 The red gurnard is an important commercial fish in areas like Hawks Bay and Golden Bay via bottom-trawling or bottom long-lining, and also a regular catch of recreational fishers from boats and surf catching (Eichelsheim, 2010).The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) includes red gurnard in a list of key inshore species to be trawl-surveyed every two years for the Ministry of Primary Fisheries (MPI) to assess populations and aid in informing fishery management.NIWA also holds interviews at recreational fishing ramps along Shelly Beach and the 20 busiest boat ramps along the North Island's northeast coast to gather information for further insight into population sizes and health, asking questions such as where fish had been caught, how big they were, and what bait had been used (MacGibbon & Hurst, 2017).