Seafood to Avoid Groper/Hapuku/Bass Scientific name: Polyprion oxygeneios and Polyprion americanus Other names: hakuraa, kapua, kauaeroa, kawerai, kuparu, moeone, whaapuku , toti (Maori), sea bass, wrackbarsch (Germany), wreckfish (USA). Ranking: E (Red - Worst Choice)

Icon Explanations

The main concerns with this fishery are: the management of two species as one quota species, the uncertainty over stock boundaries and the conflict with quota boundaries, limited research, the lack of a management plan, the lack of information on sustainable yields, the uncertainty over basic biological information for bass, the decline in reported landings in recent years, and the unknown sustainability of the current catch limit. Bycatch of other fish species is also of concern as is the ecological importance of these species.

The fishery assessment plenary report states: "No estimates of current biomass are availableÉ Current total allowable commercial catches are larger than the maximum current yield (MCY) estimates and it is not known if they are sustainable or at levels that will allow the stocks to move towards a size that will support the maximum sustainable yield." (MFish 2007, p320).

Market: Export value of about $4 million in 1999 mainly to Australia, Japan and United States.

Status and sustainable yield
Status: Uncertain.
Annual catch limit: Set at 2,181 tonnes in 2001-02.
Recorded catch: Reported landings of 1,725 tonnes in 2005-06.
Population size: Unknown but large hapuku have almost disappeared from diving depths.
Stock trends: Reported landings have declined from a peak of 2,698 tonnes in 1983-84 to around 1500 tonnes in recent years.

Fishing method
Method: Mainly longline and hand line but also trawl and set net.
Habitat damage: Low for line caught fish but trawling catches and damages bottom dwelling species.
Bycatch: A range of bycatch species including fish species (tarakihi, blue cod). Deepwater sharks are occasionally caught including seal shark.
Ecological effects: Serial depletion can occur with lines removing large individuals; groper is a known prey species for sperm whale. The effects of trawling include reducing the diversity of fragile invertebrate species including cold water corals, sponges and bryozoans.

Management
Stock assessment: No quantitative assessments or yields.
Management plan: No.
Quota Management Species: Yes, since 1986.

Biology
Distribution: Found around New Zealand including the Chatham Rise, but most common in deep underwater canyons over or near rocky areas down to 250m.

	Groper/Hapuku	Bass
Maximum age (years):	60+	40+
Age at sexual maturity:	10-13	10
Growth rate:	Slow	Slow
Reproductive output:	Low	Low
Age exploited:	5	5

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 10 November, 2007