Gathering most marine life from rockpools on the east coast north of Auckland will be banned for two years following concerns about widespread over-harvesting, the Government has announced.
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced the temporary closure, which will come into force on March 12, saying it was needed to halt the “wholesale stripping” of shellfish, seaweed and other creatures from intertidal areas.
"While most people who visit the coast do the right thing and gather only what is appropriate and legal, there are others who are exploiting it and taking so much that they are collapsing the fragile ecosystems."
The closure would prohibit taking all seaweed and invertebrate species, including shellfish, sponges, starfish, sea anemones and sea cucumbers.
Exceptions included kina, spiny rock lobster and scallops (already covered by other closures), and aquaculture operations such as marine farming or the collection of spat.
Jones said allowing kina to continue being harvested was intentional, with officials focused on managing "kina barrens" in areas where the species has spread unchecked.
Infringement for breaching these temporary closure rules were being considered as an additional measure, he added.
The protesters say Whangaparāoa’s intertidal zone and rock pools have been cleaned out over the years. (Source: 1News)
Oceans and Fisheries under-secretary Jenny Marcroft had been working with locals, visitors and Fisheries to understand the scale of the problem.
"Officials have been directed to explore how community volunteers can be supported to encourage visitors to do the right thing," she said.
"Fisheries New Zealand will also develop multilingual educational material to support this closure and the ongoing management of intertidal fisheries."
The Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust requested a two-year temporary fisheries closure over the Rodney, Hibiscus Coast, and East Coast Bays coastline and some Hauraki Gulf islands.
A rāhui would be placed over the same area and specieis, with the Government's closure providing statutory backing.
Jones praised the Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust for its role in advocating for better fisheries management and signalled further changes could be ahead.
"I will also be considering further restrictions for harvesting shellfish around parts of the country to ensure sustainability," he said.
Officials were also developing a wider plan for managing intertidal shellfish in Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula, with public consultation expected in the coming months.
Rockpools protection advocate Mark Lenton, who leads the Protect Whangaparāoa Rockpools group, said the move was an "outstanding win" for the community, other impacted areas, and marine life.
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