Most commercial fishing for spiny rock lobster - better known as red crayfish - off Northland's east coast had already stopped under a voluntary industry closure. Photo: RNZ /Dom Thomas
Commercial and recreational fishing for crayfish off Northland's east coast will be banned from 1 April next year in a bid to stop the species' rapid decline.
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones said the five-year closure was needed to give the spiny rock lobster - commonly known as the red crayfish - a reprieve so its numbers could build up again.
Most commercial harvesting of red crayfish off Northland's east coast had already stopped under a voluntary industry closure, Jones said.
The recreational limit for crayfish on Northland's west coast would be reduced to two per day.
Jones said the rock lobster fishery was a personal priority, and he was aware of public concerns about falling numbers.
He said crayfish played a vital role in the marine ecosystem by helping keep kina numbers in check, and preventing the formation of "kina barrens" - areas where all marine life, apart from kina, have disappeared.
"The changes I'm making will help restore balance by increasing the numbers and size of spiny rock lobsters."
The ban would extend from the Hauraki Gulf up to, and including, Parengarenga Harbour, just south of North Cape.
The inner Hauraki Gulf was closed to crayfish harvesting in April this year.
To prevent fishers simply switching to packhorse crayfish, Jones said he had set a nationwide recreational catch limit of three packhorse crays per person per day.
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones said the five-year closure was needed to give the spiny rock lobster - commonly known as the red crayfish - a reprieve so its numbers could build up again. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii
The decision reflected a series of High Court rulings, scientific analysis and lengthy consultation, including with Whangārei-based commercial fishers.
"It is a milestone in terms of fisheries management, but I accept that it's a big change from what people have taken for granted with our coastal culture in Tai Tokerau (Northland)."
He expected some backlash for the ban - as well as criticism that it should have come sooner - but said the delay until 1 April would give Fisheries New Zealand time to inform fishers, both recreational and commercial, of the new rules.
"This is the new reality. It would have been quite alarming had it come in prior to Christmas, but 1 April gives holiday-makers one last hurrah, and then we're into a new regime where they have to dedicate their efforts to taking three packhorse crays, rather than red crayfish."
He gave credit to both recreational and the commercial sectors, who had said "a substantial decision" was needed given Northland's falling crayfish numbers.
Jones said the new rules would be reflected at his annual pre-Waitangi Day party, when crayfish was typically central to the menu.
"I can assure Tai Tokerau that any crayfish at the matua's whare will have come from other parts of New Zealand, or it'll be packhorse crayfish."
The only anomaly, or exception to the ban, would be the marae customary seafood gathering permits, which were granted as part of the 1992 Sealord deal and would continue to exist.
The ban has been applauded by marine scientists such as Benn Hanns of the University of Auckland.
Hanns said kōura, or crayfish, were "heavily overfished and ecologically degraded" on Northland's east coast.
Because crayfish were key predators of kina, which in turn fed on kelp, their greatly reduced numbers meant they were no longer able to support healthy kelp forests.
"This decision is an important step towards holistic ecosystem-based management to tackle the loss of kelp forests due to unrestricted grazing by kina, or the range-expanding long spined sea urchin."
Hanns said past research had shown restricting all fishing, recreational and commercial, was essential for rebuilding kōura numbers on Northland's east coast.
Ocean warming was also having an effect because it affected the ability of crayfish larvae to settle on suitable rocky reef habitat around northeastern New Zealand.
For the closure to be effective, Hanns said it had to be long enough to allow crayfish populations to recover, and not just "a flash in the pan".
More than 600 submissions were received when Fisheries New Zealand consulted on the crayfish closure between August and September this year.
The new rules, from 1 April 2026, will be:
- The CRA1 (northern rock lobster fishery) closure will extend from Ohao Point (just south of North Cape), including Pārengarenga Harbour, to Hauraki Gulf at Cape Rodney.
- The recreational daily catch limit for spiny rock lobster will be reduced to two per person per day in the rest of the CRA1 fishery, which includes the west coast of Northland.
- A portion of the CRA2 fishery will also close between Te Ārai Point and the inner Hauraki Gulf. The inner Hauraki Gulf fishery is already closed.
