| Schema | Replog | Extract date | Last built |
|---|---|---|---|
| kahawai_edw | 17745 | 2026-09-15 | 2026-09-18 03:44:33 |
| kahawai_cod | FDS-2630 | 2026-07-09 | 2026-09-18 03:48:34 |
| kahawai_age | 17272 | 2026-03-11 | 2026-09-18 03:49:03 |
| kahawai_trawl | 17272 | 2026-03-11 | 2026-09-18 03:49:24 |
| kahawai_market | 17272 | 2026-03-11 | 2026-09-18 03:49:36 |
| kahawai_new_fsu | 14839 | 2023-02-17 | 2026-09-18 03:50:12 |
| kahawai_acv | 14839 | 2023-03-17 | 2026-09-18 03:50:17 |
| kahawai_aer_sight | 14839 | 2023-02-17 | 2026-09-18 03:50:21 |
| kahawai_rec_data | 14839 | 2023-02-17 | 2026-09-18 03:50:30 |
| kahawai_qmr | 10974 | 2017-02-10 | 2026-09-18 03:50:35 |
1 Introduction
New Zealand has extensive and ongoing data collection programmes that support fisheries management. These include both fisheries dependent data (for example, information on catch and effort, and catch composition) and fisheries independent data (such as surveys of fisheries resources).
The kahawai database contains data extracted from a range of Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) fisheries research databases (Table 1.1). The extracts are extensive, which means that project-specific data extracts are often not required. However, MPI permission must be sought before using the data for a new project.
The role of the kahawai database is to provide a better starting point for fisheries research than raw extracts from the MPI databases. Standardised data preparation is applied, implementing approaches that have been recognised as best practices by the New Zealand fisheries science community. This book focusses on the implementation and impacts of this data preparation; readers should be familiar with the collection and management of fisheries data, as outlined in Appendix A.
As part of the process of building the kahawai database, standardised grooming is undertaken to prepare these data for use in routine fisheries analyses. In the case of statutory catch, effort, and landings data, this grooming includes a range of rules that identify—and either flag or fix—issues that have been identified in stock-specific analyses presented to Fisheries New Zealand science working groups. Procedures for allocating weighed catches to individual fishing events are also applied during the database build.
1.1 kahawai_edw
The kahawai_edw schema contains data from MPI’s Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW), in particular the statutory catch, effort, and landings data provided by commercial fishers since the establishment of the Quota Management System (QMS). These data are derived from two reporting regimes:
- the paper-form regime, defined in the Fisheries (Reporting) Regulations 2001; and
- the electronic reporting regime established by the Fisheries (Reporting) Regulations 2017.
1.2 kahawai_cod
The kahawai_cod schema is based on a copy of MPI’s Centralised Observer Database, which stores data collected by fisheries observers on commercial fishing vessels.
1.3 kahawai_age
The kahawai_age schema, based on MPI’s age database, contains a catalogue of ageing material (primarily otoliths) collected from New Zealand fisheries and estimates of the age of individuals derived from this material.
1.4 kahawai_trawl
The kahawai_trawl schema is based on MPI’s trawl database and contains information from various research trawl surveys conducted in New Zealand waters.
1.5 kahawai_market
The kahawai_market schema, based on MPI’s market database, contains information from sampling of catches ashore, usually after they have been unloaded in a fish processing facility. Shore based sampling complements at-sea sampling, including that by fisheries observers (see kahawai_cod).
1.6 kahawai_new_fsu
The kahawai_new_fsu schema contains commercial catch and effort data collected by the Fisheries Statistics Unit (FSU) prior to the establishment of the QMS.
1.7 kahawai_acv
Extracts of data from Amateur Charter Vessel reporting are stored in the kahawai_acv schema.
1.8 kahawai_aer_sight
The kahawai_aer_sight schema contains records of search effort and sightings of pelagic schooling species from pilots spotting fish schools for purse-seine vessels around New Zealand.
1.9 kahawai_rec_data
The kahawai_rec_data schema contains data collected during surveys of recreational marine fishers.
1.10 kahawai_qmr
The kahawai_qmr schema includes an extract of data collected on Quota Management Reports (QMRs). QMRs provided a record of the total monthly catch of each QMS fishstock for each quota holder, by month from December 1986 to September 2001. They were replaced by Monthly Harvest Returns (MHRs). MHR data are included in the kahawai_edw schema.