Recreational daily pāua limits reduced for lower and central North Island

The Ministry for Primary Industries says the new pāua limits are a precautionary approach so they can be enjoyed by future generations. Photo / Tania Webb

Fisheries New Zealand says the daily limit for recreationally-caught pāua will be reduced to five of each pāua species per fisher, to support the sustainability of stocks in the central and lower North Island.

The new rules take effect today, September 4, 2023.

Fisheries New Zealand’s director of fisheries management, Emma Taylor, said pāua was a popular species to catch for many New Zealanders and was highly valued by Māori customary fishers, recreational fishers, and commercial fishers.

Tangata whenua, including the Mai Paritu tae atu ki Turakirae Fisheries Forum, which represents iwi and hapū from Gisborne to south Wairarapa, raised concerns about the sustainability of pāua stocks.

This view was also reflected in submissions from recreational fishers.

“Customary and recreational fishers have reported localised depletion, particularly in easily-accessible areas which are expected to have higher levels of recreational fishing during the summer months,” Taylor said.

“This echoes concerns from Taranaki hapū which led to a two-year temporary ban for recreational and commercial pāua harvesting along the Taranaki coast in December 2022. This ban remains in place.”

Taylor said recent extreme weather events also played a part, with increased sedimentation caused by Cyclones Hale and Gabrielle having likely impacted local pāua populations in some areas of the East Coast.

“The new measures take a precautionary approach to managing the fishery so that pāua can be enjoyed by future generations,” Taylor said.

“Community feedback, along with the best available scientific information, contributes to determining sustainable catch settings. It highlights the importance of working together for the sustainability of these important shared fisheries.”

Public consultation on the changes was undertaken as part of Fisheries New Zealand’s regular reviews in April 2023.

Fisheries New Zealand received more than 60 submissions from a wide range of interests including strong support from tangata whenua, recreational fishers, and local communities to reduce daily limits.

Another upcoming change for the central and lower North Island pāua fishery is the setting of a total allowable catch (TAC) for the region for the first time.

The TAC limits the amount of pāua allowed to be harvested to 192.188 tonnes from all sources, commercial, recreational, and customary.

Find more information on the consultation and the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries’ decision here.