Sorry for the confusion. The answer that your friend was sent was not complete.
What it should have said was that echinoderm, molluscs and crustaceans are all included in the definition of “shellfish”.
This means that squid, octopus, and sea cucumber are all counted in the daily bag limit for “other species” of shellfish.
The daily bag limit for “other species” is 50 total.
For example:
Each person could take 50 squid, 0 octopus, 0 sea cucumber; or
10 squid, 25 octopus and 15 sea cucumber; or
0 squid, 20 octopus and 30 sea cucumber etc
Any combination that adds up to 50 total.
Other shellfish that do not have a specified bag limit like shrimp, catseyes, periwinkles, limpet, freshwater crayfish are all included in this daily combined limit of 50 as well.
Sorry again for the first answer your friend received as it did not explain fully.
Please let me know if you have any other questions
Regards
Fisheries Analyst
Ministry of Fisheries | Te Tautiaki i nga tini a Tangaroa