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Seafood to Avoid
Striped marlin
Scientific name: Tetrapturus audax
Other names: takaketonga (Maori), marlin.
Ranking: E (Red - Avoid)
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Description: Striped marlin is a bycatch in the tuna longline fishery. Most are caught north of 31oS. Between 1987 and 1994 there was a moratorium on landing marlin in the area between Mokau and East Cape (Auckland Fisheries Management Area). Since 1995 all catches were required to be reported. It is principally a non-commercial fishery in New Zealand waters.
The main concerns with this fishery are: uncertainty about the state of the stocks, the bycatch of sharks, seabirds and fur seals, uncertainties over the stock assessment, catch limits or a management plan and ecological impacts of removal of this key predator species.
The fishery assessment plenary report states: "Several of the plausible model scenarios investigated indicate that current levels of fishing mortality may approximate or exceed the reference level FMSY and current spawning biomass levels may approximate or be below the biomass based reference point BMSY. On the basis of this preliminary assessment, it is recommended as a precautionary measure that there should be no increase in fishing mortality (i.e. fishing effort) on striped marlin in the southwestern Pacific, particularly Éthe Tasman Sea..." (Ministry of Fisheries, 2007, p944).
Market: East Asia.
Status and sustainable yield
Status: Uncertain but may be below Bmsy.
Annual catch limit: None set.
Recorded catch: Latest reported annual catch of 16 tonnes in 2005-06, the lowest reported catch in over 10 years.
Population size: South Pacific migratory population.
Stock trends: Uncertain, but likely declining.
Fishing method
Method: Longlining around the North Island.
Habitat damage: Low from the pelagic longlines.
Bycatch: Sharks, New Zealand fur seals and seabirds are caught in the longline fishery.
Ecological effects: Removal of large predator species as bycatch in the longline.
Management
Stock assessment: A stock assessment in 2007 by the Western and Central Pacific Commission Scientific Committee.
Management plan: No.
Quota Management Species: No, they cannot be targeted.
Biology
Distribution: Striped marlin are caught mainly around the North Islands, north of 42 degrees South.
Maximum age (years): 12+
Age at sexual maturity: ?
Growth rate: Medium
Reproductive output: Medium.
Age exploited: ?
References:Report from the Fishery Assessment Plenary, May 2005: stock assessments and yield estimates. Part 3: Pilchard to Yellow-eyed Mullet. 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 | 
