Rāhui on Waiheke Island scallop, mussel, rock lobster and pāua fisheries

Waiheke Island. File photo / 123RF

RNZ

The scallop, mussel, rock lobster and pāua fisheries around Waiheke Island will close for two years from this week.

Ngāti Pāoa placed a rāhui on the fishery in January this year after concerns from local iwi about declining stock levels.

This led to wider consultation on a possible closure.

Fisheries New Zealand director of fisheries management Emma Taylor said 244 submissions were made with the majority supporting a closure.

The fishery will close from December 1 and applies to customary, commercial, and recreational fishing.

The temporary closure includes inshore waters around Waiheke Island out to a distance of 1 nautical mile offshore.

"The closure will help these important fisheries recover and support the health of the wider ecosystem.

"The feedback from tangata whenua and the public highlights concerns around the long term sustainability of these four important fish species. Closing these fisheries is just one part of the solution," Taylor said.

Ngāti Pāoa have begun discussions with Māori marine scientists to develop an action plan to restore shellfish levels.

- RNZ