Paua ban could last a decade
Protection for shellfish and seaweed fisheries decimated along the South Island’s earthquake-hit coastline could be enforced for the next decade.
A proposal from the Ministry for Primary Industries seeks to close the fisheries indefinitely until scientific research is complete, which could take up to 10 years.
Ministry senior fisheries analyst of inshore fisheries Mark Geytenbeek said the disaster had left a big hole in larvae and juvenile paua numbers.
It was vital to give the fishery time to regenerate, which could take from five to 10 years, he said.
‘‘This is new territory for us. At the moment we’re kind of leaving things to nature,’’ he said.
‘‘There is a ground swell to do something about this and we’ve just got to do it.’’
A closure notice had been in place for all shellfish and seaweed species from Cape Campbell to Kaikoura since the 7.8-magnitude earthquake in November.
Sections of the seabed had risen by 5 metres and drastically altered intertidal zones.
The disaster had disrupted the reproductive cycle of paua and it would be three to five years before the juvenile paua became sexually mature again to reproduce.
The proposal, which was open for public comment, sought to invoke Section 11 of the Fisheries Act of 1996 to ensure a longer-term closure of the fisheries.
It would be enforced from Marfells Beach in Marlborough to Conway Flat, south of Kaikoura. Information sessions were held in Kaikoura, Ward and Blenheim last week.
PauaMAC7 chairman Barry Chandler said paua stocks had been decimated and a longer-term closure was the only way to protect the fishery.
It was necessary when looking at the big picture, Chandler said.
‘‘This is an absolute must, it is a no-brainer,’’ he said.
The potential to reseed paua on the coast was one option which could boost numbers but required more research, Chandler said.
Along with the longer-term fishing closure, the ministry also proposed a lower catch limit for the wider paua zones that covered most of the east coast and the top of the south from October.
Pau 7 extended from Clarence north and west to Kahurangi Point, near Farewell Spit, on the West Coast.
One option would lower the total allowable commercial catch in Pau 7 from 93.6 tonnes to 84.2 tonnes, a drop of 10 per cent. A second option would cut the catch by 15 per cent. In Pau 3, from Clarence south to Waitaki River, total allowable commercial catch limits could be cut by 50 or 70 per cent.
Blenheim Dive Centre co-owner Bryan Bailey said a lot of recreational divers in Marlborough came through his shop.
Many of his customers were likely to continue to freedive and snorkel regardless of paua restrictions, Bailey said.
Nonetheless, Bailey said he was surprised to hear the closure could last 10 years.
‘‘It does sound like a long time,’’ he said.
Labour candidate for Kaikoura Janette Walker attended the meeting in Blenheim on Thursday and said the closure appeared to be a necessary step.
Public comment on the proposal closes on July 7 at 5pm. For more information, visit the ministry website.