MITIGATION & SEABIRDS
Long linings main environmental challenge is the mitigation against the capture of seabirds
MITIGATION
SEABIRDS
All of our vessels follow regulated mitigation requirements, which include:Line weighting - to sink the baited hooks out of the birds reach quickly.Moana Tags - records the time it takes for baited hooks to sink.Tori Lines - a streamer line towed in the air above the setting line which scares birds, preventing them diving on baits.Night setting - Birds are visual feeders, so are less active at night.
UNDERSIZED FISH
Wild Fish (NZ) Ltd's Skippers and crew are expertly trained to navigate areas and target specific species, resulting in very little capture of undersize fish. Our lines also use a specific sized 'circle' hook which avoids capture of smaller fish and promotes lip-hooking instead of gut hooking, offering a much higher survival rate for any fish that do get caught and released.
BYCATCH
As longlining is a very targeted method of fishing it results in very little bycatch.Each and every fish is handled and dispatched individually as it is brought on board, therefore any bycatch fish that may accidentally get caught are able to be released live back to the sea.
Tori line deployed on Wild Fish vessel 'Tungsten'
Wild Fish (NZ) Ltd support the wider roll out of on-board cameras. Cameras were voluntarliy installed on our longline vessels in 2016 and have been monitored for seabird captures ever since.We were extremely honoured to win the 'Seabird Smart Award 2021'
Seabird Smart Award 2021
6 BOATS - 6 CAMERAS
SEABIRDS AND MARINE MAMMALS
Wild Fish (NZ) Ltd work closley with the following working groups to ensure the protection of Seabirds and Marine Mammals are imperative within the New Zealand Fishing Industry.