It will be an offence to take or possess pāua within the East Otago Taiāpure (coastal fishing area) from 12 December, due to a change in regulations, says the Ministry of Primary Industries.
The Minister of Fisheries approved changes to the commercial and recreational fishing regulations following consultation with the East Otago Taiāpure Management Committee.
The ban aims to support the efforts of the committee to ensure a sustainable fishery for the future.
Monitoring of the taiāpure shows sizes of legal pāua have continually decreased, despite recreational catch limits being halved from 10 to five in 2007.
The management committee says marine pest-management and pāua re-seeding programmes will also continue.
The Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2010 and the Fisheries (South-East Area Commercial Fishing) Amendment Regulations 2019 have been amended to ban the recreational or commercial fishing of pāua from the area.
Seven species of attached kelp, and the commercial and recreational use of set-nets will also be prohibited within the taiāpure.
The East Otago Taiāpure is situated north of Dunedin extending from Waikouaiti Bay south to Potato Point.