The Under-Secretary for Oceans and Fisheries, Jenny Marcroft, landed on Aotea yesterday to advance a new management regime for the island’s rock lobster stocks.
The visit, on Friday, April 17, saw Ms. Marcroft and a Senior Fisheries NZ Analyst meet with a range of local stakeholders to discuss the “Proposed Local Rules for the Aotea Rock Lobster (koura) Fishery.”
The meeting included representatives from the Local Board, Ngāti Rehua Ngātiwai ki Aotea, island-based commercial fishers, and marine advocate Glenn Edney.
At the heart of the discussion is a community-led plan to implement stricter controls than current national regulations, including a two-crayfish recreational limit and a ban on accumulating daily limits for multi-day trips.
Local Board Chair Izzy Fordham described the session as a “productive face to face meeting with a lot of discussion on the proposal.”
She noted the conversation focused on the “current impacts the island is facing with the closure of the inner gulf,” which has seen fishing pressure shift toward Great Barrier’s coastline.
The proposal—part of the Ahu Moana pilot project—aims to protect the local fishery from depletion as mainland fishers and commercial operators move further afield.
Other measures on the table include size limits to protect breeding stock, seasonal closures during mating periods, and the establishment of recreational-only zones near main settlement areas.
Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has previously expressed openness to the plan, telling The Barrier Times he is awaiting technical advice on how the rules could be implemented.
“I would like to commend Ngāti Rehua Ngātiwai ki Aotea Trust Board and the Aotea Local Board for their ongoing efforts and strong engagement with the Aotea community on the sustainability of local fisheries,” Jones said.
The island has become a test case for whether community voices can effectively dictate the management of their own coastal resources under the Ahu Moana framework.
Ms. Fordham has previously signaled that the board is “looking forward to working with Fisheries New Zealand staff to get these strategies in place” to secure the fishery’s future.
Following yesterday’s consultation, the Under-Secretary and her team will now prepare a formal report for Minister Jones to consider.
The outcome will determine whether the government adopts the island’s bespoke rules or maintains the status quo.
“We now wait to see the outcome of that report,” Ms. Fordham said.
