A description of the commercial fishery for school shark, Galeorhinus galeus in New Zealand, 1945 to 1999. New Zealand Fisheries Assessment Report 2001/32. 

L J Paul; B M Sanders 

2001 

 

 

Report 

The report main objective is to carry out a stock assessment of school shark in MFish project SCH1999/01, by supplying background and supporting info on school shark fishery for the specific objective to develop a standardised CPUE index for school shark. Reviews basic biology, fishery existence, geographic extent, catch rates (seasonality) and methods used. Also productivity information such as patterns of distribution and abundance, growth characteristics, mortality rates (fishing & natural), reproduction and recruitment. With regards to Kaipara: catch is predominantly of large usually pregnant females compared to immature fish caught elsewhere in NZ. Longevity of school shark in NZ is uncertain authors state. Australian school shark believed to reach 60 yrs. Growth rates using X-rays of thn vertebral sections, juv length frequency modes & tag-recapture data to age fish. Kaipara catch has fallen. The main region is Cook Strait and Southland but also NorthWest Nth Island. Kaipara region is part of the NorthWest region and is sometimes considered this way when analysed. Seasonal patterns do exist especially for the Kaipara. Adult school shark entering harbour from later spring through summer. Much of catch is taken as bycatch in many other fisheries, especially hoki trawling, snapper trawling and longlining, flatfish trawling and setnetting.` 

Fisheries, Socio-economic 

Socioeconomic--Fisheries, N.Z.--school shark--Galeorhinus galeus--kaipara harbour--CPUE--catch levels--stock assessment