New Zealand Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Phil Heatley on Monday announced that the 2011-12 hoki quota will be increased by 10,000 metric tons to 130,000 metric tons.
The decision comes a month after Eric Barratt, managing director of Sanford Ltd., again warned the New Zealand government to hold off on raising the quota, supporting a “precautionary approach” to managing the western hoki stock until more scientific data is collected and analyzed. “We see no reason to rush through another increase in the stock,” he said at the time.
But Heatley contended that hoki stocks have been “fully rebuilt.”
“This is another positive example of good fisheries management in practice, where we were prepared to make the tough calls in terms of reductions to catch limits but are now reaping the benefits,” he said. “The science also indicates that the hoki fishery could support an even greater catch increase, but it is important that we act responsibly so I have agreed to a more modest increase.”
Both the western and eastern hoki stocks will be surveyed later this year, said Heatley, and the results will be used for the 2012 stock assessment.
The country’s fishing season runs from 1 October to 30 September.
