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Seafood with Concerns
AnchovyScientific name: Engraulis australis
Other
names: kokowhaawhaa, korowhaawhaa (Maori), Southern anchovy
Ranking:
D (Amber - Concerns) |  |
Description: This short-lived common inshore species and its relatives occur around the world. Jointly with kina, pilchard and sprats, anchovy has the best ecological ranking of any commercial fishery in New Zealand.
The main concerns with this fishery are: that there are no estimates of size of its sustainable yield, the lack basic biological information on natural mortality and growth, lack of a management plan and that reducing their population could disrupt marine food chains.
The fishery assessment plenary report states: that it is not currently possible to estimate a long-term sustainable yield for anchovy, or even to determine if recent catch levels will allow the stock(s) to move towards a size that would support a maximum sustainable yield ((MFish 2007, p82).
Market: New Zealand.
Status and sustainable yield
Status: This species has been very lightly fished, so it is at or close to its natural level.
Annual catch limit: Set at 560 tonnes in 2005-06.
Recorded catch: Reported landings of 14.5 tonnes in 2003-04.
Population size: Unknown.
Stock trends: Unknown.
Fishing method
Method: Lampara nets and purse seining.
Habitat damage: Low.
Bycatch: Some bycatch of other pelagic fish and discarding anchovy when there are no markets.
Ecological effects: Reducing the anchovy population disrupts marine food chains, reducing a prey species for other species including larger fish, seabirds and marine mammals as has happened with anchovy fisheries elsewhere.
Management
Stock assessment: No quantitative assessments.
Management plan: No.
Quota Management Species: Yes, since 2002.
Biology
Distribution: Commonly found in inshore waters around the North Island and upper South Island.
Maximum age (years): 6
Age at sexual maturity: 1
Growth rate: High.
Reproductive output: High.
Age exploited: 2 years
References: Report from the Fishery Assessment Plenary, May 2007: stock assessments and yield estimates. Part 1: Albacore to Groper, Science Group, Ministry of Fisheries; Guidebook to New Zealand Commercial Fish Species, Revised Edition 1990, NZ Fishing Industry Board.
This page was updated
on 9 November, 2007 | 
