Fisheries New Zealand science and information director Simon Lawrence told the Otago Daily Times data collected from on-board cameras thus far confirmed cameras improved the "quality of data available" to inform fisheries management — "particularly in relation to accidental protected species captures reported by fishers".
"As at April 2025, we have observed 6.1 times more reported dolphin interactions since cameras have been on board fishing vessels," Mr Lawrence said in response to an official information request.
"This demonstrates that the presence of cameras has led to a sustained change in reporting across the vessels within scope of the rollout."
On-board cameras were first placed on vessels deemed to pose the greatest risk to protected species, he said.
The first phase of the rollout, in 2023, focused on the west coast of the North Island and those parts of the South Island most likely to overlap with Hector’s dolphin habitats.
Data released in April last year showed an improvement in reporting by fishers, which was in line with expectations, he said.
From the beginning of last year, the rollout extended to the remaining areas within the scope of the programme, he said.
Reports of accidental capture of protected species increased when cameras were put on boats and those increased levels then continued unchanged, he said.
Forest & Bird Otago and Southland regional conservation manager Chelsea McGaw said the significant increased was "not surprising".
"It is not surprising that reports of dolphin bycatch have increased by more than 600%," Ms McGaw said.
"It has been long suspected that a lot more bycatch was happening than what was previously self-reported or reported by observers."
Along the same lines, in the kingfish and snapper fisheries, "discards" of fish had risen 950% and over 1000%, respectively, since cameras were introduced.
Ms McGaw said the increases did not mean more animals were being caught or discarded than before, "just that we are now beginning to see the true picture of bycatch in our fisheries".
"The most worrying part of all this is that the current proposal to review the Fisheries Act wants to allow cameras to be turned off when at anchor and when transitioning to and from port, creating ‘black spots’ where this data cannot be captured.
The information touted by Fisheries New Zealand was also "invaluable public information" that allowed for transparency of the fishing industry.
The data collected by cameras also provided advocacy tools for organisations such as Forest & Bird to fight for reduced bycatch and ecosystem-based fisheries management, she said.
University of Otago emeritus professor Liz Slooten said the most recent bycatch data — from January to March this year — was due to be published this month and she would comment then.
However, she said it would be useful to find out the number of boats that did not have cameras or observers on board.
Prof Slooten said she suspected it would be very different for gillnet and trawl fisheries.
"Both of these kill dolphins.
"From what we can gather, the proportion of boats with cameras on board is much higher for trawling vessels than gillnetting vessels.
"But MPI [Ministry for Primary Industries] seem very reluctant to actually provide information on this."
She also said the 6.1 times more reported dolphin bycatches was "a significant change", one which she expected "shocked" officials.
