DoC drops coral case against sand miner McCallum Bros

A surfer on the Pākiri coast is dwarfed by McCallum Bros' sand mining vessel. Photo / Doug Moores

An investigation into alleged wildlife breaches by sand-mining company McCallum Bros has been completed.

The Department of Conservation was looking into whether McCallum Bros disturbed protected stony corals while dredging offshore at Pākiri, north of Auckland, last year, as well as whether McCallum Bros failed to report accidental or incidental death or injury of marine wildlife in regard to the coral.

The investigation was launched after Pākiri lawyer and resident Damon Clapshaw provided information to the department, showing protected stony coral was found in March 2025 by Bioresearches, an ecological consultancy company working for McCallum Bros, but was formally identified three months later.

Dredging had continued during that time.

Stony coral is a living organism protected under the Wildlife Act. Under the act, it is an offence to take or disturb protected marine wildlife without authority, as well as failing to report accidental or incidental death or injury of marine wildlife.

The Department of Conservation today announced it would not be pursuing enforcement action against McCallum Bros.

“Although corals were identified in the area, there is insufficient evidence to prove stony corals were disturbed by the company,” said Dylan Swain, DoC team lead for wildlife crime.

McCallum Group’s chief operating officer Shayne Elstob last year acknowledged the allegations, saying they were made by a private party to DoC and had not been admitted by the company.

The company has stopped sand-mining at Pākiri, but is seeking Government approval through the Fast Track process to extract more than 8 million cubic metres of sand from Bream Bay - a proposal drawing strong community and environmental opposition over risks to sensitive marine habitats.