Nice rocks Sootypete, I know exactly where they came from but wont say…probably the most valuable pounamu around.
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What is the legality of gathering actual Pounamu not just pretty “Green stones” .
I’ve been told no you have to be iwi, to you can take what you can carry. 
Sort of feel a bit worried about karma,
that’s it goldborough you are so f##ked if you have been picking it up and keeping it
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Beaches are mostly fine- look up the pounamu management plan.
I would discount the modern myth of kama Goldsborough- many a hapu has been ambushed, raided and robbed/murdered for their pounamu. Its history is littered with bad deeds to gain ownership. Snaffling a bit off a beach that papatuanuku has gifted you from the earth is hardly comparable.
it is a strange law. a mate and me went to the coast a couple years ago. me for fishing. him to get greenstone. thought he would do it legit. contacted some maori lady in hokitika that was a government official to do with maori rights etc. she said you can take what you can carry. went for a look around greenstone shops. guy there said you cant take any from anywhere. probably a bit of protecting his supplies in that answer though… finally we had a look at some greenstone items in a second hand shop and the guy there said the greenstone was there before the maori. its everyones not theirs. f*** them. take what you like. lol.
The southern west coast iwi, Makaawhio have closed off another great mineral, Aotea. They are now trying to close off the rights for poeple to find the odd bit on Hunts Beach, Makaawhoi Point. It is very unfair as whiteys like to collect nice minerals and carve stones as well. You can email nzpam@mbie.govt.nz to voice disapproval to the extension of land to MP41724 The more people write the better on this, as it is the only place in the world this mineral is found, and the tribe wants to lock people out entirely. Ive been on Hunts Beach and met people who go there just to find it and are stoked to bits when they find one 100g pebble.
I also had permission from a Maori woman I did some work for on the Coast, called Sister Tui. She gave me her blessing and opened up a farm for access.
I think that is called Agenda 21 through indigenous rights.
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