WELLINGTON, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand will change catch limits and allowances across a range of fisheries from Oct. 1 as part of the fishery department's regular sustainability review to protect fish stocks and promote sustainable fishing practices.
"Catch limits are adjusted based on the best available science information, along with feedback from the community. This tells us what's happening in our fisheries and helps identify what course of action to take," Emma Taylor, Fisheries New Zealand's director of fisheries management, said on Thursday.
The changes are part of a 6-month cycle of catch limit reviews conducted by Fisheries New Zealand, which are to ensure long-term sustainability so there are plenty of fish in the water for current and future generations to enjoy, Taylor said.
"Where there is evidence more fish can be harvested sustainably, we look to increase limits, and this is the case for eight of the stocks reviewed," she said, adding the catch limits of another two of the stocks reviewed will be reduced to help the fishery recover.
In addition to the catch limit changes, deemed value rates for three stocks have also been reviewed and adjusted. These are the fees commercial fishers pay for the catch that is outside of their Annual Catch Entitlement, Taylor said.
The adjustments to deemed value rates have been made to reflect market value and to incentivize commercial fishers to catch within the limits that are set for the year, she added. ■