Taranaki hapū seeking shellfish ban

The fisheries minister is considering an application from a hapū of Taranaki iwi to ban shellfish collection along their coastline for two years.

A legal ban would make enforceable the customary ban (rāhui) that has spread along the coast since hapū of Ōrimupiko Pā laid the first rāhui in January.

Some 70 kilometres of coastline are under the rāhui, from just south of Ōpunakē to Paritutu in New Plymouth, after local alarm at hundreds of visitors collecting kaimoana - especially pāua - during the last two summers.

Parihaka kaumātua Mahara Okeroa said although most people respected the rāhui, legal backing under the Fisheries Act was needed to fully protect kaimoana stocks.

"Our rāhui does not have legal power, and without that it does get to quite pointed discussions here on the coast," Okeroa said.

The Oceans and Fisheries Minister, David Parker, confirmed Fisheries New Zealand had received the application for a temporary closure.

"My officials are working through the details of the request with the applicant, and public consultation is expected to start soon," he said.

Following consultation, Fisheries New Zealand would get feedback on the submissions from Taranaki hapū, and officials would then prepare advice for the minister to consider.

Okeroa said community patrols formed to keep watch on the coast had a difficult job.

"To approach is quite testing: it goes from people agreeing with our kaupapa to people who will stand there and be quite aggressive."

He said gatherers from Auckland's Asian communities continued to visit the coast, and those ignoring the rāhui were going to the reefs at every low tide to collect their limit.