The Minister for Primary Industries has announced a partial closure of the Scallop 7 (SCA7) fishery effective from 15 July 2016 and ending on 14 Feb 2017. The area covered by the closure is defined as:

1. all the waters defined as the “Marlborough Sounds area” in Regulation 11 of the Fisheries (Challenger Area
Commercial Fishing) Regulations 1986; plus
2. scallop statistical reporting area 7HH, being all those waters enclosed by a line:
a. commencing at a point on Pepin Island (at 41°08.400′S and 173°24.800′E); then
b. proceeding in a generally north-westerly direction to a point at 41°02.800′S and 173°16.100′E; then
c. proceeding in a generally easterly direction to Okuri Point (at 40°58.600′S and 173°45.700′E); then
d. proceeding by the mean high-water mark in a generally south-westerly direction to the point of commencement.

A person must not:
1. take scallops from the closed part of quota management area SCA7; or
2. possess any scallops taken from within the closed part of quota management area SCA7.

The full gazette notice can be found here.