Editing Abalone (section)

====New Zealand====
{{Main|Pāua}}

In New Zealand, abalone is called ''pāua'' ({{IPAc-en|'|p|aʊ|ə}}, from the [[Māori language]]). ''[[Haliotis iris]]'' (or blackfoot pāua) is the ubiquitous New Zealand pāua, the highly polished nacre of which is extremely popular as souvenirs with its striking blue, green, and purple iridescence. ''[[Haliotis australis]]'' and ''[[Haliotis virginea]]'' are also found in New Zealand waters, but are less popular than ''H. iris''. ''[[Haliotis pirimoana]]'' is a small species endemic to [[Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands|Manawatāwhi / the Three Kings Islands]] that superficially resembles ''H. virginea''.<ref name="Walton-2024">{{cite journal |doi=10.1080/13235818.2024.2390476 |title=''Haliotis virginea'' Gmelin, 1791 and a new abalone from Aotearoa New Zealand (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Haliotidae) |year=2024 |last1=Walton|first1=Kerry |last2=Marshall |first2=Bruce A. |last3=Rawlence|first3=Nicolas J. |last4=Spencer|first4=Hamish G. |journal=Molluscan Research |volume= 44|issue= 4|pages= 305–315|doi-access=free |bibcode=2024MollR..44..305W }}</ref><ref name="TheConversation1">{{Cite news|url=https://theconversation.com/the-paua-that-clings-to-the-sea-a-new-species-of-abalone-found-only-in-waters-off-a-remote-nz-island-chain-236568 |title='The pāua that clings to the sea': a new species of abalone found only in waters off a remote NZ island chain |last1=Walton|first1=Kerry |last2=Spencer|first2=Hamish |last3=Rawlence|first3=Nic |date=3 September 2024 |work=The Conversation|access-date=17 September 2024}}</ref>

Like all New Zealand shellfish, recreational harvesting of ''pāua'' does not require a permit provided catch limits, size restrictions, and seasonal and local restrictions set by the [[Ministry for Primary Industries (New Zealand)|Ministry for Primary Industries]] (MPI) are followed. The legal recreational daily limit is 10 per diver, with a minimum shell length of {{convert|125|mm|abbr=on}} for ''H. iris'' and {{convert|80|mm|abbr=on}} for ''H. australis''. In addition, no person may be in possession, even on land, of more than 20 pāua or more than {{convert|2.5|kg|abbr=on}} of pāua meat at any one time. Pāua can only be caught by free-diving; it is illegal to catch them using scuba gear.

An extensive global black market exists in collecting and exporting abalone meat. This can be a particularly awkward problem where the right to harvest pāua can be granted legally under [[Māori people|Māori]] customary rights. When such permits to harvest are abused, it is frequently difficult to police. The limit is strictly enforced by roving [[Ministry for Primary Industries (New Zealand)|Ministry for Primary Industries]] fishery officers with the backing of the New Zealand Police.  [[Poaching]] is a major industry in New Zealand with many thousands being taken illegally, often undersized. Convictions have resulted in seizure of diving gear, boats, and motor vehicles and fines and in rare cases, imprisonment.