Death of the scallops: How a Kiwi delicacy was driven to the brink of collapse
Just a decade ago, the scallop (tipa) fishing industry in New Zealand was thriving, with population numbers holding strong and quotas so loose that many were unable to reach their catch limit. The situation just 10 years later has changed drastically, with the Government forced to take immediate action, shutting down the majority of scallop fisheries in order to preserve a population that is on the brink of collapse. For now, scallops are practically off the menu. There’s a real economic concern for fishing companies, who have slowly had their commercial options taken away and are left to grapple with what to do next. Those boats relying on scallop fishing have been left in a precarious situation, Lawson says, and pivoting from scallop fishing to another kind of catch would likely require a total boat re-fit, which could be a costly risk. >click to read< 20:02
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