5 Feb 2020

Coronavirus: NZ live crayfish destined for China to go back in sea

From Checkpoint, 6:16 pm on 5 February 2020

Thousands of live crayfish caught in New Zealand could be released back into the wild due to trade disruptions with China.

Between 150 to 180 tonnes of live rock lobster are stuck in pots and tanks, at sea and on land, after orders to China were cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The government announced crayfish in holding pots at sea will be able to be released.

But lobster from different areas which have been brought together at processing facilities will not be freed, due to biosecurity risks.

The Minister of Fisheries Stuart Nash, spoke to RNZ rural reporter, Eric Frykberg.

The New Zealand Rock Lobster Industry Council declined to be interviewed but said in a statement it agrees the return of lobsters to the sea needs to be done with care.

It says the abrupt halt to rock lobster harvesting last week has already had serious effects on fishermen and companies.