Crayfish numbers in areas across the Hauraki Gulf, Bay of Plenty and Coromandel are depleted. In response, Fisheries NZ has proposed drastic management measures that could impact the Kiwi summer you’ve been dreaming about all winter.
FNZ proposals include a closure to crayfish harvesting in east Northland, and extending that closure to include the coastline between Te Arai Point and Cape Rodney. This would affect both commercial and recreational red rock lobster fishing.
We’re also faced with options to reduce the recreational daily bag limit for red rock lobsters applying to areas overrun by kina barrens. Those are rocky reefs stripped bare of kelp by unchecked kina numbers.
These options feel harsh. But they reflect the state of the fishery. If meaningful action had been taken earlier, we would not be paying the price today.
How have we ended up in this position?
Crayfish depletion doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a direct result of successive fisheries Ministers setting catch limits too high, for too long. Officials have allowed for more crayfish to be taken from the ecosystem than it could sustain.
The deeper problem is the information used to determine these decisions. The reliance on self-reported data from commercial fishers, and outdated models has created a false picture of abundance.
On-the-ground observations by experienced divers were not matching what the ‘science’ was saying. People who have spent their whole lives on the water were noticing crayfish becoming harder to find and the increase in kina barrens.
For decades, keen divers raised concerns about the depletion of crayfish within the Hauraki Gulf. In 2016, scientists referred to crayfish in the Gulf as being “functionally extinct” because there weren’t enough to fulfil their vital role in the ecosystem.
In 2017 LegaSea and the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council initiated a public survey and the Crayfish Crisis campaign. In 2019 we volunteered a reduction to the recreational bag limit, to contribute towards rebuilding the fishery.
While this reduction has likely contributed to some recovery of crayfish abundance in areas of the Coromandel, it hasn’t extended across the wider Hauraki Gulf.
What needs to change?
The Fisheries Act is clear. The Minister’s primary tool for managing fisheries is adjusting the Total Allowable Catch (TAC). That means reviewing commercial catch limits alongside any changes to recreational bag limits.
Let’s not forget that less than six months ago the Minister tried to justify increasing the commercial catch limits for CRA 2, despite known areas of significant depletion.
The latest National Panel Survey estimated recreational fishers harvest around 10 tonnes of crayfish per year from the CRA 2 fishery. Commercial fishers take around 80 tonnes every year and most of those are exported.
We are also aware that communities on Aotea Great Barrier Island and around the Coromandel are concerned about commercial fishers moving into their turf as abundance declines in the Hauraki Gulf.
Because of the large size of the CRA 2 fishery, when areas such as the Hauraki Gulf become depleted, fishers are able to move their pots to areas with more crayfish such as the Bay of Plenty, Coromandel and Aotea.
The solution
The crayfish must come first. Restoring abundance has to be the Minister’s and Fisheries NZ’s top priority.
To have maximum impact, commercial catch limits for crayfish must be reviewed alongside any changes to the recreational daily bag limit.
Equally important is the need to split the CRA 2 fishery into smaller management areas so targeted measures can be applied, including specific catch limits for each region.
If you’re a fisher, diver or simply someone who cares about the marine environment, now is the time to speak up and have your say on the future of crayfish in the Hauraki Gulf, Coromandel and Bay of Plenty.
Use the LegaSea online submission form below to make your voice count and advocate for more abundance, with the hopes that one day we can all enjoy the benefits of restored abundance of these magnificent creatures.
