The Ministry for Primary Industries says commercial and recreational fishers in Hawke's Bay are currently working together to "improve local fish abundance" and as a result the recreational fishing experience in the Bay.
A spokesperson for the ministry said it has been facilitating the discussions between the two groups for over a year to address the ongoing concerns that recreational fishers have held about the abundance of key species like gurnard and snapper in the area.
"The ongoing work in Hawke's Bay is part of MPI's shared fisheries initiative implemented in 2015 to give increased focus on key recreational fisheries issues," the spokesperson said.
The ministry's response comes on the heels of a story that ran in Hawke's Bay Today this week, where it was reported there were almost three times more fish being taken out of our waters than reported.
The Hawke Bay fishery is part of Quota Management Area 2, which extends from Cape Runaway around to Titahi Bay. "Our scientific information tell us that the fishstocks are generally at healthy levels of abundance across this wider area.