"This is probably the most studied and surveyed paua fishery in New Zealand.'' Surveys in the 14 sites in 2008, 2012 and 2016 had revealed a decline in the paua population. The data excludes the 14 sites at Huriawa Peninsula, which was closed to paua fishers in 2010 because of declining stock. The legal size for paua is 125mm for ordinary and 80mm for yellowfoot. In the fishery, a paua took up to 10 years to grow to a legal size, he said.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 03, 2018 16:07 UTC