Seizure of 984 excess cockles from just 2 offenders emphasises reason for closure to shellfish gathering

10 October 2008

Honorary Fishery Officers apprehended 2 people at Cockle Bay in Waitemata Harbour in Auckland yesterday, Thursday 9th October, who had 984 excess cockles between them, the daily bag limits per person is 50 cockles.

This seizure comes just after an announcement last week by Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton that two beaches in the Hauraki Gulf, including Cockle Bay, will be closed to shellfish gathering due to concern about the effect large numbers of people gathering cockles is having on the cockle beds.

“The cockle beds at Cockle Bay are under severe pressure from large numbers of people gathering cockles. This seizure proves the scale to which some people have been grossly exceeding their cockle allocations”, said Ian Bright Ministry of Fisheries District Compliance Manager.

There are two different types of closure being put in place, a seasonal closure to the gathering of all shellfish at Cockle Bay over summer and autumn every year and a two year temporary closure or rähui on gathering cockles at Umupuia Beach. Both closures will come into effect on Thursday 16 October 2008.

“These closures will relieve the pressure the cockle beds are currently under and help ensure the resource is available for future generations.”

Further information, including the advice papers from the Ministry of Fisheries and the rules for shellfish gathering in the Auckland area are available.