A diver was nabbed with 109 scallops taken from Northland waters – where harvesting scallops is prohibited.
A diver was nabbed with 109 scallops taken from Northland waters – where harvesting scallops is prohibited.
People are being urged to report any suspicions they might have of illegal fishing activity taking place after a scallop poacher was apprehended thanks to a public tip in Whangārei Heads.
On Monday night, Fisheries New Zealand (FNZ) was alerted by a member of the public who had seen a diver take scallops from Taurikura Bay in Whangārei Harbour – a prohibited area for harvesting scallops following a ban last year.
Later that night, fishery officers caught the male offender with 109 scallops in his possession.
FNZ regional compliance manager for fisheries Phil Tasker said a senior and honorary fishery officer stopped a man at McLeod Bay who was seen towing a dinghy that “fit the description provided by the public caller”.
“We seized his boat and dive gear, and the man is likely to face prosecution for taking scallops from a closed area.
“The rules are there for a reason. They are needed to protect fisheries, and when we find evidence of people not following the rules, we take action,” he said.
Over the years, several submissions have been put forward by conservation groups and iwi about the dire state of scallops in Northland.
Ngāti Kuri environmental leader Sheridan Waitai said they often get reports about poaching activities, just not for scallops but for all seafood in general.
She commended the caller and fisheries for taking swift action.
“What’s important is how we support the ocean, its process of regeneration and regrowth for scallops. They are clearly in a decline and need time to recover.”
Waitai said since the 1990s, Aotearoa has seen a massive population boom and a growing “fishing and diving culture”.
The sheer volume of interest in such activities and kai needs coupled with outdated Fishery systems could be attributed to the tanking of scallop numbers.
“Also, the dredging done by recreational and commercial fishers, along with factors such as warming oceans due to climate change - it all adds up.”
The Ministry for Primary Industries says fishing and non-fishing-related factors are known to impact scallop populations, including dredging, the use of new technology to locate scallop beds, sedimentation, climate change and water quality.
Recreational fisher and former harbour warden Blair Dempsey concurred regarding the sharp decline in scallop numbers.
“Back in my service days, we used to do regular vessel safety equipment in-person surveys. As a result, we were also able to inspect how many fish or scallops people kept on board.”
During such inspections, he found many people who were “abusing their scallop quota”, and even got comments from concerned fishers about “how the crustaceans were hard to find”.
The long-time Whangārei Heads local remembers residing at a property in McLeod Bay years ago, where he had “direct visibility” with regard to one of the main scallop beds in Whangārei Harbour.
“As a warden, I used to keep an eye out for vessels which looked suspicious and had stopped near that bed. Back then, I reported about three incidents to my boss.”
Tasker said the overall compliance with the Northland closure had been “excellent since it came into effect in April 2022.”
“Our fishery officers maintain a regular visual presence with coastal sea and land patrols. Northland communities, including iwi, broadly support the closure and want the scallop fishery to recover and become sustainable again.”
He said managing variable fisheries such as scallops could be “challenging”, since there have been a range of regulated controls used and efforts taken to reduce the risk scallop populations face over the years, such as restrictions on fishing gear type, seasonal closures and restrictions on specific areas.
“The decision to close the Northland scallop fishery reflects a cautious approach based on the best available information, including reports from fishers that it was harder to harvest scallops and that they were concerned about the ongoing sustainability of the fishery.”
Tasker said FNZ commissioned its most comprehensive scallop surveys in 2021, and such information confirmed Northland and Coromandel scallop populations had declined considerably.
“Fisheries New Zealand will continue to monitor the stock and will review the management settings at a time when there is evidence of stock-wide recovery,” he said.
The closed/banned area – SCA1 – refers to a Quota Management Area that extends from Ahipara at the southern end of Ninety Mile Beach, around North Cape and southwards to Cape Rodney - near Leigh on the east coast.
The Ministry for Primary Industries encourages people to report any suspected illegal activity on 0800 4 POACHER (0800476224) or by emailing: poacher@mpi.govt.nz.
Avneesh Vincent is the crime and emergency services reporter at the Advocate. He was previously at the Gisborne Herald as the arts and environment reporter and is passionate about covering stories that can make a difference. He joined NZME in July 2023.
