Voluntary fishing restrictions alone do not promote growth of bryozoan-dominated biogenic habitat on the Otago shelf, southeastern New Zealand

Abstract On the continental shelf, New Zealand bryozoans dominate ecologically-important three-dimensional benthic habitat providing structural complexity which hosts a wide variety of fauna, including economically valuable species (e.g. oysters and blue cod). The association between these species and bryozoan-dominated biogenic habitat commonly results in trawling damage to the benthos; eliminating pressure from destructive fishing practices could support bryozoan regrowth. In 2002, a voluntary fishing restriction was designated over part of one such bryozoan-dominated biogenic habitat, but the efficacy of this ban has not been assessed. Statutory marine protected areas have been proposed in the same area; they aim to achieve bryozoan protection and recovery. A comparison of the bryozoan fauna using benthic images from 2003 and 2019 from the Otago shelf, South Island, New Zealand/Te Waipounamu, Aotearoa shows that a 17-year voluntary fishing ban has been ineffective at increasing the cover and richness of bryozoan-dominated biogenic habitat on the Otago shelf. This study provides a baseline for future monitoring and develops useful metrics for recovery, while calling for further research on the biology and ecology of habitat-forming bryozoans.