New Zealand National Plan of Action – Seabirds 2020

In 2020 New Zealand released its third iteration of a National Plan of Action to Reduce the Incidental Morality of Seabirds in Fisheries (NPOA Seabirds). New Zealand has embarked on a programme of transformational change in fisheries management to ensure that New Zealand fisheries are world-leading in their sustainability and environmental performance. Over the coming five-year period we expect to see significantly increased monitoring and more responsible, low-impact fishing practices. In recognition of this path to change, this NPOA Seabirds focuses on education, partnering to find innovative solutions to bycatch mitigation, and ensuring that all fishers know how and are taking all practicable steps to avoid seabird bycatch.
The NPOA Seabirds vision is “New Zealanders work towards zero fishing-related seabird mortalities”. Guided by this vision, the NPOA Seabirds has four goals focused on; avoiding bycatch; healthy seabird populations; research and information; and international engagement. The New Zealand commercial fishing fleet has diverse operational practices and applying rigid ‘one-size-fits-all’ seabird bycatch mitigation strategies is unlikely to produce optimal results. A number of tools are used to avoid bycatch, including both legislative requirements and collaborative approaches such as fishery liaison programmes. Mitigation Standards, closely aligned to ACAP best practice advice, have been developed to provide clear guidance and expectations around vessel-specific risk management plans.
Each goal has objectives to be achieved within the next five years, and 36 performance measures have been developed. Progress towards achieving these objectives will be reported in a Seabird Annual Report. A Seabird Advisory Group (comprising representatives from government agencies, key stakeholder groups and tangata whenua) will meet biannually to monitor and help implement the NPOA Seabirds and consider new or arising matters related to the impacts on seabirds from fisheries.
The NPOA Seabirds and all supporting documents are available on a dedicated web page.