When is scallop season in nz

Commercial harvesting is only permitted in areas where biotoxin testing has been completed. Monitoring of shellfish and water quality is carried out to specifications set by the Ministry for Primary Industries and international markets.

A temporary closure for commercial and recreational scallop harvesting in the Nelson and Marlborough Sounds area for the season was announced by the Ministry in July to enable stocks to rebuild. They are best harvested before they spawn. Scallops use a form of jet propulsion to swim.

They snap their shells shut to make water shoot out at the hinge, moving the shellfish in jerky jumps across the seabed. Scallops are tender and juicy when cooked quickly on a high heat with a light, gentle touch. If overcooked, their texture can become rubbery.

They should be removed from heat as soon as the flesh changes from translucent to white. Scallops should be bought plump and fresh, with firm lustrous flesh, showing no signs of discolouration or dryness.

Scent is also a good indicator of freshness - scallops should smell slightly sweet and pleasantly briny but not sharp. MPI uses cookies to improve your experience on our site. By using our website, you accept our use of cookies. Scallops and oysters: rules and guidelines. Daily catch and legal size limits The daily catch and legal size limits for scallops and oysters depend on the area you're in.

Report poaching You can report poaching, suspicious, or illegal activity online: Report illegal fishing such as poaching You can also: call 4 POACHER 47 62 24 , or email poacher mpi. Who to contact If you have questions about scallop and oyster rules, email info mpi.

While that strategy had worked well in the past, during the past decade it had not been nearly as effective. Williams said while it was unclear whether the supply of scallop larvae was as high as it had been in previous years, there was still an abundance of larvae available. In a recent study, NIWA collected and marked scallop spat and released them at a number of experimental sites in Golden Bay and Tasman Bay — sites chosen on the basis of where the population used to be, or in areas which still support scallops now.

The researchers then monitored the survival and growth of the baby scallops, in relation to measuring various aspects of the benthic habitat they were living in.

Cornelison said unfortunately it was not a matter of simply pulling one lever to fix the problem. There are cumulative effects, multiple stressors working in that environment that are hard to pinpoint. Cornelison said there was a way back for the scallop, but it could take years if not decades. If we improve its ability to filter, that means restoring some of the coastal habitats and marshes.

Cornelison said there were also opportunities for recovery that had presented themselves in some unexpected places. Some of the healthiest seabed areas had been found while monitoring beneath mussel farms in the bay, he said. Along with the fact boats could not trawl underneath the mussel farms, the drop off of mussels and other shell materials onto the seabed had been helping to build up the benthic habitat. Cornelison said it had given scientists the hint that they could adapt similar processes to accelerate the regeneration process.

A collaboration between the Ministry for Primary Industries MPI , recreational and commercial fishers, and local iwi, the strategy is aimed at restoring scallop populations and establishing a sustainable scallop fishery in the Marlborough Sounds. Developed by the Southern Scallop Working Group SSWG , a draft strategy underwent public consultation in August , with 88 per cent of those surveyed agreeing with its objective.

Proposed measures include regulating the biomass threshold for reopening, sustainable scallop catch targets, minimising fishing and non-fishing impacts on scallops, and improving scallop habitats and quantities in the Marlborough Sounds.

Te Miha said although iwi had customary rights to fish in the area, they had not issued permits in four years. Considering scallops had a life cycle of five to six years, he said it could be wasteful to leave scallops in over-populated areas.

SSWG member and Challenger Scallop Enhancement Company chairman Doug Saunders-Loder said bringing back a healthy scallop fishery would be in the best interests of both the fishing industry and the region. But for the scallop fishery and the bays to recover, Saunders-Loder there needed to be a focus on the future possibilities rather than focusing on what happened in the past.

While there was no single cause for the decline of the fishery, or a silver-bullet to fix it, he said it would take a regional approach to help bring it back.