Fisheries New Zealand is seeking your views on proposed bottom fishing restrictions in the Hauraki Gulf (Tikapa Moana / Te Moananui-a-Toi).

The proposals seek to protect seafloor habitats by excluding bottom trawling and Danish seining from the Hauraki Gulf, except within defined areas.

The consultation opened on 30 August and closes at 5pm on 6 November 2023.

Summary of what’s being proposed

Restrictions on bottom trawl and Danish seine fishing to carefully selected “bottom fishing access zones” were signalled as part of the Government's Revitalising the Gulf strategy. The strategy set out the range of actions needed to manage the effects that people have on the Hauraki Gulf. It was also a key action included in the recently approved Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan.  

The proposed options would restrict bottom trawl and Danish Seine fishing methods in the Hauraki Gulf to defined areas to protect benthic habitats. 

      • Option 1

Danish seine fishing banned from 74.1% and trawl fishing banned from 77.1% of the Gulf shallower than 200 metres* and limit these fishing methods to 6 defined zones.

      • Option 2 

Danish seine fishing banned from 79.4% and trawl fishing banned from 82.4% of the Gulf shallower than 200 metres and limit these fishing methods to 5 defined zones. 

      • Option 3

Danish seine fishing banned from 86.6% and trawl fishing banned from 88.5% of the Gulf shallower than 200 metres and limit these fishing methods to 4 defined zones. 

     • Option 4

Danish seine fishing banned from 87.3% and trawl fishing banned from 89.2% of the Gulf shallower than 200 metres and limit these fishing methods to 4 defined zones.

Summary maps of the four options for Bottom Fishing Access Zones (BFAZ) in the Hauraki Gulf.  

*About 3.4% of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park is deeper than 200 metres. The use of bottom contact fishing methods in areas deeper than 200 metres is outside the scope of this consultation and will need to be assessed in a separate process that includes representation of deep-water fisheries stakeholders.

Recreational angler concerns

Non-profit recreational fishing and abundance advocate LegaSea says the announcement is “not good enough.” 

The trawl corridors in each of the four proposed options are large and are adjacent to the coast in several areas from Mangawhai in the north to the eastern Coromandel.

“Currently, the commercial sector pulls out 21,000 tonnes of fish from the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park every three years, so guess where that will all be coming from? Hint – a trawl corridor near you,” warns LegaSea.

Have your say

The consultation document and details on making a submission can be found here: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/consultations/proposed-options-for-bottom-fishing-access-zones-in-the-hauraki-gulf/

  - Nick Jones