Pipi
Name Scientific: Paphies australis
Availability: Year round
Attributes Length: 4–6cm
Location
They are common all around New Zealand and around the Chatham Islands. They are often found on silty sandbars or sandy beaches just inside harbour entrances, especially in areas where there is freshwater seepage. The species has a short siphon and does not burrow deeply.
Attributes Physical
Oval-shaped, bivalve shell hinged centrally. The larger shells have a concave lower edge and are usually yellow, although they can have orange-brown or black patches. Delicate cream meat with a low oil content. They should be soaked in seawater up to 24 hours to eliminate grittiness.
Family
Pipi belong to the Mesodesmatidae family (clams).
Fishing Methods
The species is harvested year-round.
Did You Know
Maori harvesting pipi in the customary fashion often use flax baskets of a special design. The weave is open and allows smaller pipi to fall back on the bed as the gatherer swirls the basket through the water.