Frequently Asked Questions

What marine species are in trouble in the Gulf and why?

Sadly, the Gulf isn’t as abundant as it used to be. Snapper may be one of the only fish species that is estimated to be growing in numbers within the Gulf.

Since the development of industrial fishing, the massive schools of small pelagic fish such as kahawai have disappeared from inshore waters. Historic accounts of acres of surface schools as far as the eye could see are now just that, historic. 

Diving seabirds such as shearwaters and petrels which are susceptible to capture in bottom trawl nets have declined by 67% in the Hauraki Gulf.

What is Bycatch?

The term ‘bycatch’ is used to describe the non-targeted species caught while targeting the more desirable species when fishing. Different fishing methods result in differing amounts of bycatch, for example, bottom trawling has higher rates of bycatch than longlining. 

In commercial fishing, bycatch can be species caught that the fisher is not allowed to keep, does not want, or cannot sell. Marine mammals and seabirds are also classed as bycatch due to fishing. 

What are the main species commercially caught in the Hauraki Gulf?

From 2016 to 2019, blue mackerel was the most commonly fished species at around 7500 tonnes (36%) caught mainly by purse seine. Around 4700 tonnes (23%) of snapper was caught by bottom longlining and bottom trawling. Jack mackerel, skipjack tuna and trevally were the other commonly fished species.

Source: State of our Gulf 2020

What are the main commercial fishing methods in the Hauraki Gulf?

In 2020, the majority of industrial fishing in the Hauraki Gulf was done by purse seining (57% of total catches), catching an estimate of around 7500 tonnes of blue mackerel. 

The other main industrial fishing methods include bottom longlining (12%) and bottom trawling (10%).

Source: State of our Gulf 2020

Is the Hauraki Gulf worth protecting more than other parts of New Zealand?

Of course not, but we do have a reason for focusing on this area. We are responding to recent events (2021) in the Hauraki Gulf, mainly the Revitalising the Gulf strategy proposed by the New Zealand Government (to establish separate fisheries management strategies for the Gulf than the rest of New Zealand).

There are a lot of groups interested in ensuring that more progressive and effective management tools are used to restore fish numbers and marine biodiversity in the Hauraki Gulf. 

This means the Government has set a precedent for progression for the rest of the country – What happens here may work in other places.  We want to make sure bottom trawling and other mobile bottom-contact fishing methods are excluded from new fisheries management guidelines.

When was commercial fishing introduced into the Hauraki Gulf?

Commercial fishing in the Hauraki Gulf was primarily by local Māori until the 1860s. Fishing intensity  increased as more settlers arrived from overseas. In 1899 beam trawling was introduced to the Hauraki Gulf, the first of the destructive bulk harvesting fishing methods.

When we talk about the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, what area do we mean?

The ‘Hauraki Gulf’ is on the northeast coast of the North Island. The Gulf is part of a special management area called the ‘Hauraki Gulf Marine Park area’. The marine park encompasses 1.2 million hectares and includes 50 islands between Te Arai in the north, the Hauraki Gulf and down to Waihi in the Bay of Plenty. a huge area across East Auckland and Waikato regions, including foreshore out to 12 nautical miles past Aotea (Great Barrier Island).  

The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park is managed under the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act 2000. The purposes of the act include; Integrating management of natural, physical and historic resources of the Hauraki Gulf, and to recognise historic, traditional, cultural and spiritual relationship of tangata whenua within the Gulf. The Hauraki Gulf Forum was established under the act. 

See more here.