Their aim is to provide independent, objective, high quality advice on fish stocks to the Minister of Fisheries and the fishing industry as the foundation for good management of New Zealand's seafood resources. Assessment is the scientific evaluation of the nature and size of fish stocks and how much can be harvested from stocks in a sustainable way.
Fisheries science is an applied science.
It aims to answer questions posed by the needs of fisheries management. In New Zealand, the process of identifying the questions involves scientists, fisheries managers, and commercial and recreational fishers. NIWA's fisheries science is centred around a core at Greta Point, Wellington with regional representation in Auckland, Nelson, Christchurch, and Dunedin. NIWA's multidisciplinary approach to research means it can form teams of people with diverse skills to focus on specific programmes. Thus, scientists with expertise in atmosphere and climate, oceanography, and primary productivity contribute to fisheries research.