 |
| Looking up the Paciific Ocean coastline, Eastern Seaboard Coromandel from beach - photo 2013 Chris Ball |
Balancing
the sustainability of our fisheries stocks and the impacts on the environment
with the increased human activity and economic opportunities, they offer is an
ongoing problem. The solutions on how plastics,
overfishing and climate change are balanced and managed, reducing effects on the environment are essential. The ocean life - plants and ocean creatures are all part of the marine network ( including food web). Even sand like the ocean life is finite.
Shell fish are food for crabs, crayfish or lobsters, other nursery fish and birds such as the oyster catcher. Shells grind down in the ocean and in wave action against rocks and cliffs. Over gathering of shell fish which in many examples, species such as kūtai ( mussels), pipi, tuatua, kina,tio repe ( oysters) pāua or tipa (scallops) results in a severe decline or even complete loss of that species. The outcome less shells, shell line and sand for the future.
No less so in Te Tara-o-te-Ika a Māui ( Coromandel's ) , Eastern Seaboard, a stretch of coastline washed by Te moana nui a Kiwa ( Pacific Ocean).
 |
| Eroded cliffs Coromandel's Eastern Seaboard - photo May 2015 Chris Ball |
Ngāti Hei Trust, have requested a temporary closure to tipa (scallop) fishery in the Eastern Coromandel area for two years to allow time for stocks in the area to replenish and regenerate. Their request to the Minister Fisheries and New Zealand Fisheries has been supported also, by a number of Coromandel Peninsula organisations. This request has followed a voluntary rahui by Ngati Hei at Opito Bay December 2020, an outcome of depleted tipa ( scallop) numbers. As of 16 July 2021 all are still awaiting a decision from the Minister Fisheries.( Stuff News 16/07//2021 )
tipa ( scallops )
Image from Open Library Clip Art
Anecdotal and oral stories abound on the Eastern Seaboard. Stories of shell fish and shell fish gathering once very plentiful and now depleted or shell fish beds no longer there - even the pipi and huangi ( cockle) beds. Growing up in this area, learned times for gathering shell fish from the sea and conservation practices so that the shell fish remained in the ocean food web and for future generations.
 |
| shell fish gathering 1960's |
There are also a number of other factors contributing to depletion or loss of the shell fish besides shell fish gathering. These as an outcome of change of land use in the environment, the shoreline and the ocean - sedimentation through subdivision and forestry practices, pollution from heavy metals, chemicals oil spillages and plastics, nutrients from pipes, drains, sewerage, invasion from introduced other plants eg sea lettuce, giant kelp ( "the gorse of our seas") and algae bloom.
Factors which may lead to the death or deformity of shell fish. eg kina ( sea egg) may be, when opened, looking totally black inside and nearly empty.
To restore Ocean conservation and balance sustainabilty join together :
with community groups working to restore shellfish and shellfish beds to harbours and estuaries. Scientists from DOC, NIWA and WRC are providing a wealth of information for groups working on restoration and restoring balance projects.
tungangi ( Cockles) and harihari (Clams )
Reference Source:
For busy teachers and voluntary environmental organisations check out Green Grubs Garden Club About (greengrubsgardenclub.com) Great New Zealand resources Other Reference Source for this URL :
- Maori Dictionary Māori Dictionary (maoridictionary.co.nz)
- Mere Whaanga, 'Mātaitai – shellfish gathering - Customary harvest and conservation today', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/mataitai-shellfish-gathering/page-3 (accessed 2 August 2021)
- Smithsonian Ocean Smithsonian Ocean | Smithsonian Ocean (si.edu)
- NIWA restoring_shellfish_beds_final.pdf (niwa.co.nz)
