M. (ed.) New Zealand Birds Online. [click here]

Cleal, J. (2020). Deepwater Group Environmental Liaison Officer (ELO) Report for the 2019-20 Fishing Year. 7 p. [click here]

Cleal, J. (2021). Deepwater Group Environmental Liaison Officer (ELO) Report for the 2020-21 Fishing Year. 7 p. [click here]

DOC (2020). Conservation Services Programme Annual Plan 2020/21. DOC: Wellington. 61 p. [click here]

DWG (2021). Operational Procedures. [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 (2020). National Plan of Action – Seabirds 2020: Implementation Plan. 13 p. [click here]

FNZ (2021). Annual Review Report for Deepwater Fisheries 2019/20. Fisheries New Zealand Technical Paper No: 2021/02. [click here]

FNZ (2021a). Annual Operational Plan for Deepwater Fisheries 2021/22. Fisheries New Zealand Technical Paper No: 2021/04. [click here]

FNZ (2021b). Protected species bycatch 2002-03 to 2019-20. [click here]

FNZ (2022). 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]

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]

MPI (2020). MPI Compliance email – NPOA and Reporting Requirements. MPI Compliance email to industry managers.

MPI (2021). Notice to Vessel on Statutory Reporting Requirements. MPI Compliance example letter for forwarding to operators. 1 p. [click here]

Richard, Y., Abraham, E. R., & 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 No. 237. 57 p. [click here]

Waugh, S.M.; Bartle J.A. 2013. Westland petrel. In: Miskelly, C.M. (ed.) New Zealand Birds Online. [click here]

Waugh, S.M.; Barbraud, C.; Adams, L.; Freeman, A.N.D.; Wilson, K.-J.; Wood, g.; Landers, T.J.; Baker, G.B. 2015. Modelling the demography and population dynamics of a subtropical seabird, and the influence of environmental factors. Condor 117: 147–164. [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 (2019). FNZ-Deepwater Operator’s Meeting Summary and Action Points Dec19. 2 p. [click here]

DWG (2020). FNZ-Deepwater Operator’s Meeting Agenda Jun20. 1 p. [click here]

DWG (2021). Operational Procedures. [click here]

FNZ (2019). National Fisheries Plan for Deepwater and Middle-depth Fisheries 2019. Fisheries New Zealand Technical Paper No: 2019/03. 34 p. [click here]

FNZ (2020). National Plan of Action – Seabirds 2020. Reducing the incidental mortality of seabirds in fisheries. 21 p. [click here]

FNZ (2020a). Medium Term Research Plan for Deepwater Fisheries 2020/21 – 2024/25. Fisheries New Zealand Information Paper No: 2020/01. 21 p. [click here]

FNZ (2020b). National Plan of Action – Seabirds 2020. Implementation Plan v2. 14 p. [click here]

FNZ (2021). Annual Operational Plan for Deepwater Fisheries 2021/22. Fisheries New Zealand Technical Paper No: 2021/04. [click here]

FNZ (2021a). Annual Review Report for Deepwater Fisheries 2019/20. Fisheries New Zealand Technical Paper No: 2021/02. [click here]

FNZ (2022). 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]

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]

IQANZ (2018). Deepwater Fisheries Management Independent Quality Assurance Review Report. Prepared for Ministry for Primary Industries by Independent Quality Assurance New Zealand (IQANZ). 13 p. [click here]

MFish (2011). Research and Science Information Standard for New Zealand Fisheries. Ministry of Fisheries, April 2011. 31 p. [click here]

MPI (2008). Harvest Strategy Standard for New Zealand Fisheries. Ministry for Primary Industries. 25 p. [click here]

MPI (2010). Memorandum of Understanding: Continuing a partnership between the Ministry of Fisheries and the deepwater fishing industry for the management of New Zealand’s deepwater fisheries. 12 p. [click here]

MPI (2010a). Hoki Fisheries Plan Chapter: National Fisheries Plan for Deepwater and Middle-depth Fisheries Part 1B. 51 p. [click here]

MPI (2011). Ling Fisheries Plan Chapter: National Fisheries Plan for Deepwater and Middle-depth Fisheries Part 1B. 50 p. [click here]

MPI (2013a). Hake Fisheries Plan Chapter: National Fisheries Plan for Deepwater and Middle-depth Fisheries Part 1B. 29 p. [click here]

MPI (2013b). National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks. 32 p. [click here]

MPI (2019). Fisheries Compliance: DW Operators Meeting – Nelson 5th March 2019. PowerPoint presentation prepared by Ministry for Primary Industries. [click here]

MPI (2019). Risk Management and Compliance HOK and SBW. Ministry for Primary Industries memo to deepwater operators, June 2019. 2 p. [click here]

MPI (2020). Risk Management and Compliance HOK and SBW. Ministry for Primary Industries memo to deepwater operators, June 2020. 2 p. [click here]

Additional Supporting Documents

DWG (2021) Report on Ling Longline Bait Use [click here]

Surveillance Report

Lloyd's Register's Surveillance Report August 2022 [click here].