New Zealand tightens shark protection. New plan to protect over 100 species
On August 14, 2026, the New Zealand government approved an updated National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks 2026. Its goal is to strengthen the protection of sharks and other chondrichthyans in New Zealand waters, while also establishing a method for the long-term sustainable management of their populations. This does not only apply to a few well-known species. The new plan covers all chondrichthyans, i.e., sharks, rays, chimaeras, and other cartilaginous fish.
New Zealand is an exceptionally important area for sharks. According to the New Zealand Ministry, at least 113 species of sharks live in its waters. Seven of these are currently recognized as protected species due to their conservation status, and another eleven species are regulated through a fishing quota system.
The new plan is intended to build on previous conservation measures and also respond to new knowledge and new threats facing marine ecosystems.
Why is shark conservation so important?
Sharks are important predators in marine ecosystems. They influence the abundance and behavior of prey and help maintain the natural balance in the ocean.
At the same time, however, they have one fundamental disadvantage.
Many shark species mature slowly and produce relatively few offspring.
This means that if their populations decline significantly, their recovery can be very slow. For some species, it can take many years or even decades for their numbers to begin to increase significantly. This is precisely why, according to New Zealand authorities, it is important to manage their populations in a way that prevents long-term damage to individual species.
Fishing remains one of the main areas
One of the most important topics of the new plan is, of course, fishing.
Not all shark species are intentionally fished in New Zealand. Many of them are accidentally caught as so-called bycatch. Reducing the incidental catch of protected and non-target species is one of the main priorities of the new plan. If a shark is accidentally caught, the plan emphasizes the use of proper handling procedures and its quickest possible release back into the sea.
The goal is to increase the chance that the shark will actually survive after release.
So it's not just a question of how many sharks are caught, but also what happens to them after they are caught and what their chances of survival are.
But the new plan addresses much more than just fishing
One of the important changes compared to the traditional view of shark conservation is the fact that the new document takes into account several different types of threats. According to New Zealand authorities, sharks are not only threatened by fishing, but also by marine pollution, marine debris, climate change, degradation of suitable habitats, diseases, and biosecurity risks, i.e., the introduction or spread of unwanted organisms and pathogens.
This is particularly important because individual threats can combine with each other.
A shark whose population is already weakened by, for example, overfishing, may also be exposed to changes in water temperature, lack of prey, or deteriorating environmental quality.
Therefore, protection cannot be based on a single measure.
New Zealand also wants to better protect shark habitats
Protecting the animals themselves is not enough if the places they need to live are simultaneously disappearing or deteriorating. The new plan therefore also includes the issue of the environment in which sharks live. This is particularly important for species that use specific areas, for example, as breeding grounds, nurseries, or feeding grounds.
From a conservation perspective, therefore, it is not only important to know how many sharks live in the ocean, but also where they move during their lives and which places are most important to them. Better knowledge of individual populations and their environment can help decide where conservation makes the most sense.
Indigenous peoples of New Zealand are also more involved in conservation
Another interesting part of the new plan is the greater involvement of the perspective of tangata whenua, the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand. According to the government, the document better integrates their views, values, and relationship with the marine environment. In this approach, sharks are seen as taonga, a valuable and significant part of natural and cultural heritage.
What is important is not just the specific species itself, but also its relationships with other organisms and the entire marine ecosystem. This is an example of an approach where nature conservation focuses not only on individual animals but on the entire system of which they are a part.
The new plan builds on previous conservation efforts
New Zealand has been involved in shark conservation for many years. The first National Plan of Action for Sharks was introduced in 2008, followed by its revision in 2013, and now another update is coming. One of the significant steps in previous years was also the ban on shark finning, i.e., the practice of cutting off shark fins and then discarding the shark's body, which New Zealand introduced in 2014.
The new plan is intended to build on these measures and further improve the way sharks are protected and managed in New Zealand waters.
Seven goals and 23 measurable actions
The new document is not just a general declaration that New Zealand wants to protect sharks. It contains seven main goals and 23 measurable actions, according to which it will be possible to monitor how its individual parts are being fulfilled. The Department of Conservation (DOC) and Fisheries New Zealand (FNZ) were primarily involved in the preparation. Other government institutions, the shark advisory group, tangata whenua, conservation organizations, commercial and recreational fishers, and the public through consultations were also involved in the preparation. The involvement of various groups is important. Shark conservation often involves finding a balance between nature conservation, the functioning of fisheries, the needs of local communities, and scientific knowledge.
113 shark species in New Zealand waters
The number 113 species clearly shows how diverse New Zealand waters are. And it's not just the iconic great white shark. For example, mako sharks, blue sharks, thresher sharks, hammerhead sharks, various species of dogfish, and many deep-sea species occur in the area. Some species live close to the coast, others spend most of their lives in the open ocean, and others inhabit deeper waters.
This is one of the reasons why it is not possible to create a single simple way to protect them.
Each species may have different habitat requirements, different growth rates, different food, and different susceptibility to fishing.
Why is the New Zealand plan important even outside New Zealand?
Of course, the ocean does not end at national borders. Many sharks are able to travel vast distances, and some species regularly migrate between different areas of the ocean. Therefore, conservation implemented in one country may not be enough if the shark spends part of its life in other waters. The New Zealand plan is therefore also significant in a broader regional context. New Zealand collaborates with other Pacific countries on the protection of migratory marine species, including sharks and rays.
This is a fundamental question for the future of sharks: how to protect an animal that crosses the borders of several states during its lifetime?
What's next?
The approval of the plan is an important step, but it does not automatically mean that sharks are safe. Its practical implementation will be its true significance. It will depend on whether incidental catches of protected species can actually be reduced, their survival after release improved, better population data obtained, and other changes in the ocean environment responded to. The New Zealand government has now presented a framework according to which it intends to proceed in the coming years. And given that at least 113 species of sharks live in New Zealand waters, the success of this plan could be significant not only for New Zealand itself but also for broader shark conservation in the South Pacific.
Interesting fact at the end
New Zealand is home to at least 113 species of sharks, but only a portion of them have special protection due to their conservation status. The new plan therefore does not only represent an effort to save a few of the most endangered species. Its goal is to maintain healthy populations of all sharks and other cartilaginous fish in New Zealand waters long-term and at the same time ensure that their utilization, where permitted, is sustainable.
Author: Miri Svobodová
Source: Department of Conservation (DOC), New Zealand Government