Marine advocates say the Government's decision to increase the catch of southern bluefin tuna is irresponsible and greedy.
The Ministry of Fisheries announced on Thursday that it would raise the catch limit by 112 tonnes to 532 tonnes for the coming season, which ends on 30 September.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has listed the species as critically endangered - that is, at risk of being fished to extinction.
At the last international meeting of the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna group, members agreed catch limits should be cut by 20%.
However, the Government has increased New Zealand's catch to make up for being allocated a much smaller proportion of the fishery than other countries during past seasons.
Greenpeace oceans campaigner Karli Thomas says the decision undermines the country's credibility and is contrary to sound scientific advice. It also ignores credible warnings from scientists who have recommended a zero catch.
Environment Conservation Organisation chairman Barry Weeber says the way southern bluefin tuna is caught increases the unintended catching of sharks and endangered birdlife.
Conservation group Forest and Bird says it is angry at the Ministry of Fisheries decision, describing it as outrageous, given that the species is endangered.
The Ministry of Fisheries says a ban on tuna fishing would not get international support. It says fishing countries recently agreed to an overall global quota cut of 20%. New Zealand was granted an increase only because of its previous minimal catch limits.
Ministry chief executive Wayne McNee says stopping tuna fishing is not the answer to protecting the species. He says that if New Zealand did not fish its allowance, other countries would. The most effective thing to do was to be part of the global management of the fishery.
Catch limits have also increased for the southern blue whiting and in some crayfish areas.
