Research and Science

New Zealand Sport Fishing Council

Research and science contribute to the management of New Zealand's fish stocks. However, for many of our fisheries there is a dearth of  information that can be reliably used to guide the science process. To ensure a balanced management approach the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council works with a number of agencies and organisations to achieve our goal of "more fish in the water".

Having abundant fisheries thriving in a healthy marine environment would provide for all New Zealander's social, environmental, economic and cultural well-being.

Over time the NZSFC will add to this collection of research and science papers, reports and data sheets. If you have any information that could contribute to this page please feel free to contact us by email.

Tagging programme

The New Zealand gamefish tagging programme is a cooperative project between the Ministry of Fisheries, the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council, its affiliated clubs and anglers.

It provides information on the size and distribution of fish released by recreational fishers. Recaptures provide information on distance and direction of movement, time at liberty, and in some circumstances, the average migration rate of the fish involved.

Yellowtail Kingfish tagging procedure

There have been about 16,000 kingfish tagged and released in New Zealand since the Yellowtail KIngfish Tagging Programme started in 1975. Most of these have been released in east Northland and the Bay of Plenty in the last 20 years.

There have been 1,200 recaptures reported, a recapture rate of 7.5%.

Tag and release of Billfish and Sharks

Tag and release is an important part of deep sea angling in New Zealand.

New Zealand anglers tag and release about 1000 marlin and 300 sharks each year. This shows the commitment of recreational anglers to the conservation of the resource. The tagging data is critical for research into the growth and movement of these fish, which is difficult to collect in any other way.