New Zealand Minister Blames ‘Ethnic Vacuum Cleaner’ for Stripping Beaches of Sea Life

Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has blamed immigration and assimilation problems after local authorities complained of beaches being stripped bare of sea life.

A reflection of a visitor is seen on the sea water in a cracked Moeraki Boulder on Koekohe Beach between the towns of Moeraki and Hampden on the Otago coast of New Zealand's South Island on March 18, 2025. Sanka Vidanagama/AFP via Getty Images

Growing concern over people stripping beaches of sea life has motivated New Zealand’s government to look at ways of preventing the practice, but since the problem is mostly with migrants, this has led to accusations of racism.

While the practice has long been of concern to many across the entire country, the matter came to a head on Jan. 17 when more than 100 residents of the small Northland town of Whangaparāoa, about 45 kilometres north of Auckland, protested at one badly affected bay.