The eastern stock has fallen to an estimated 7.7% of its virgin biomass. While the western stock is healthier at 29%, it is declining rapidly. Recruitment is low and both stocks are being overfished.

“The state of our tarakihi stocks is shocking,” said Environmental Defence Society Policy Director Raewyn Peart.

“After 40 years of what we’ve repeatedly been told is a world-class fisheries management system, New Zealand’s third most valuable inshore finfish fishery is on the brink.

“Tarakihi is an iconic fish for many New Zealanders. Most of the catch is consumed here at home and is a staple in restaurants, supermarkets and fish and chip shops across the country.

“New information released by Fisheries NZ shows the stock along the eastern coast of the country has been declining since the 1940s and has been overfished for six decades.

“The western coast stock has also been in long-term decline, but the trend accelerated dramatically after 2017.

“The collapse of tarakihi highlights multiple failures in our quota management system which was tasked with keeping the stock healthy:

1. There has been a chronic lack of investment in fisheries science. Despite being managed under the quota management system for 40 years, the western tarakihi stock only this year received its first full stock assessment.
2. There has been excessive confidence in fisheries models based on patchy data and multiple assumptions. Earlier models significantly overestimated the size of the eastern stock.
3. Previous stock assessments failed to account for the impacts of climate change which have likely reduced tarakihi recruitment. This is despite decades of seawater warming, and a sharp increase in marine heatwaves since 2012, with an extreme event in 2017.
4. The science peer review process failed to identify errors in the 2022 eastern tarakihi model. The review process lacks independence, with industry-aligned scientists embedded within the process.
5. Management action has been far too slow. Catch limits for most of the western tarakihi stock have not changed since 1986. It has effectively been a case of setting the Total Allowable Commercial Catch and walking away.
6. Stock management areas do not align with biological stocks, making effective management difficult. In particular, the TAR 1 and TAR 7 management areas span both the western and eastern stocks. Fisheries NZ is only now consulting on their possible subdivision.
7. Tarakihi are harvested before they’re old enough to spawn. The minimum legal size is 25cm, but these long-lived fish only reach sexual maturity at 33-37cm.
8. There has been an over-reliance on a voluntary industry rebuild plan that has failed to do what it claims – rebuild the stock.
9. Tarakihi is mainly harvested by bottom trawling. The impacts of this method on stock health was previously ignored. Bottom trawling damages important juvenile terakihi habitat, including worm beds, sponge gardens and bryozoan beds.

“Tarakihi is a taonga species but given the severe depletion of the stock, the loss of juvenile habitat and the growing impacts of climate change, there are real uncertainties as to whether it can rebuild.

“But we need to give it our best shot. EDS is calling for complete closure of the entire fishery to provide the best chance of recovery. This can be achieved by setting the Total Allowable Catch to zero.

“We are also seeking full protection of tarakihi juvenile habitat, juvenile aggregation areas and spawning areas from trawling and Danish seining.

“If these measures aren’t implemented quickly, we will be facing extinction of one of our most commonly eaten white fish.

“We also need to urgently reform the fisheries management system to ensure this kind of failure is never repeated again. This latest debacle follows collapses of our valuable scallop and rock lobster stocks.

“EDS is currently reviewing the quota management system and will develop a package of reforms to restore confidence in fisheries management.

“Submissions on the Fisheries NZ tarakihi proposals close on 24 July 2026. We encourage all New Zealanders to have their say on the future of this treasured species,” Ms Peart said.

Find the Fisheries NZ Tarakihi Consultation Document here.