Background

The Protected Species Liaison Programme was established in 2014 and provides liaison support to coastal and inshore commercial fleets of both the North and South Islands of New Zealand. The project is managed by the Department of Conservation’s (DOC) Conservation Services Programme (CSP). It is an important part of the framework to manage protected species interactions with commercial fisheries. Liasion officers
provide a vital interface between skippers, government, and researchers. 

This programme and its officers do not hold a compliance role. They provide ongoing in-person contact with fishers that aims to:

• answer questions
• share knowledge about current bycatch mitigation legislation and best practice
• establish vessel-specific Protected Species Risk Management Plans (PSRMPs) in line with Mitigation Standards
• distribute helpful documents and resources
• provide essential bycatch mitigation materials (i.e. tori line equipment for longliners)
• offer technical support for bycatch mitigation set-up

DOC Liaison officers (LOs) are working with the fishing industry to:

• assist fishers to avoid captures of seabirds and other protected species
• support fishers to stay up to date with best practice mitigation and any changes to relevant legislation
• develop vessel specific Protected Species Risk Management Plans (PSRMPs)

The progress achieved through the liaison programme is reported on an annual basis and made available to stakeholders and the wider public online. View the latest progress update (PDF, 10,780K).

Current mitigation support

To assist fishers with the uptake of proven mitigation measures to reduce the bycatch of protected species, liaison officers are currently distributing the following items:

• Hook-shielding devices: Currently being offered to fishers who can collect basic information on their usage.
• Tori line equipment: LOs can provide materials and some support in assembling the gear.
• Mitigation folders:
  • Surface Longline (updated January 2023)
  • Bottom Longline (updated November 2022)
  • NI Coastal Trawl (updated September 2022)
  • SI Coastal Trawl (updated December 2022)
  • NI Set Net (updated September 2022)
  • SI Set Net (updated May 2023) 
  • Harbour Net (updated September 2022)
  • Purse Seine (updated June 2023) 

NPOA Seabirds

The Liaison Programme has a key role in supporting fishers to achieve the National Plan of Action Seabirds 2020, which has a vision for New Zealanders to work towards zero fishing-related seabird mortalities. View the National Plan of Action Seabirds 2020 and associated Mitigation Standards on the Fisheries website.

Programme partners

DOC is working closely with Fisheries New Zealand (FNZ) and Fisheries Inshore New Zealand (FINZ) to improve mitigation practices and avoid protected species bycatch.

Page updated August 2023.