Kaikōura’s pāua fishery, which has been closed since the November 2016 earthquakes disrupted local seabeds, is to reopen following a community-led rebuild.
The fishery will initially reopen for three months from 1 December and be closely monitored, Oceans and Fisheries Minister David Parker said.
“The pāua fishery in Kaikoura is a shared resource, valued by customary, recreational and commercial fishers. The community came together after the earthquake and has been an invaluable source of advice and support as we work back towards sustainability
“I would like to thank the Kaikōura Marine Guardians and our iwi partners, as well as the wider community for all of their work that got us to this stage.”
This is the first time a fishery has been closed as the result of an earthquake. Since the earthquake, research and monitoring has shown that pāua is recovering and can support some limited harvesting.
“I am taking a careful approach by opening the fishery for a three-month period while also ensuring it can be monitored closely to understand how the pāua responds to fishing,” David Parker said.
The Paper 