Seafood to avoid Hoki Scientific name: Macruronus novaezelandiae Other names: Whiptail, blue hake, blue grenadier (NZ). Langschwanz-Seehecht (Germany). Merluse (France). Merluza azul (Spain). Nasello azzurro (Italy). Ranking: E (Red - Worst Choice)

Icon Explanations

The main concerns with this fishery are: the bycatch of hundreds of NZ fur seals, albatrosses and petrels each year, plus bycatch of the globally threatened basking sharks and impacts on benthic communities. The management of two stocks as one quota management area, the declining state of the Western stock fishery and failure to limit catches of this depleted stock to levels that will allow recovery are also serious concerns. Additional problems are the catches of small fish on the Chatham Rise and on West Coast,, lack of a management plan, the need for the annual quota to be reduced to 100,000 tonnes in 2004 and further reduction to 90,000 tonnes in 2007.

The fishery assessment plenary report states: "For the western stock, median estimates of current biomass were 15 to 24%Bo which is below the assumed value of Bmsy (30-40%Bo). The biomass has shown little change in recent years. This stock experienced an extended period of poor recruitment from 1995 to 2001; year class strengths after 2001 are now estimated to be below average.. Model projections suggest the biomass of this stock will not increase unless future recruitment is better than it has been in recent years or catches from the associated fisheries are reduced." "For the Eastern stock, current biomass was estimated to be 37 and 51% Bo which is at or above Bmsy. Recent recruitment is estimated to be lower than but closer to the long-term average for this stock" (MFish 2007, p 367).

Market: Most hoki is exported to the USA, Europe - including the UK and Belgium – Japan and Australia. Hoki exports were worth $174309 million in 2005, down from $346 million in 2001. The Fillet’o’Fish sold at McDonalds in New Zealand is hoki.

Status and sustainable yield
Status: Over-fished.
Annual catch limit: Since 2001-02 it has been reduced from 250,000 tonnes to 100,000 tonnes in 2004-05 to 90,000 tonnes in 2007-08.
Recorded catch: Estimated catch of 104,000 tonnes in 2005-06, the lowest catch in over 20 years. About 45 percent of the catch was from Western Stock fish which exceeded the limit required by the Minister that no more than 40 percent would be taken from these fish.
Population size: New Zealand's largest fishery with a declining stock size compounded by weak recruitment of juvenile fish to the adult population since the mid-1990s, particularly on the West Coast.
Stock trends: Declining and not rebuilding. Old fish have declined and in 2005 3-year old or less fish make up 35 percent of the catch on the West Coast and on the Chatham Rise 1-2 year old fish make up 27 percent of the catch, and 3-4 year olds 43 percent of the catch.

Fishing method
Method: Bottom trawling targets non-spawning aggregations (Chatham Rise and Sub-Antarctic Plateau) and mid-water trawling targets spawning aggregations on West Coast and Cook Strait.
Bycatch: Hundreds of NZ fur seals, albatrosses and petrels are drowned in the hoki fishery each year. The affected albatrosses and petrels include several globally threatened species such as black-browed and Buller's albatross and white-chinned petrel. Non-target fish species bycatch is also a problem with hake, ling and silver warehou being caught in West Coast hoki fisheries. Other bycatch species are deepwater sharks including shovelnose dogfish, seal shark and Baxter's dogfish. Threatened basking sharks are also caught. There is also incidental mortality of young hoki passing through the net meshes.
Habitat damage: Bottom trawling bulldozes the sea floor, destroying soft corals, sponges and long-lived bryozoans. The expanding use of twin rigs and double linked nets with a large heavy roller in between has increased the impact of this fishery on fragile deepwater habitats.
Ecological effects: The dumping of offal and other fish waste during processing at sea has an ecological effect together with the impact of bottom trawling.

Management
Stock assessment: Quantitative stock assessment for East and West stocks in 2007.
Management plan: No
Quota Management Species: Yes, since 1986.

Biology
Distribution: The main areas where hoki are caught are off the West Coast of the South Island, the Cook Strait and Chatham Rise to the east of the South Island, and Sub-Antarctic waters at depths of 400-800m.
Maximum age (years): 20-25
Age at sexual maturity: 3-5 years
Growth rate: Relatively fast.
Reproductive output: Medium to high.
Age exploited: 2

References: European marketing and the MSC, SEAFOOD magazine, May 2004, Vol 12 no. 4, p8; Report from the Fishery Assessment Plenary, May 2007: stock assessments and yield estimates. Part 2: Hake to Paua, Science Group, Ministry of Fisheries; Guidebook to New Zealand Commercial Fish Species, Revised Edition 1990, NZ Fishing Industry Board; MFish Starfish web pages 2004; SeaFIC website 2004.

This page was updated on 9 November, 2007