Taupo Bay shellfish rahui

FUTURE-PROOFING: A two-year rahui over the Taupo Bay area has been put in place by local hapu prohibiting the gathering of paua and mussels. PHOTO/FILE

A two-year ban on collecting mussels and paua in the Taupo Bay area has been implemented by local hapu who hope it will sustain the growth of kaimoana and protect future supplies.

Ngati Rua and Taupo Bay marae have put a rahui on the Taupo Bay area prohibiting people from gathering paua and mussels - all other seafood collection is allowed.

Spokesman Morgan Moses said the rahui was implemented to ensure there would be a long-lasting supply of the seafood.

"Paua is hit in the Taupo Bay area and we have known that people do take undersized paua. It's easy access and our Maori people don't like listening to the law so we are putting this rahui in place to tell people taihoa (wait). We hope that people will listen to this," he said.

Mr Moses said mussels in the Taupo Bay area were also being hit as they were easily obtained but he said 10 years ago the supply dwindled and it was about five years before it was replenished.

"We don't want this to happen again so we hope if we stop people taking it for two years, we won't end up having to wait five years again."

He said he believed there had not been a rahui placed in the Taupo Bay area in several years. He said the rahui took about two months to put in place and involved conversations with the Ministry of Primary Industries and the Far North District Council.

"This is about our future and respecting tangaroa and understanding that if we don't change now, we might not have anything left."

Mr Moses said he hoped they would be able to put signs around the area to inform people of the rahui. He said hapu members would be patrolling the beach and educating people about the rahui. The rahui is due to end on December 20, 2017.