Toheroa ( Paphies ventricosa ) were formerly abundant on west and south‐facing New Zealand surf beaches. Harvesting of this surf clam was intense during the early to mid‐1900s, and populations declined to levels where harvesting was no longer viable. Despite having now been protected for 35–45 years, toheroa have failed to recover. This paper reviews the history of human interactions with toheroa and our understanding of their...