Joseph Hatch

Joseph Hatch
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Invercargill
In office
1884–1887
Personal details
Born1837
London, England
Died(1928-09-02)2 September 1928
Tasmania, Australia
NationalityNew Zealand
Political partyIndependent
OccupationPolitician; businessman
Known forHarvesting penguins and elephant seals for their oil

Joseph Hatch (c. 1837 – 2 September 1928) was a New Zealand politician who is best remembered for the harvesting of penguins and elephant seals for their oil on the sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island from 1890 to 1919. Around two million penguins were killed over nearly three decades. His company, J. Hatch & Co., was based in Invercargill, New Zealand, and then Hobart, Tasmania, where he is buried.