The Ministry of Fisheries has approved an application from Southern Clams to research the impact of commercially harvesting clams in the middle banks of the Otago Harbour.
The company has been harvesting the shellfish, also known as cockles, from Blueskin Bay north of Otago Harbour for more than 25 years.
It takes 800 to 900 tonnes of shellfish a year, mostly for export to the United States and other markets, without any reduction in the clam population.
Southern Clams managing director Roger Belton says Otago Harbour has the largest stock of good quality little-neck clams.
The aim of the research programme there, he says, will be to find out whether they can be sustainably harvested in commercial quantities from the harbour.
Mr Belton says the Ministry of Fisheries and independent scientists will monitor the trial and its impact. The permit runs for three years, with a possible two year extension.
A possible complication is that the local runanga has applied to have the entire Otago Harbour declared a mataitai, which could stop all commercial fishing there.
