From 1 July 2020, the following measures are applied to recreational fishers in the CRA 2 (Hauraki Gulf/Bay of Plenty) and CRA 5 (Canterbury/Marlborough) spiny rock lobster fisheries:

CRA 2

• The bag limit is being reduced from 6 to 3

• Telson clipping will be required for lobsters that have been caught

CRA 5

• Telson clipping will be required for lobsters that have been caught and will be kept

• An accumulation limit of 3 daily bag limits (18 spiny rock lobsters) will apply

• ‘Bag and tag’ conditions will apply

These measures are being brought in to support the rebuild of the CRA 2 fishery from low abundance, and to assist with minimising illegal take in both fisheries.

The measures are explained briefly below. For more information, visit:

CRA 2: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/cra2-review

CRA 5: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/cra5-review

Telson clipping

The telson is the central part of the tail fan on a rock lobster. Telson clipping is a way of marking spiny rock

lobster to make it clear that they have been recreationally caught. One-third of the telson is cut off so that it is noticeably shorter than the other sections of the tail fan. This must be done to all legal lobsters that will be kept.

Accumulation limit

An accumulation limit is the maximum amount of rock lobster any one person can be in possession of at any one time, even if they have been fishing on multiple days.

Bag and tag conditions

Bag and tag conditions mean that recreational fishers must hold rock lobster in a container or bag that contains only a single day’s catch, and is clearly labelled with:

• the individual fisher’s name,

• the date the lobsters were taken, and

• the number of lobsters held

Bag and tag conditions provide evidence that accumulated rock lobsters were taken within the daily bag limit of six lobsters over three days or more.

These measures will all apply from 1 July 2020. Thank you for fishing sustainably.