New Zealand Gamefish Tagging News – April 2014

Shark Recaptures in New Zealand’s Gamefish Tagging Program  –
2014 Overview :

Since the 2013–14 season began on 1 July, 2013 there have been 26 tag recoveries advised. In the same period another 1400 tagged fish have been added to the database.

The 26 recaptured fish comprised the following five shark specimens:
– 3 mako sharks ( Isurus oxyrinchus )
– 1 hammerhead shark ( most likely smooth hammerhead shark, Sphyrna zygaena )
– 1 bronze whaler shark ( Carcharhinus brachyurus ).

All shark recaptures were made by commercial fishermen.
Commercial fishing methods included tuna longline ( 2 makos, 1 hammerhead ) and set net ( 1 mako, 1 bronze whaler ).

Notable recaptures in 2013–14 season

The first long term recapture of a hammerhead shark tagged in New Zealand was reported by a Taiwanese tuna longline vessel in the Fiji basin in September 2013.
The shark had been tagged near Cuvier Island in April 2011, was free for 884 days, and recaptured 1060 nautical miles north from where it was tagged.

A 50 kg mako shark tagged off Farewell Spit was recaptured off Fraser Island, Queensland in October 2013. It was caught on a tuna longline after 208 days at liberty, 1258 nautical miles north-west of its release location.

Source: NZ Sport Fishing Council