The efforts initiated by the Opito Bay Community and Ngāti Hei continue to deliver results with the last two commercial beds in NZ closed in December this year. While we can take pride in what has been achieved to date, the present rāhui on the Ōpito bed is due to expire in September 2023, and a return to commercial dredging would undoubtedly wipe out the gains of the last two years in no time at all. We are planning a follow up survey of the bed in early 2023 (funded by Legasea and the residual funds from our original rāhui fundraising efforts), and will use the outcome to determine our future strategy. In the longer term we fully support Legasea’s objective of banning all forms of destructive, unsustainable fishing in the Hauraki Gulf.

The latest article from Legasea on the scallop situation can be viewed here, while their other latest updates can be viewed here.

As Legasea say in their Christmas newsletter:

For Christmas, we want the officials and politicians to know we are onto them in 2023. We no longer accept mediocrity when it comes to protecting our moana for us and our kids. We want policy, standards and action to deliver more fish in the water (that means returning coastal fish populations to a minimum of 50% of their original size) and a fair go for all Kiwis.