The National Plan of Action-Seabirds 2013 will be reviewed in 2017 and a revised plan will be announced in 2018. The NPOA-Seabirds sets out a strategic framework to reduce seabird by-catch to sustainable levels.
The long term objective of the current NPOA-Seabirds is: New Zealand seabirds thrive without pressure from fishing related mortalities, New Zealand fishers avoid or mitigate against seabird captures and New Zealand fisheries are globally recognised as seabird friendly. A number of regulatory and non-regulatory best practice mitigation measures currently apply in New Zealand trawl, pelagic longline and demersal longline fisheries.
A Seabird Advisory Group has been established to support implementation of the Action Plan.