The impact of commercial fishing on vulnerable ecosystems in a unique area of the South Pacific will go under the microscope during a five-week scientific voyage.

More than half of New Zealanders think commercial fishing should be banned in the Hauraki Gulf, according to a Herald-DigiPoll survey.

New technology designed to prevent fish dumping by the country's commercial fishing fleet will be unveiled today.

The gannets set their sharp wings like those on a jet plane.

New Zealand has reiterated calls to protect waters south of the country from overfishing ahead of an anticipated setback next week.

A revolutionary New Zealand- designed commercial fishing system - using a PVC tube rather than a mesh net - has been described as 'the future of sustainable fishing'.

The rough seas of the southern Pacific Ocean are set to be the focus of resource consent debate as a mining company's bid to dredge the sea floor comes up against the fishing industry and environmentalists.

As predicted, the Government has kicked for touch on the controversial issue of snapper in the Hauraki Gulf.

The willingness of fishing folk to talk up their difficulties arguably outstrips their enthusiasm for whoppers about the ones that get away.

Recreational fishers say they are the losers - despite winning the "rights" to all of a 500 tonne increase in the total allowable snapper catch.

Bad weather was no barrier to a stream of visitors heading to Cape Reinga, with Kiwis on a pilgrimage north outnumbering tourists.

Snapper bag limits in the country's most popular fishery will be reduced from nine to seven, and the minimum legal size increased from 27cms to 30cms from April 1.

Pacific nations need to take advantage of the multi-billion-dollar fishery on their doorstep by sending fresh sashimi to high-paying customers in Asia.

Consumers of fish who do not take pleasure in the kill should be considered in debate too.

A Nelson fisherman accused of telling competitors of deep sea fishing giant Sealord where the good fishing spots are has won $80,000 in an unjustified dismissal case.

Cuts to the 4500-tonne total allowable commercial catch in the Snapper 1 fishery will be on the table if a Labour Government is elected.

A fishy stunt in Parliament by Labour leader David Shearer appeared to backfire after it spawned a round of dead fish jokes.

New Zealand's largest iwi, Ngapuhi, has thrown its weight behind a campaign to protect the snapper bag limit of recreational anglers.

Let's get one thing straight. Chatham Rock Phosphate wouldn't be considering extracting phosphate nodules from a tiny fraction.

Just when you think the Prime Minister's pragmatic streak has surely drunk for too long at the well of political convenience, John Key promptly undertakes an even more audacious departure from the ideological ethos supposedly guiding his party.

Interfering with fishing nurseries could devastate the entire hoki fishery and cost the country millions of dollars, writes Eric Barratt.