Population dynamics and fishery management of the paua, Haliotis iris . 1. Population structure, growth, reproduction, and mortality

The biology of an unfished population of the paua, H. iris Martyn, in Peraki Bay, Banks Peninsula, was studied from 1973 to 1976. The length/frequency distribution indicated an accumulation of old individuals and a recent history of low recruitment. Growth of animals was lower than those reported for paua in a more typical habitat near Kaikoura. The annual instantaneous natural mortality rate, as estimated by several methods from population size structure and individual growth rate data, is about 0.1. Recruitment is largely independent of local spawning success or significant spawning occurs outside the currently accepted breeding season.