Iwi and Environmentalists Lead Landmark Fisheries Appeal over Northland Crayfish

A landmark legal battle involving Northland iwi and hapū has reached the Court of Appeal this week, in a case that could fundamentally reshape fisheries management across Aotearoa. The proceedings focus on the CRA 1 spiny rock lobster (crayfish) fishery and whether government decisions on catch limits must be supported by credible scientific evidence to ensure they deliver promised environmental outcomes. The case follows a significant High Court victory for the Environmental Law Initiative alongside Dallas Williams, representing Ngāti Kaharau me Ngāti Hau. The High Court previously ruled in February 2025 that the Government’s 2023 decision on Northland crayfish catch limits was unlawful because it lacked an evidential foundation showing the reductions would actually restore the local ecosystem. Iwi and hapū have long expressed concern that depleted crayfish numbers have led to 'kina barrens,' where an overpopulation of kina destroys vital kelp forests. For Northland Māori, the impacts of declining kelp forests extend far beyond the loss of a single species. The loss of these habitats threatens customary fisheries and the long-held role of kaitiakitanga (guardianship), limiting the ability of future generations to gather kai from healthy coastal waters. While the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries had previously reduced some catch allocations—while maintaining the customary Māori allowance at 20 tonnes—the court found the government failed to prove these specific reductions would fix the ecological crisis. As the Government and fishing industry interests challenge the High Court’s ruling this week, the Court of Appeal will decide if a higher bar of accountability is required for future fisheries management. If the previous victory is upheld, decision-makers across the country would be required to look beyond individual fish stocks and consider what the removal of a species does to the wider biological diversity and health of the marine environment.