Kaikōura pāua reopening 2024
DECISION: APPROVED
Introduction
Earthquakes along the Kaikōura coastline in 2016 caused significant uplift leading to widespread loss of shellfish, crayfish and pāua. Emergency fishing closures were applied.
The pāua fishery has since reopened to commercial and Māori customary harvest year-round.
On 13 December 2023 Fisheries New Zealand advised they were consulting on a proposal to reopen the pāua fishery to recreational harvest from April 2024, for either two or three months.
The largest national organisations representing recreational fishers combined to submit in support of a 3-month season for recreational pāua harvest.
Collaborating with the Kaikōura Boating and Fishing Club on the submission enabled local voices to be heard and supported.
Submission
In February 2024, the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council, LegaSea, New Zealand Underwater and New Zealand Angling & Casting Association jointly submitted a response to Fisheries New Zealand.
In addition to supporting the 3-month season, the submitters also urged Shane Jones, the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, to reopen the pāua fishery to recreational harvest for nine months of the year, from 2025.
A 9-month season would make it fairer for everyone given that there are no seasonal constraints on commercial and Māori customary pāua fishing in the wider Kaikōura area.
Background
Since 2018 Fisheries New Zealand has been openly advocating that the Minister ought to limit harvest of pāua by amateur fishers to the overall allowance set aside for recreational interests. At the same time, they have recommended the Minister reduce that allowance.
Consequently, the current allowance is 5 tonnes, down from an estimated harvest level of 17 tonnes in 2012, and 42 tonnes in 2022.
Bag limits
Until December 2019 the recreational bag limit for pāua was 6 per person, per day. Mid-December that dropped to 5 per person, per day.
When the pāua fishery reopened to recreational harvest in 2023 the limit was again reduced, from 5 to 3 per person, per day.
The 3-daily bag limit still applies.
What next?
Recreational fishers want the Minister to consider what controls may be required to restore a 9-month recreational fishing season for pāua, with a daily bag limit of 3 per person.
The 9-month season would enable the Minister to close the Kaikōura pāua fishery to recreational harvest over the busiest summer months. This may be a more sustainable approach because, as we’ve witnessed over the past two years, limiting recreational harvest to just 3 months of the year encourages a ‘derby’, where people rush to Kaikōura just because the pāua fishery is only open for a limited time.
A Ministerial decision on the 2-month or 3-month April 2024 season reopening is expected by March.
Decision
On 22 March Fisheries New Zealand released the Minister’s decision for Kaikōura pāua (PAU 3A). Shane Jones followed FNZ’s advice and agreed to only open the pāua fishery to recreational harvest for two months, not three. The season will be 22 April to 21 June 2024. Commercial and Māori customary harvest is permitted all year.
Relevant information
2024
Minister’s decision
April review Minister's decision. 22 March 2024
Minister’s letter outlining the decisions for the future management of four deepwater fish stocks, crayfish (CRA 3, 7 & 8), Kaikōura pāua (PAU 3A), and southern bluefin tuna (STN 1). Minister Shane Jones. Most changes apply from 1 April 2024. Letter received 22 March.
Advice to Minister
April reviews final advice to Minister. FNZ. March 2024
Final advice paper to the Minister on April reviews with recommendations for the future management of four deepwater stocks, crayfish (Gisborne, Southland), Kaikōura paua and southern bluefin tuna. Fisheries New Zealand. March 2024.
Submissions
Kaikōura pāua submission summary. NZSFC. Feb 2024
NZSFC one-page summary of the submission made in response to the proposed reopening of the Kaikōura pāua fishery to recreational harvest. February 2024.
Kaikōura pāua season reopening. Recreational submission. 2 Feb 2024
Joint recreational submission supporting the option to reopen the Kaikōura pāua fishery to recreational harvest for 3 months, not 2 months, in 2024. NZSFC, LegaSea, NZ Underwater, NZ Angling & Casting Association. 2 February 2024.
April TAC review public submissions. Feb 2024
Public submissions in response to the future management of deepwater species, southern bluefin tuna and Kaikōura pāua. Submissions were due in February 2024 and any changes would apply from 1 April 2024. Released by FNZ in July 2024.
Public awareness
Article. Trusted sources in pāua debate. LegaSea. 26 Sep 2024
Mandatory reporting of recreational catches of fish and pāua won’t work. Self-reported catch, even in commercial fisheries, has a very poor record of accounting for total mortality in a fish stock. Marty Sullivan and LegaSea. 26 September 2024.
Article. Cracks in the Kaikoura pāua fishery. LegaSea. 9 April 2024.
In the Kaikōura region of the South Island, priority has been given to commercial fishers. They now enjoy year-round access to the pāua fishery, while local families are confined to a brief 2-3 month season. LegaSea. 9 April 2024.
2023
Proposal
Kaikōura paua season reopening. FNZ. 13 Dec 2023
Proposal to reopen the Kaikōura paua fishery (PAU 3A) to recreational harvest for either two or three months, from April 2024. Proposal also includes discussion related to proportional allocation of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC). Submissions due 2 February 2024. Fisheries New Zealand. 13 December 2023.
Kaikōura paua season reopening. Proposal summary. FNZ. 13 Dec 2023
Summary of the proposal to reopen the Kaikōura paua fishery (PAU 3A) to recreational harvest for two or three months, from April 2024. One page summary from Fisheries New Zealand. 13 December 2023.