Sustainable Seafood

Continuous growth in global demand for seafood makes it vital that the world's ocean resources are managed in an ecologically and economically sustainable manner.  New Zealand's Quota Management System (QMS) is based on world leading sustainable management strategies and partnerships that utilise management methods primarily focused on the long-term sustainability of New Zealand seafood resources.

Under the QMS, industry and government agencies continually work together to assess stock levels of all quota-managed species. From these assessment results, the Minister of Fisheries sets a yearly Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) for each species concerned based on, amongst other things, a number of resource sustainability parameters.

There are now over 95 species or species groups managed under the QMS. This management system covers most major fisheries within New Zealand's EEZ, and will eventually cover all commercially harvested species.

In March 2001, New Zealand hoki became the world's first large whitefish stock to achieve Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification. This eco-label is independent confirmation that New Zealand hoki is amongst the best well-managed and sustainable fisheries in the world.