Why abalone is New Zealand's catch of the

<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: auto;"> In New Zealand's southern province of Otago, a group of recreational fishermen are about to go on their regular hunt for shellfish.</div> <div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: auto;"> It is autumn here and they will be diving into waters so cold that full-body wetsuits are needed.</div> <div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: auto;"> But it is not just any mollusc that they're after. They are looking for a humble sea snail that has become one of the world's most expensive seafood items.</div> <div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: auto;"> Blackfoot abalone is known here by its indigenous Maori name, paua. It is not the prettiest creature and could easily be mistaken for a rock.</div> <div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: auto;"> But its unique black flesh and taste has made it a hot commodity, particularly in Asia where it is a prized delicacy.</div> <div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: auto;"> Locally, a single abalone commands a hefty retail price of about NZ$50 (US$43; £26). In some Asian restaurants, it would set you back more than US$100.</div> <span class="cross-head" style="background-color: white; color: #505050; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.231em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 16px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">Natural defence</span><br /> <div class="caption body-narrow-width" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #505050; display: inline; float: right; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px -160px 16px 16px; position: relative;"> <img alt="Former rugby player Kees Meeuws" height="405" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/74819000/jpg/_74819408_img_0919.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none; border: 0px; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0px; position: relative;" width="304" /><span style="display: block; width: 304px;">Former All Black Kees Meeuws is now a recreational abalone diver</span></div> <div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: auto;"> There are more than 100 species of abalone around the world, but the blackfoot abalone is one of the largest and found only in New Zealand waters.</div> <div style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: auto;"> Apart from their strong suction to rocks, their only other natural defence is camouflage. Strict rules are needed to help protect the species from overfishing.</div>

Why abalone is New Zealand's catch of the

In New Zealand's southern province of Otago, a group of recreational fishermen are about to go on their regular hunt for shellfish. I...

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