New Zealand - Australia Fisheries Cooperation

Bilaterals

As neighbours across the Tasman Sea, Australia and New Zealand have had a strong co-operative relationship in managing the fisheries resources in the high seas areas adjacent to the respective fishing zones of both countries. To facilitate the process of cooperation, bilateral discussions are held on a needs basis. Consultations have been wide ranging and related to bilateral and multilateral issues such as shared management arrangements, participation in regional fisheries management organisations and strategies for controlling Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing.

South Tasman Rise Arrangement

The South Tasman (STR) is an undersea ridge extending south from Tasmania into the Southern Ocean straddling both the Australian Fishing Zone and the high seas. The fishery developed in 1997, and was mainly fished by Australian and New Zealand vessels. In early 1998, Australia and New Zealand signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on management (including quotas) of Orange Roughy on the STR. In February 1999 the MoU expired and the fishery after some initial fishing was closed to both Australian and New Zealand fishing interests.

In February 2000, Australia and New Zealand signed and exchanged copies of the Arrangement between the Government of Australia and the Government of New Zealand for the Conservation and Management of Orange Roughy on the STR. The Arrangement took effect from 1 March 2000 and is of indefinite duration. The initial total allowable catch (TAC) under the arrangement for the 2001-02 season was set at 2400 tonnes (with the allocation split 75% to Australia and 25% to New Zealand). This was reduced to 1800 tonnes with the same allocation split for the 2002-03 season. 

Australian and New Zealand Fisheries Ministers agreed in 2002 to management arrangements covering the 2003-04 to 2006-07 seasons. The proposal provides for the TAC to be lowered from 1800 tonnes to 800 tonnes for the 2003-04 season and then further reduced in each subsequent season unless fish in sufficient numbers are caught to trigger additional TAC.

Orange Roughy in the STR is currently classified as overfished. However, very low levels of effort and catch in 2006-07 and zero effort in 2007-08 indicate that the stock is not subject to overfishing. The overfished status of Smooth Oreo and Spiky Oreo is uncertain. The fishery is currently closed with a limited-entry ‘international’ fishery managed with New Zealand under an MOU in place.