Aotea Great Barrier Islanders have thrown their weight behind a new local bylaw to slash crayfish daily bag limits, with a community survey revealing overwhelming support for tighter rules.
The results, presented Tuesday night at the Claris Sports and Social Club, showed that more than 90 per cent of respondents are concerned about the collapse in local crayfish numbers, with most backing a combined daily bag limit of just two.
The survey, run by ecological researcher Glenn Edney and commissioned by the Aotea Local Board and Ngāti Rehua Ngātiwai ki Aotea Trust, attracted 185 responses in just two weeks. It found residents strongly supported a package of measures including lower bag limits, closed breeding seasons, hand-gathering-only zones, and maximum size limits to protect large breeders.
Local board chair Izzy Fordham told the meeting that Fisheries Minister Shane Jones had been receptive to the idea and welcomed a community proposal. She said the hope was to have a package of new rules in place by Christmas, in time for the peak summer fishing season.
The push for local action follows Jones’ earlier decision to close the Inner Hauraki Gulf to crayfishing, which made Great Barrier the first accessible area beyond the ban line. Residents say that has added pressure to an already depleted fishery.
Local board members Fordham, Chris Ollivier and Neil Sanderson attended the meeting, along with community board candidates Nikki Watts, Ryan Daly and Fenella Christian. The Ministry for Primary Industries was represented by fisheries scientist Phil Ross, who told residents that the unusually strong level of community engagement gave confidence that new rules could be advanced.
The results showed:
– 50% of respondents supported a combined daily limit of two crayfish, with another 28% backing three.
– There was strong support for banning accumulation of daily bag limits, a measure aimed at curbing large hauls by visiting boats and charter operations.
– Closed seasons covering the entire breeding cycle drew majority backing, with residents favouring restrictions for both commercial and recreational fishers.
– Hand-gathering-only zones gained strong support, with suggestions for the west coast, major bays and nearshore waters.
Poaching was a hot topic, with residents demanding tougher enforcement against long-running syndicates. MPI staff called on the public to provide video footage wherever safe, saying investigators were tracking not just divers but the supply and distribution chains. They believe illegal catches are being offloaded into pots on the run back to the mainland, then collected by other vessels.
Edney said the next step is to consolidate the findings into a formal community proposal, to be put to MPI and the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries. Some measures, such as adjusting bag limits or banning accumulation, could be implemented quickly, while others may require more complex regulatory changes.
“This is an opportunity for our community to do something for itself, to protect a fishery that is in real trouble,” he told the meeting.
