National Blue Cod Strategy released
Fisheries New Zealand has released the National Blue Cod Strategy, which takes a proactive approach to the management of the blue cod fishery.
Manager of inshore fisheries Steve Halley says the strategy improves the way we manage our blue cod fishery to ensure we have abundant and sustainable fisheries for the future.
"This is a new approach to managing one of our most important shared fisheries that has involved fishers from across New Zealand from the very start," says Mr Halley.
"The strategy builds on concerns people had about their local fisheries, provided to us during public meetings and online surveys, to create a national approach to better managing the blue cod fisheries more generally.
"Fisheries New Zealand intends to consult in early 2019 on specific rule change options that are driven by the strategy. During the consultation, we want to meet with fishing clubs and other groups in key blue cod fishing areas where people can speak to us directly before any changes are made, and hear from all those with an interest in this important fishery.