Ngāi Hapū o Waimārama Kaitiaki Moana Bayden Barber says the rāhui will "do a world of good" for pāua stocks at Waimārama. Photo / File
Ngāi Hapū o Waimārama Kaitiaki Moana Bayden Barber says the rāhui will "do a world of good" for pāua stocks at Waimārama. Photo / File
For the next two years, no pāua will be taken from Waimārama beach shores. It's the result of a line put in the sand by local Māori, who told the Ministry for Primary industries "enough is enough".
The rahui on Blackfoot paua came into effect on December 23, just twomonths after the request by Ngāi Hapū o Waimārama. It's largely supported by the coastal community that swells to the idyllic surrounds each summer, but has led to concerns stock in neighbouring areas will be targeted.
Fisheries New Zealand director fisheries management Emma Taylor said it had listened to the Ngāi Hapū o Waimārama hapū, which had expressed concern about pāua stock levels in their rohe moana and considered a closure would help rebuild stocks to a sustainable level.
Bayden Barber, one of nine Kaitiaki Moana for Ngāi Hapū o Waimārama, said the rāhui will "do a world of good for the pāua stocks".
"It really is a concern for our pāua stocks. [They] have been overfished over many years, this wasn't just a last-minute kind of reaction.
"It is about managing our kaimoana now so that there is something for our kids, our mokopuna in the future."
The area covers 24km along the east coast of Hawke's Bay. Image / Supplied
Barber said the hapū have been thinking about looking at different management strategies for kaimoana for several years but pāua are the most at risk at present.
A rāhui was chosen instead of other options such as reducing catch limits as "it sends a clear message to the wider community that the conservation of our kaimoana, we need to think about that".
But others have expressed concerns on the MPI Fisheries Facebook notice of the closure, saying it will put greater pressure on pāua stocks at nearby beaches.
Barber said this "could be the case" and would support other hapū having discussions about coastal water and fishery stock management.
"We are part of a wider collective of hapū up the coast, we do talk to each other and we're able to communicate with them where we see the issues are and they with us.
"To be honest some of the other areas may want to look at some of the strategies, there is a lot of pressure on our coastal environments at the moment, especially now with no international travel, more people are heading out to the coast, to the beaches.
"It does need probably an iwi-wide approach to managing kaimoana."
The rāhui covers the rohe moana (area) of the hapū which is 24km along the east coast from Whakapau Pt in the north to Te Rahui at Huarau in the south.
An MPI spokesperson said rāhui boundaries of the closure are constrained by the area of the hapū making the request, so any further formal closures would need to be requested by tangata whenua who apply to the Minister of Fisheries.
There will not be any customary fishing permits for pāua issued by the hapū during the closure.
Ngāi Hapū o Waimārama Kaitiaki Moana Bayden Barber says the rāhui will "do a world of good" for pāua stocks at Waimārama. Photo / File
The rāhui opened with a karakia at dawn attended by about 30 people.
Fisheries New Zealand consulted the public on the request in November and December 2020 receiving 79 submissions.
Barber said 50 were in support, 20 against, and nine neutral.
"Even those who didn't support the closure still acknowledged that our fishing stocks, our pāua stocks are at risk, they just weren't too keen on having a full closure."
He said those suggested different management strategies which were "great feedback" and will be considered in the future.
Fishery officers and honorary fishery officers regularly patrol the coast and deal with offending on a case-by-case basis.
Taylor said there is an emphasis on voluntary compliance and education.
Over the busy recreational season around Christmas, there will be an increased presence in the wider area.
"We urge people to contact us if they see any suspicious fishing activity on the 0800 4 POACHER hotline."
Penalties for breaking the conditions are a maximum fine of $100,000.
