Save the Shellfish

By Jaelynne and Georgia

Introduction about shellfish

There are many different types of shellfish like mussels, oysters, scallops, cockles, clams, paua and so many more types.Normally you collect shellfish when the tide is out. There are also some types of shellfish that you have to free dive for like paua because you can’t collect it when the tide is out.Soon you won’t be able to do any of this whether you are free diving or not because all the shell fish will be gone due to people taking to much and taking the wrong sizes.

Fines and Punishments

Why do people bother taking to much shellfish or the wrong sized shellfish because it is not worth the punishments and fines that is brought up if you disobey the rules. Here are some things that have happened to some people for exceeding the limits or for the wrong sized shellfish.

One man got fined $1800 and lost his car for taking to much cockles.

A women lost her car for being greedy with the cockles.

Paua was seized from a big group of city people.

so as you can see there are very many fines and punishments that are not worth you doing the wrong things because you will just get fined or punished even more.

Original quotes came up by us

“ Humans have a chance at life so let shellfish have a chance at life”

“Humans can go on for many generations but soon shellfish will be extinct.”

“ People live their lives to its fullest but shellfish live their lives to its coldest.”

Minimum size for shellfish in the Manukau Harbour

There are many limits for each shellfish (example Oysters – 58mm, ordinary paua – 125 mm, scallops – 100 mm and much more. So people that go fishing need to know most of these sizes or they could get pulled up for it.

How does taking to much shellfish effect the Manukau harbourIt affects the Manukau Harbour because most birds that live at sea go along the bank when the tide is out to eat some shellfish, also makes the Harbour unhealthy because it doesn’t give the harbour the nutrients it needs. Animals that live in the sea/ocean like dolphins like to eat fish and shellfish and soon the may end up dead by swallowing or choking on a plastic bag as they don’t know the difference between a fish /shellfish and a plastic bag.

Is there a special patrol that can confiscate shellfish.

Yes there is and they patrol around the waters everyday looking out for people who do the wrong thing and there are many different names people call them like a water police, water patrol, coast guard and so many more.

Manukau harbour history

The Manukau harbour is the second largest natural harbour in New Zealand by area it is located to the south west of the Auckland isthmus (strip of land with sea on either side forming a link between two large areas of land. The harbour was an important historical waterway for the Maori so basically it is very important to the Maori.

Petition and argument

So if you want to carry on collecting shellfish for your dinner and you still want to have the joy of walking along the beach at low tide or when it is out and collecting shellfish off the rock and in the mud. Especially all you fish and chip lovers want to still eat your delicious fish and chips I suggest you start doing the right thing, obey the rules and sign our petition at the office and for further details read the petition on why we are doing this and how this will make a difference to our harbour.

The EndBy Jaelynne and Georgia