My Account
An Omaha Beach community petition to stop the plundering of sea creatures from rock pools has made further waves since its presentation to Parliament earlier this year.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has responded to petition organiser Mary Coupe’s request by proposing a two-year ban on the taking of a range of species from the shore.
MPI is seeking public feedback on temporarily prohibiting hand-gathering all species of fish and aquatic life within 360 metres of the shoreline between Cape Rodney and Tawharanui.
However, the ban would not include some shellfish species such as pāua, rock lobster, kina, cockles, pipis, dredge oysters, scallops and tuatua.
Ms Coupe’s petition gained more than 3000 signatures and prompted the Petitions Committee in Parliament to request MPI for a response.
In addition to a temporary ban, the petition sought a permanent solution from Parliament, asking it to reduce the legal take limits for various rock pool species.
Currently, a single person is allowed a combined take of 50 crabs, limpets, starfish, periwinkles, cats eyes and sea cucumbers.
In its response to the petition, MPI said it could look at reducing the limit if there was evidence to suggest the current rules pose a “sustainability risk”.
It admitted it held little information on the numbers of rock pool species and said that it would undertake a survey within the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park within the next two years.
Changes to the legal take limits would require regulatory amendment, which MPI says is a “lengthy process”.
However, it says streamlining the process is one of the focuses of an upcoming Fisheries Amendment Bill.
Submissions on the ban should be sent to FMSubmissions@mpi.govt.nz by January 31.
