Annual catch entitlement
Annual catch entitlement (ACE) is the right to catch a certain amount of a fish stock during a fishing year. Find out about ACE, transferring ACE and what happens if you catch more or less than your entitlement.
About annual catch entitlement (ACE)
Species under New Zealand's Quota Management System (QMS) are divided into fish stocks (by species and area). Each fish stock has 100 million quota shares.
If you own quota shares, you'll get an amount of ACE at the start of each fishing year. The amount you get for a fish stock will depend on the Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) for that stock – set by us every year.
ACE gives you the right to catch a certain amount of a fish stock during that fishing year.
Buy, sell or transfer ACE
You can buy, sell or transfer ACE to other people at any stage during the fishing year. ACE transfers are managed by FishServe.
You must balance all catch of QMS species with ACE by the end of a fishing year. So make sure you keep enough ACE until then to balance your catch.
You can also bid for Crown ACE when tendered through FishServe at the start of each fishing year.
Minimum ACE needed to fish some stocks
You need a certain amount of ACE (a minimum holding) to catch some fish stocks. If you don't have the required amount, you can't fish for the stock.
Minimum ACE needed
|
Stock |
Species |
Minimum ACE holding |
|
CRA1 to CRA10 |
Rock lobster |
3 tonnes |
|
OYS7 |
Oyster (Nelson) |
3 tonnes |
|
OYU5 |
Dredge oysters (Foveaux Strait) |
29,000 oysters |
|
PAU1, 2, 3, 4, 5A, 5B, 5D, 6A, 7, 10 |
Paua |
1 tonne |
|
PAU6 |
Paua |
100 kg |
|
SCA1, SCA7 |
Scallop |
3 tonnes |
For all other stocks you don't need a minimum holding to fish.
If you catch less than your ACE
For most stocks, if you don't catch your full ACE amount during the fishing year, you will get a certain amount of it issued to you the following year. This is called an underfishing allocation.
You will get whichever is the least of either:
- the amount of ACE not used, or
- 10% of your ACE holdings.
Find out more about underfishing allocations – FishServe website
Stocks not eligible for underfishing ACE
|
Stock |
Species |
|
COC1A, COC7A, COC7B |
Cockle |
|
CRA1 to CRA10 |
Rock lobster |
|
LFE11 to LFE 17 |
Long-finned eel |
|
OYS7 |
Dredge oyster (except Foveaux Strait) |
|
OYU5 |
Dredge oyster (Foveaux Strait) |
|
PHC1 |
Packhorse rock lobster |
|
PPI1A |
Pipi |
|
QSC3 |
Queen scallop |
|
SCA1, SCA4, SCA7, SCACS |
Scallop |
|
SFE11 to SFE17 |
Short-finned freshwater eel |
If you catch more than your ACE
If you catch more than your full ACE amount, and you don’t purchase ACE to cover your overfishing, FishServe will send you a deemed value invoice for the extra catch.
Find out more about deemed values
ACE registers
FishServe operates a register of ACE owners. Information in the register is available to the public through register reports. Fees apply for reports.
Who to contact
If you have questions about ACE, contact FishServe