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Reopening Whangārei Harbour to recreational scallop fishing

Have your say

Fisheries New Zealand is seeking public feedback on whether Whangārei Harbour should be opened to recreational scallop fishing, while the wider Northland scallop fishery (SCA 1) remains closed. We are also seeking feedback on changes to the rules for scallop fishing in the harbour to support sustainable harvest. 

The proposals seek to provide recreational fishing opportunities and local benefits while ensuring enough scallops remain in the water to support future spawning, recruitment, and long-term recovery of the wider scallop fishery. Proposals have been informed by preliminary survey results of scallop beds across the Whangārei Harbour. 

Consultation opened on 24 August 2026 and closes on 18 September 2026.

Consultation document

Reopening Whangārei Harbour to recreational scallop fishing [PDF, 2.1 MB]

Related information

We will be updating this page with the results of the 2026 Whangārei Harbour scallop biomass survey as they become available.

Previous surveys of scallop beds in Whangārei Harbour are available in the Fisheries Assessment Reports below:

What's being proposed

We are seeking feedback on whether to:

  1. retain the current closure for scallop harvesting (the status quo) until a wider management approach for northern scallops has been developed and a broader strategy for reopening the Northland, and Hauraki Gulf and Coromandel scallop fisheries is rolled out, or
  2. allow for a limited recreational scallop fishing season within Whangārei Harbour in either November 2026 or February 2027, supported by a prohibition on dredging, and/or
  3. allow for ongoing seasonal recreational scallop fishing within Whangārei Harbour starting November 2027 or February 2028, supported by a package of changes to the scallop fishing rules.

Submitters may support one of the proposed options, or a combination of options 2 and 3.

Should the Whangārei Harbour scallop fishery be reopened, Fisheries New Zealand is also consulting on longer-term changes to the scallop fishing rules that would apply specifically to harvest in the harbour. The proposed changes are to:   

  • prohibit the method of dredging
  • reduce the recreational daily limit 
  • increase the minimum legal size
  • introduce an accumulation limit.

Making your submission

Email your feedback by 5pm on 18 September 2026 to FMSubmissions@mpi.govt.nz

A template is available to help you complete your submission.

Submission template [DOCX, 73 KB]

While we prefer email, you can post written submissions to:

Submission on reopening Whangārei Harbour to recreational scallop fishing
Fisheries Management 
Fisheries New Zealand
Private Bag 12031
Mount Maunganui
Tauranga 3143
New Zealand.

Submissions are public information

Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.

People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 to 9 of the OIA.

If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.

Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation

Our privacy commitment

The Privacy Act 2020 applies to all submissions. Any personal information you provide will be used only for the purpose of informing this consultation. All submissions will be read by MPI staff. MPI may also use artificial intelligence (AI) to summarise content and identify key themes. All AI outputs will be subject to human review.

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