Between 2023 and 2024, the total area trawled in New Zealand’s inshore and deepwater fisheries is equivalent to more than 168,000 square kilometres. That’s the same as dragging nets across the equivalent of 22 million rugby fields, every year. The total area trawled each year in the inshore fishery has been declining since 2018.

Source – 2025 Fisheries NZ, bottom trawling.