Waiheke iwi Ngāti Paoa seeks to extend fishing ban for next six years

Waiheke iwi Ngāti Paoa seeks to protect Waiheke Island marine resources by proposing an extension to the fishing ban of mussels, crayfish and paua on the island's coastline.

A Māori restriction known as a rāhui restricting fishing on the island was placed in January 2021, Ngāti Paoa, wants further action to restore these species.

Under the 186A Fisheries Act, Ngāti Paoa proposes an extended ban of six years, covering a one-mile radius around Waiheke Island which has 133 kilometres of coastline.

Ngāti Paoa iwi member Mareana Berger says that it's important for the ban to go ahead so those resources are there for future generations.

‘’It's important to us to make sure that these sources of kai are available for our mokopuna and that they don't just have to read about kōura in a book,” she says.

She says the issue is not just about food because as for Māori there is a spiritual connection in relation to their whakapapa.

‘’When we taste the flavours of these foods, we're absorbing the mauri of those flavours, those creatures into ourselves, we become a part of it.’’

As Māori, she believes it is essential that our responsibility as Kaitiaki extends beyond the shoreline, and that our role as tangata whenua encompasses more than just the areas we inhabit and work on.

“Being Māori, we are responsible for the health and well-being of all of it.’

The latest State of Our Gulf Report from 2023 suggests that crayfish are now regarded as functionally extinct in heavily fished areas and scallop biomass had decreased by 82% since 2012.

Across the country paua populations are also in decline due to climate change and

overfishing.

A spokesperson of The Ministry of Primary Industries says that there is no specific region of paua in the Hauraki Gulf that exists.

‘’Currently, there are no strategies in place to preserve the species due to non-existing in the Hauraki Gulf.’’

Berger would like to see the Government working more closely with Iwi to help with conservation efforts and it should give iwi a say on what should be allowed or not.

‘’Iwi should be taking the lead not the government.’’

Listen here for the full interview on how the government should be working with iwi.