NIWA fisheries scientist Dr Stuart Hanchet describes the history and management of the southern blue whiting fishery, centred around New Zealand's subantarctic islands.
The ecosystem impacts are thought to be low, with very little bycatch of other species, and almost no direct impact on the seabed. Data from surveys and commercial catches suggest the fishery is being managed at a sustainable level, with catch limits adjusted according to levels of recruitment of young fish into the stock each year.