Performance of assessed fish stock in relation to the soft limit (2009–15)

Our fish stocks are affected by commercial, customary, and recreational fishing, and environmental pressures (eg ocean temperature, acidity, and productivity). The Ministry for Primary Industries uses three performance measures to assess influences on fish stocks: a soft limit (below which a rebuilding plan is required), a hard limit (below which closing a fishery should be considered), and an overfishing threshold (where the rate of extraction is higher than the rate of replenishment).