PROTECTION OF TOHEROAS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20977, 14 September 1931, Page 10

PROTECTION OF TOHEROAS.

LIMITATION OF AREAS. NEW REGULATIONS MADE. I lip expected regulations giving groaler powprs to finti-c.il Iho laking of (ohemas have just. J iooll gay.oHod. They supersede all previous regulations, Iho (li-sj of which wore issued in 1913 ,'ind Ihe last in 1927,. (.Villi fill of I oheroa aroas is vesled in (he Minister of Marine under the Fisheries A<l. II is provided thai no person k!ihll lake any toheroa willi a shell loss than 3in. long or dig fur (hem with a spade or oilier instrument- more than 4in. wide in the blade. No tolieroas may lie opened on a beach below high-water mark. Odober and November in every year are declared a close season. No person other than a Maori or a half-caste living with Maoris is allowed lo fake more than 50 tolieroas a day, unless licensed lo take them for sale or for canning or preservation. A person licensed In lake tolieroas for sale must pay a fee of £1 a year and his daily limit is three bushels or six kerosene tins full of shellfish in (ho shell. He must furnish returns of the quantities taken. A schedule specifies six areas within which tolieroas may not be taken for sale. These include (he. whole New Zealand coast., except the beach north of Kaipara Harbour, two portions of which are also exempted. Provision is made for leasing prescribed areas ol foreshore lo persons for exclusive use for the purpose of canning or preserving tolieroas and four ateas are reserved accordingly. It is laid down Hint a lessee must not work his arCa so that, (he beds become depleted or injuriously affected. The maximum term of a lease is fo be 10 years and leases are to be disposed of by tender, duly advertised for. Persons may take toheroas in a leased area for their own consumption without charge, but not for sale.