WWF-New Zealand appreciates that Fisheries New Zealand is desirous to restore ecological balance and strengthen their actions to mitigate urchin barrens. Although we support increasing recreational daily limits as a strategy for reducing urchin barrens, that alone is not sufficient as the proposed options fail to address the root cause.
The proposed options are welcomed only if additional action is taken to address the underlying cause of urchin barrens. This can include fisheries closures for predator species and creating additional marine protected areas in FMA 1.