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Story: Crabs, rock lobsters and other crustaceans

Crayfishing at the Chatham Islands

Video file

During the 1960s and 1970s there was great demand from the United States for crayfish tails. Large volumes of crayfish were caught around the Chatham Islands during this period. This video clip shows fishermen unloading their catch from a craypot.

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TVNZ Television New Zealand

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How to cite this page

Niel Bruce and Alison MacDiarmid, Crabs, rock lobsters and other crustaceans – Rock lobster fishing, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/8241/crayfishing-at-the-chatham-islands (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Niel Bruce and Alison MacDiarmid, published 2 March 2009.