Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries
Have your say
Fisheries New Zealand is reviewing the management measures for recreational shellfish harvesting in the Auckland Coromandel area. This area is defined in the Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013 and includes beaches on the east and west coasts (a map showing the Auckland Coromandel area is provided below).
This review responds to ongoing concerns about the sustainability of intertidal shellfish and other fisheries resources in the Auckland Coromandel area and aligns with key management actions from the Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan.
This consultation opened on 6 May and submissions will close at 5pm on 12 June 2026.
Measures being proposed
Fisheries New Zealand is seeking feedback on options for proposed intertidal closures and changes to the recreational daily limits for shellfish in the Auckland Coromandel area.
The 4 options are:
- Option 1: a full intertidal closure. This option would prohibit recreational take of shellfish and other invertebrates from a defined intertidal closure area.
- Option 2: a partial intertidal closure. This option would prohibit recreational take of shellfish and other invertebrates from a defined intertidal closure area. However, exceptions would allow the harvest of named shellfish species within daily limits.
- Option 3: a full intertidal closure (Option 1) plus, outside of the intertidal closure area, a combined recreational daily limit of ten shellfish for any species without its own recreational daily limit, in the Auckland Coromandel area.
- Option 4: a partial intertidal closure (Option 2) plus, outside of the intertidal closure area, a combined recreational daily limit of ten shellfish for any species without its own recreational daily limit, in the Auckland Coromandel area.
The proposed intertidal closure area (see maps below) will apply from the mean high-tide mark to 200 m offshore along the mainland and Waiheke Island coastlines. It will include intertidal habitats (between the low and high tide marks) as well as some subtidal habitats (below the low tide mark).
Fisheries New Zealand is also seeking feedback on potential monitoring and education initiatives to support successful implementation.
Consultation documents
Summary of options – Fact sheet [PDF, 1.3 MB]
Review of measures for shore-based shellfish harvesting in the Auckland Coromandel area [PDF, 3 MB]
Maps
The Auckland Coromandel area and the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park [PDF, 97 KB]
The proposed intertidal closure area (mean high-water mark to 200 m offshore) [PDF, 168 KB]
Making your submission
Fisheries New Zealand invites you to email your feedback on the proposals set out in the consultation document by 5pm on Friday 12 June 2026.
Email your submission to FMsubmissions@mpi.govt.nz
You can use our template to help you prepare your submission.
Submission template [DOCX, 82 KB]
While we prefer email, you can post written submissions to:
2026 Review of measures for shore-based shellfish harvesting in Auckland Coromandel area
Fisheries Management
Fisheries New Zealand
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
What to include
Make sure you tell us in your submission:
- the title of the consultation document
- your name and title
- your organisation’s name (if you are submitting on behalf of an organisation, and whether your submission represents the whole organisation or a section of it)
- your contact details (such as phone number, address, or email)
- whether you support all or any of the proposed measures
- any alternative measures that we could consider.
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.