Four distinct options are on the table as Fisheries New Zealand seeks public input on the future management of shellfish gathering in the Auckland Coromandel region, with proposals ranging from a complete ban on recreational harvesting to more measured partial restrictions.
The most restrictive option would prohibit all recreational collection of shellfish and invertebrates across a defined intertidal zone. The second option takes a softer approach, permitting the harvest of certain species within that same zone subject to specified daily limits. Options three and four follow a similar full-and-partial pattern but introduce an additional layer of control: a combined daily limit of ten shellfish per person would apply to any species not already covered by its own bag limit, with that restriction operating outside the closure area and across the wider Auckland Coromandel region.
The zone under consideration runs from the mean high-tide mark to 200 metres offshore, taking in the coastlines of both the mainland and Waiheke Island. Its boundaries encompass intertidal habitat as well as a section of subtidal habitat.
Alongside the management options themselves, the consultation invites feedback on monitoring and education initiatives that would support whichever measures are ultimately adopted.
Submissions close at 5pm on Friday 12 June 2026. They can be lodged by email, and a submission template is available at mpi.govt.nz.
