Illegal shellfish harvesting in Ōhiwa Harbour led to arrests, boat seizures, and warnings after limits were vastly exceeded.

Fisheries New Zealand warns against illegal shellfish harvesting after multiple individuals were caught exceeding daily limits in Ōhiwa Harbour, including some taking mussels from a closed area under a traditional rāhui. Offenders were found with up to 154 mussels and 2,771 pipi—far above the 50 and 150 limits, respectively—leading to boat seizures and potential prosecution. Authorities urge the public to use the free NZ Fishing Rules app for offline access to regulations and report violations via the 0800 4 POACHER hotline.