Glossary

The Act: The Fisheries Act 1996.

Biomass: The total weight of a fish species in a given area.

Biomass of Maximum Sustainable Yield (B_MSY): The biomass that matches the maximum sustainable yield (see below).

By-catch: The unintended catch of other marine or seabird life during fishing operations.

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): An oceanic zone 200 nautical miles around the coastline over which New Zealand has jurisdiction (including management control over fishing).

Fish species: A group of fish that share common characteristics and are able to breed together to produce fertile offspring.

Fish stock: A group of fish of the same species (for example, snapper) that occupy a defined area of the ocean. Fish stocks are the basis of fisheries’ management.

Maximum sustainable yield (MSY): The greatest yield that can be achieved over time while maintaining the productive capacity of the stock.

Seamounts: Underwater hills that rise more than 100 metres from the seabed.

Sustainable fishing: Fishing activities that do not cause or lead to undesirable changes in biological and economic productivity, biological diversity, or ecosystem structure and functioning, from one human generation to the next.

Total Allowable Catch (TAC): The total quantity of fish that can be taken by both commercial and recreational fishers during a 12-month period.

Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC): The total quantity of fish that can be taken by commercial fishers during a 12-month period.

Quota Management System (QMS): A system that limits the amount of fish that can be taken by commercial fishers. The QMS sets a quota that can be taken by each commercial fisher.