National Plan of Action – Seabirds 2020.

The National Plan of Action – Seabirds 2020 - Reducing the incidental mortality of seabirds in fisheries (NPOA Seabirds 2020) sets out the New Zealand Government’s commitment to reducing fishing-related captures and associated mortality of seabirds. It explains the rationale for the Plan and then sets out what the Plan intends to achieve, how the plan will be implemented and how its achievements will be measured and reviewed. The NPOA Seabirds 2020 is New Zealand’s third iteration of a national plan of action. This NPOA Seabirds 2020 focuses on education, partnering to find innovative solutions to bycatch mitigation, and ensuring that all fishers know how and are taking all practicable steps to avoiding seabird bycatch. This NPOA Seabirds 2020 establishes the framework that the Department of Conservation (DOC) and Fisheries New Zealand will use to work together on seabird initiatives.
The NPOA Seabirds 2020’s vision is New Zealanders work towards zero fishing-related seabird mortalities. Guided by this vision, the NPOA Seabirds 2020 has four goals: 1. Avoiding bycatch — effective bycatch mitigation practices are implemented in New Zealand fisheries 2. Healthy seabird populations — direct effects of New Zealand fishing do not threaten seabird populations or their recovery 3. Research and information — information to effectively manage direct fisheries effects on seabirds is continuously improved 4. International engagement — New Zealand actively engages internationally to promote measures and practices that reduce impacts on New Zealand seabirds. Each goal has objectives to be achieved within the next five years.
The NPOA Seabirds 2020 covers: 1) all seabird species absolutely or partially protected by the New Zealand Wildlife Act 1953 (New Zealand seabirds); 2) commercial, recreational and customary non-commercial fisheries in waters under New Zealand fisheries jurisdiction; 3) direct effects of fishing 4) all areas where New Zealand seabirds are caught (waters under New Zealand fisheries jurisdiction, high seas and other jurisdictions).