SWORDFISH IPP ANNEX 1

Annex One

Swordfish Initial Position Paper

Management Proposal

Jan 2004

The following is Annex One of the Ministry of Fisheries management proposal for swordfish as presented in the Initial Position Paper (IPP).

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SWORDFISH (SWO)

ANNEX ONE

Amendment to regulations

Sixth Schedule: return of swordfish to the water

Background

Current fishing practice is to release small swordfish because they have little market value and some fishers believe they are optimising yield per recruit by releasing lively small fish in the hope they will be recaptured when larger.

Problem definition

The introduction of swordfish to the QMS will change the management rules for this fishery. As a quota species any swordfish that is caught must be retained and landed. The current practice to release small lively fish will no longer be possible.

Proposal

The Sixth Schedule provides a means for a commercial fisher to return fish to the water subject to stated requirements set out for that stock. The conditions proposed are that the swordfish be smaller than 1 metre LJFL, and that the fish returned are likely to survive.

Options

The alternative option is to rely on the incentives within the QMS to ensure that catch and ACE are matched on an annual basis or imposition of an MLS.

Costs and benefits of the proposal

There are benefits that swordfish of lower size and value can be released if alive and the value of the catch optimised. The measure provides flexibility to maintain current fishing practises that might be improving yield per recruit. There is theoretically no increased wastage of fish associated with adoption of this option in contrast to implementing an MLS.
There is some risk that fishers will not comply with the requirement that only live fish are returned. This risk (high grading or discarding) is the same whether Sixth Schedule provisions are available or not, particularly given the significant variation in value associated with swordfish condition and to a degree size.

Administrative implications

There are no specific administrative implications associated with this proposal other than those associated with its implementation.

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