Westhaven’s harvest of Littleneck Clams is totally controlled by Government regulation to preserve and protect the fish stocks in perpetuity.
This guarantees the sustainability of the shellfish beds.
The QMS lies behind New Zealand’s reputation as a world leader in sustainable fisheries management. It was introduced in 1986, to conserve major fisheries stocks and help make the seafood industry more efficient.
Ministry for Primary Industry scientists and other stakeholders, including industry, work together to assess the population size of all major commercial fish species in their major fishing grounds. These areas are called Quota Management Areas (QMAs).
Using the assessment data, the Minister for Primary Industries then sets an annual Total Allowable Catch (TAC) limit for each QMA. The TAC is set conservatively, so that enough fish remain to maintain breeding future populations.
The TACC is set in volume (e.g. tonnes) allowed to be caught each year by commercial fishers and can vary from year to year.