Case studies

What's the lowdown on the lobster? The CRA2 stock of crayfish – across the Bay of Plenty and Hauraki Gulf – is 'virtually certain' to be experiencing overfishing, according to Fisheries New Zealand. But some scientists go further to say that crayfish are 'functionally extinct' in the region.

The Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (IEA), developed by NOAA, provides a social-ecological framework to systematically apply ecosystem-based fisheries management principles.

When rates of protected species bycatch grew in the California swordfish fishery, fishers turned to the EcoCast app to help them decide where to fish.

These devices sink thousands of metres below the sea surface, then refloat to transmit the data they capture.

From the composition of ear bones, scientists trace the origins of young snapper back to the harbour they grew up in.

Aotearoa New Zealand is home to one-third of the world's seabirds. To help prevent seabird bycatch in the longline fishing industry, this fisher developed a novel solution.

An exclusion zone put in place following the Rena oil spill eventually paved the way for a landmark court ruling and new marine protected area.

When various community groups came to the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council with concerns about the depletion of local fish stocks, it sparked the genesis of a collaborative approach to restore abundance to local waters.

An Aotearoa New Zealand study is underway to attempt to determine whether our fishing methods have changed the evolution of our local snapper.

Using ESP3, fisheries researchers can process large hydroacoustic datasets captured using echosounders – a way of 'seeing' what organisms are present in the ocean depths.

Electronic monitoring of fishing vessels produces data that can enhance the traceability and transparency of fish products and build trust between fishers and consumers. Nelson-based SnapIT have developed cameras and analysis for the commercial fishing industry.

Enabling full traceability and strengthening transparency in the Pacific Islands' tuna supply chain is a key way to address illegal fishing and human rights issues in the tuna fishing industry. Can blockchain help?

Environmental DNA (eDNA) offers a non-invasive way to monitor species populations. Learn how it has been deployed in the conservation of great white sharks.

MAUI63 is developing innovative drone and AI technology for monitoring distribution and habitat use of critically endangered Māui dolphins.

This partnership between Fisheries Inshore New Zealand and Seafood Innovations Ltd facilitates a ‘grass-roots’ approach to gear innovation in inshore fishing.

The orange roughy has a range of characteristics that make it vulnerable to overfishing – including a lifespan that may exceed 150 years. How do we manage healthy orange roughy populations?

The Fiordland Marine Guardians represent commercial and recreational fishers, tourism interests, recreational users, marine science and conservation, and the local community. Through a forum-style planning process, they developed a novel approach to managing Fiordland's marine environment.

A local fisher from Hawke’s Bay took video monitoring one step further: livestreaming his fishing expeditions to the world.

The topography and currents make the Chatham Rise a productive fishery. With decades of detailed study, it provides an exemplar of how data can enrich fisheries models.

What's the best way to protect a biodiverse slice of the Hauraki Gulf? We compare Aotearoa New Zealand's first marine reserve at Goat Island to The Noises, an island chain in need of protection.

When a small independent fisher developed innovative ideas to make his operations more selective, he faced a number of setbacks – including a lack of connection to researchers.

Could we shift from damaging bottom trawling to a more sustainable method of fishing? We explore potting to catch species like scampi and ling.

We can use genetic tools to make sure the fish we're catching come from a sustainable stock with healthy population levels.

Underwater cameras can provide useful observations on fish behaviour – like a species’ disposition to guard bait in traps, which in turn could make it more easily catchable.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics could help us move away from damaging dredging, to precision harvesting for scallops.

The Deep Towed Imaging System (DTIS) has been used in Aotearoa New Zealand since 2006 to take pictures and video of deep-sea biodiversity and seafloor habitats.

How a genetic tool allows monitoring of a highly migratory species.

It's not just fish fillets – we can use many parts of the catch to produce high-value products, including cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals.

Ling maw (swim bladder) is a delicacy in China – but trade limitations mean only whole fish, not the maw by-product, can be exported from Aotearoa New Zealand.

The need for long-term strategically focused research funding in the marine environment was recognised when Sustainable Seas was established as one of the 11 National Science Challenges.

The Marine Stewardship Council allows certified sustainable fisheries to use an eco-label – but the sustainability of MSC-certified seafood is debated.

Nate Smith of Gravity Fishing switched up his approach to fishing after observing that fish numbers were declining around Rakiura Stewart Island.

A collaborative trial, driven by the Black Petrel Working Group, tested whether cameras could be used to detect seabird capture on fishing vessels as accurately as human observers.

A diverse range of local stakeholders built consensus on their shared goals for Kaikōura’s marine environment.

How one company is turning the low-value fish waste stream into a value-added fertiliser product that improves pasture.

Groundfish off the coast of California were overfished in 2006. The Nature Conservancy developed the eCatch app to revamp the fishery and improve its sustainability.

The outcome of the Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari process was a marine spatial plan aiming to reverse ecological degradation in the Hauraki Gulf.

Surfer scientists can report sightings of critically endangered Māui dolphins via an app.

In response to a rapidly changing ocean impacted by marine temperature extremes and shifting currents, a new ocean monitoring and forecast programme is underway in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Shared aspirations for a more precise alternative to full-contact bottom trawling within Aotearoa New Zealand’s fishing industry led to the design of a new harvesting technology.

The pāua industry in the Chatham Islands demonstrates forward-thinking initiatives to support a sustainable fishery.