D
ecades of 
mismanagement has 
wiped this taonga 
(treasured) species 
from our plates, and 
from the commercial 
industry altogether.
The Minister for 
Oceans and Fisheries has directed 
Fisheries NZ to consult on options 
to open a few scallop beds to 
recreational harvest in Whangārei 
Harbour, as early as November 
2026. The rest of the Northland 
and Coromandel fishery would 
remain closed. At this stage 
there are no plans to reopen the 
Marlborough scallop fishery.
Fisheries NZ has advised 
that some of the beds in the 
Whangārei Harbour area, "May 
be capable of supporting a 
cautious level of utilisation".
Official survey results are mixed. 
Scallop numbers have stayed 
relatively stable for some beds 
since the 2022 closure. But density 
has decreased and there are fewer 
juvenile scallops in the larger beds.
This is concerning because scallops 
are broadcast spawners. That 
means they require large numbers 
of scallops nearby to reproduce 
successfully. Even in perfect 
conditions, reproduction rates can 
vary significantly from year to year.
The management area for 
Northland scallops (SCA 1) 
extends east from Ahipara on the 
northwest coast down to Cape 
Rodney on the east coast. The 
Minister has a duty to manage 
scallops across this whole 
fishery, not just small pockets.
Recent science suggests that these 
beds may be connected right across 
northeastern New Zealand, creating 
one big scallop network. This 
means scallops left in Bream Bay 
could be helping other beds recover 
further up and down the coast.
LegaSea proposes the long-term 
solution is adopting a management 
system that tailors catch limits to 
smaller areas, reflecting the different 
pressures each area faces. 
Photo Lee slater
Feature
38  FISHING IN GODZONE MAGAZINE

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