Environment

These sections outline New Zealand's approach to sustainable use of its vast marine environment.

Supply Chain

These sections outline New Zealand's approach to ensuring supply chain integrity within the seafood industry.

People

These sections outline New Zealand's approach to the welfare of workers and indigenous communities involved in seafood production.

Blue cod
Parapercis colias
Also known as:
Raweru, Cod
LAST UPDATED: 18 October, 2023

Blue cod is a bottom-dwelling species endemic to New Zealand.  They are found at a depth of up to 150 m and adults tend to vary in average size around the country, with smaller fish in northern regions and larger fish in the colder southern regions.

Blue cod is taken predominantly in inshore domestic fisheries with very little deepwater catch.  The major commercial blue cod fisheries in New Zealand are off Southland (BCO 5) and the Chatham Islands (BCO 4). It is the most important recreational finfish in Marlborough, Otago, Canterbury, Southland and the Chatham Islands.

The Southern Islands fishery is almost entirely a pot fishery. In the past, many blue cod fishers were primarily rock lobster fishers. Therefore, the amount of effort in the blue cod fishery tended to depend on the success of the rock lobster season, with weather conditions in Southland affecting the number of “fishable” days.

Blue cod is managed by  Fisheries New Zealand using the Quota Management System (QMS).

The risk assessment for blue cod is currently under review.

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RISK ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES

The risk assessment framework is used to assess the relative environmental risks of Australian and New Zealand wild-caught fisheries on fish stocks and the aquatic environment.

Assessments are undertaken for each species according to multiple ‘units of assessment’ (UoAs). The UoA is a combination of target species/stock and the gear type used by the fishery. Each UoA is assessed against three components for target species, bycatch and ecosystems, and management systems. Each component has a number of performance indicators, which have associated criteria, scoring issues, and scoring guideposts. For each UoA, each performance indicator is assigned a risk score according to how well the fishery performs against the scoring guideposts.

The risk assessment framework is currently under review and new risk assessments will be available soon.

Fishing Areas
Catch Quantities
Commercial catch allowance 2023/24
1,848t
Commercial catch 2022/23
1,709t
Historic catch quantity data
Estimated recreational catch 2022/23
Unknown
Estimated customary catch 2022/23
Unknown
Fishing Methods
Pots & Traps
Fishing Season
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
Peak season
Off season

Risk Assessment Summary

The risk assessment for blue cod is currently under review.

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