Orange roughy quota cancelled for season

Press, 17 May 1989, Page 8

Orange roughy quota cancelled for season

Wellington reporter The Crown has cancelled its own orange roughy quota for the 198889 season to meet a rapid decline in stocks of the fish on the Chatham Rise, said the Minister of Fisheries, Mr Moyle, yesterday. Recent studies have shown that the present annual catch was not sustainable ih. the long term, and that if was clear the orange roughy fishery was r in trouble, he said. “The Crown holds 5513 tonnes of orange roughy ; this . willjV reduce the total al- y

lowable catch to 32,637 tonnes,” Mr Moyle said. He added, however, this was only a first step, and that further reductions would be needed in the next few years. “The sizes of the reductions required in future have not been determined precisely but they are likely to be substantial,” Mr. Moyle said. He promised to consult with the fishing industry over future reductions to determine the full financial implications. “The fishing industry is heavily dependent on orange roughy for its

profitability. Major reductions in the total allowable catch of orange roughy would require substantial restructuring of both the catching and processing sectors of the industry,” Mr Moyle said. “Clearly, we need to ensure that the orange roughy is protected from overfishing but we also need to ensure that our management controls have regard for the continued viability of the fishing industry,” he said. Mr Moyle added that Maori would also be consulted on. the resource’s future, t