The proposal to open areas of Otago and Southland coastline to commercial paua harvesting attracted more than 2700 submissions.
The Primary Industries Ministry said in a statement yesterday it received 2740 submissions on an industry request to open selected PAU5D areas in the South to commercial harvesting.
Of those, 2718 submissions supported keeping the areas closed. The other 22 backed opening the areas to commercial harvesting. The ministry would analyse the submissions and provide advice to Minister Nathan Guy later this month.
Paua to the People spokesman Kees Meeuws said the 22 submissions in support of commercial harvesting revealed a ''united'' opposition to such activities in protected areas.
