Guardians seek bylaws for their Mahia reserve

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

THE tangata kaitiaki (guardians) of a small area on the eastern side of Mahia peninsula have sought to introduce bylaws around their existing Mataitai reserve at Horokaka to protect a range of seafood in the area.

The zone runs from Mahia to Auroa Point and the proposed bylaws would cover various closed seasons.

The kaitiaki have provided Fisheries New Zealand with draft bylaws for their reserve and the public have been invited to make written submissions.

The proposed bylaws include a prohibition on breathing-gear, fishing and spear fishing in the zone, along with prohibitions on certain species and seasonal restrictions.

It reads: “A person must not take any of the following species from the Horokaka Mataitai Reserve: beach cast seaweed, cockles, conger eel, deepwater clam, freshwater eel, karengo seaweed, mussels (kuku), packhorse rock lobster, paua, pipi, sea cucumber, seahorse, surf clams, tuatua (tai tonga (tuatua) tairaki).

“Prohibition on taking spiny rock lobster during closed season: A person must not, on any day between May 1 and September 30 of any year, take any spiny rock lobster. A person must not, on any day, take more than three spiny rock lobster.

“Maximum daily limit for kina: A person must not, on any day between October 1 and March 31 of any year, take more than 25 kina.

“Prohibition on taking kina during closed season: A person must not, on any day between April 1 and September 30 of any year, take any kina.

“Prohibition on using loops: A person must not use a loop to take spiny rock lobster.

“Prohibition on using underwater breathing apparatus: A person must not use underwater breathing apparatus to take fish, shellfish or seaweed, and a person must not use a spear gun to take fish, shellfish or seaweed.”

Spearfishing New Zealand has encouraged its members to make submissions.

“The area concerned is quite small, and the kaitiaki of this area do have the right to introduce by-laws for any purpose that they consider necessary for the sustainable utilisation of the fisheries resources in the Mataitai reserve,” a spearfishing spokesman said.

“Can anyone who knows the area or dives the area please advise if this would unduly impact them and provide some local feedback?

“Email your views to me at: secretary@spearfishingnz.co.nz”

Copies of the proposed bylaws are widely available at Mahia.

Submissions close on August 10 at Fisheries New Zealand, email: FMSubmissions@mpi.govt.nz