September 24, 2021
In 2002 researchers surveying the Hauraki Gulf estimated only 24 tonnes of gurnard remained in Gulf waters. Since then there has been a succession of Hauraki Gulf Forum reports documenting continual decline of fish stocks and marine biodiversity. A crisis is looming yet there is no effective response from local or national government. The Hauraki […]
September 16, 2021
More than 10,000 people put their name to supporting our recent submissions to the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries calling for more conservative management of our precious marine environment. Many of these people are frustrated that the Minister still permits environmentally destructive acts such as dragging weighted chains and box dredges across seafloor habitats. Bottom […]
September 9, 2021
Yesterday the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, David Parker, approved a rāhui or temporary closure of the scallop fishery off the east Coromandel coast, following a request by Ngāti Hei in February this year. The closure means no scallop harvesting by commercial, recreational and customary fishers for two years, from this Saturday September 11.
September 8, 2021
Groups that worked to save Coromandel scallop beds are delighted with David Parker’s decision to endorse the regional rāhui on scallops. But, at the same time, are concerned commercial fishers will now desecrate the already threatened scallop beds off Omaha, Great Barrier and Little Barrier. Ngāti Hei kaitiaki, Joe Davis welcomed the decision to ban […]
August 26, 2021
We are looking for someone to join our team in a full time position as the Kai Ika Operations Leading Hand. Someone motivated to help us manage this rapidly growing initiative. You will be responsible for overseeing the day to day operations across our multiple fish filleting sites. This includes managing the roster, recruiting filleters, […]
August 26, 2021
Bottom trawling, the act of dragging chains across the seabed, has an adverse effect on the marine environment. In our most recent submissions responding to government fisheries proposals we have emphasised the need for the Minister to take those adverse effects into account by setting lower catch limits for fish species taken mainly by trawling. […]
August 24, 2021
Support for our collective efforts to get rid of scallop dredging from New Zealand’s inshore waters is growing. It’s strange then that the government has come out with a plan to ban all recreational scallop dredging from the Hauraki Gulf yet allow commercial fishers to continue using the Victorian Box Dredge to gather scallops. This […]
August 23, 2021
With level 4 lockdown upon us again, The Kai Ika Project is once again stepping up to distribute kaimoana to whanau in need. Last year we distributed over 55 tonnes of previously unwanted kaimoana. Multiple lockdowns didn’t stop us then nor will it stop us now! Lockdown makes the logistics of food distribution very difficult […]
August 13, 2021
It’s been a busy period for our fisheries management team, with 12 fisheries up for review in the past two months. Public submissions have now closed, and if you were one of the thousands who had your say in support of more fish in the water – Thanks a bunch!
August 12, 2021
Commercial fishers who flagrantly dredged scallop beds while flying a pirate flag have undone the good work of communities who have tried to save the beds by observing a rahui. In December 2020, a voluntary rāhui was laid on the eastern Coromandel coastline to protect dwindling numbers of scallops from dredging and overharvest. In February […]
