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Draft fisheries plan for the Wairarapa commercial pāua fishery (PAU 2)

UPDATE – 6 August 2024

Fisheries plan for the Wairarapa commercial pāua fishery (within PAU 2) approved

The Minister for Oceans and Fisheries has approved a commercial fisheries plan for the Wairarapa commercial pāua fishery (within PAU 2) – under section 11A of the Fisheries Act 1996. 

The plan was developed by the PAU 2 Industry Association Incorporated (PauaMAC2) on behalf of all quota owners, ACE (annual catch entitlement) holders, and commercial harvesters. It applies only to the area of PAU 2 that is harvested commercially (Turakirae Head to Blackhead). It allows for a more responsive and localised management approach of this important shared pāua fishery.

Fisheries New Zealand received 11 submissions during the consultation. Submitters were generally supportive of the plan.

The approved plan will operate under Fisheries New Zealand's existing management settings, within the constraints of the Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) and adhering to the minimum legal-size limit (MLS). The plan formalises many of the voluntary measures already in place for the commercial fishery.

By approving the plan, the minister must take it into account before setting or varying any sustainability measure in the pāua fishery.

PAU 2 (Wairarapa) fisheries plan [PDF, 1.2 MB]

About this consultation

Fisheries New Zealand sought your feedback on the draft fisheries plan for the Wairarapa commercial pāua fishery (the draft plan).

The draft plan was developed by the PAU 2 Industry Association Incorporated (PauaMAC2) on behalf of all PAU 2 quota owners, Annual Catch Entitlement (ACE) holders, and commercial harvesters. The draft plan was submitted to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries for approval.

Submissions were open until 24 July 2023.

Consultation document

Draft fisheries plan for the pāua fishery PAU 2 [PDF, 1.2 MB]

Related document

Letter to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries [PDF, 183 KB]

What was proposed in the PAU 2 draft plan?

Voluntary arrangements have been part of the pāua industry's management and decision-making in the PAU 2 fisheries for many years. The pāua industry sought to make these arrangements more formal through approval of their draft fisheries plan.

The draft plan set objectives, strategies, and actions that would be undertaken primarily by the pāua industry in addition to existing government management settings, which included Total Allowable Commercial Catch limits (TACCs) and current regulatory measures (such as the minimum legal size).

The draft objectives were to:

  • support and enhance sustainability of the pāua stock
  • protect important pāua habitat
  • enhance industry performance.

Under section 11A of the Fisheries Act 1996, the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries may approve a fisheries plan to support the purpose and principles of the Act.

Maps of pāua fisheries

A map of New Zealand showing the paua fishery areas. The paua 2 area is shaded blue. Another map beside it shows the lower half of the North Island with the commercial paua 2 fishing area outlined in yellow. The commerical area goes from Blackhead Lighthouse in the north, past Castlepoint, and down to Turakirae Head.
The map on the left shows the PAU 2 area (coloured blue). The map on the right shows the location of the commercially fished portion of PAU 2 (the part of the coast coloured yellow).

Submissions are public information

Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.

People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.

If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.

Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation

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