Autopsy report for seabirds killed and returned from New Zeland fisheries 1 January 1998 to 30 September - Birds returned by Ministry of Fisheries observers to the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Abstract

There were 195 specimens returned from 19 separate fishing trips with onboard observers, between 1 January and 30 September 1998, where birds were killed as a bycatch to various forms of fishing practice. Four of these trips contributed 82% of the birds returned. These autopsies were undertaken for the Department of Conservation as CSL Contract 98/3091. All costs of labelling and packaging, importation under the Biosecurity Act, transportation from Port of Landing to Wellington by refrigerated truck, cold storage, and autopsy facilities were met by the Conservation Services Levy. In 1998 these birds were received from trawlers, domestic tuna longliners, joint venture tuna longliners, and domestic bottom longliners (Tables 1-4). The number of specimens returned for autopsy does not in any way indicate probable catch rates for differing classes of vessel or fishing method, as the observer coverage was not equally distributed throughout the fishing effort. Specific catch locations for the specimens returned are not provided here on the grounds of commercial sensitivity as required by the Ministry of Fisheries and some parts of the fishing industry. However, the maps (Figures 1-5) provide the general location of catches and species returned for the period covered by this report. The distribution shown does not imply any relationship with fishing effort or method as indicated above.