New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

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Stock structure of bluenose (Hyperoglyphe antarctica) off the north-east coast of New Zealand based on the results of a detachable hook tagging programme

Peter L. Horn

National Institute of Water and
 Atmospheric Research Limited
P.O. Box 893
Nelson, New Zealand
email: p.horn@niwa.co.nz

Abstract  In late 1987, bluenose (Hyperoglyphe antarctica) were tagged with streamers attached to fish hooks, at six commercial fishing grounds between Gisborne and Cape Palliser, New Zealand. The tagged hooks were fished on commercial trot lines, but were attached with traces of 5.5 kg breaking strain nylon that broke when the fish took the hook and struggled to escape. Based on catches from full strength control lines fished simultaneously with the detachable gear, 1971 bluenose were tagged. In the subsequent 8.5 years, 44 tagged bluenose (where both the sites of tagging and recapture where known) were recaptured. All but seven of these returns occurred in the first year after tagging, indicating that the rate of long-term tag retention was not good. Bluenose appeared to be relatively sedentary in the short term, but were capable of quite rapid and extensive movement. Four tagged fish had travelled distances in excess of 450 km, with movements to both the north and south of the tagging area. These data indicate that bluenose off the eastern coast of New Zealand between North Cape and Kaikoura probably comprise a single biological stock.

Keywords  Hyperoglyphe antarctica; tagging; detachable hook tags; migration; stock differentiation

M03013 Received 4 April 2003; accepted 16 June 2003; Published 5 August 2003
New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 2003, Vol. 37: 623-631
0028-8330/03/3703-0623 $7.00 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2003

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