Tom Clark is an independent fisheries management and policy consultant, primarily providing support to the NZ Federation of Commercial Fishermen’s 250 members. Previously he worked for a more than a decade as the policy manager of Seafood New Zealand’s inshore division.

He wrote an op-ed on the future of the hoiho yellow-eyed penguin (and fishers) on 11 March 2026. 

Hoiho, or yellow-eyed penguin, have hit the news again recently.

Population numbers have fallen significantly over the past 20 years and look likely to continue falling if we don’t put our attention to the realities of the significant non-fishing mortalities, right now.

The government is consulting on options to prohibit set netting (a fishing technique) in parts of the hoiho foraging area.

Nothing new in that — a traditional response to a marine protected species issue.

But are they addressing the hoiho problem or merely following societal pressure?

I believe it is the latter as the fact is, even if all fishing was removed, hoiho still faces extinction.

We know this from a scientific risk assessment published in November 2025 that was commissioned by the powers that be to identify and dimension the threats to the bird.

That risk assessment, which was undertaken by independent scientists with considerable experience in that field and peer reviewed by New Zealand’s most knowledgeable hoiho scientists, provides some sobering indications for the future of hoiho.