Applications for 5 mātaitai reserves along the West Coast of the South Island

Your views sought

We want your feedback on 5 applications for mātaitai reserves along the West Coast of the South Island.

Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio has applied for mātaitai reserves at:

• Paringa
• Popotai Taumaka (Open Bay Islands)
• Ōkahu (Jackson Bay)
• Tauneke (Barn Islands).

Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio and Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Waewae have jointly applied for a mātaitai reserve at Mikonui (Ross).

Fisheries New Zealand invites submissions on the applications from the local community.

This is the first of 2 consultations that will be held about the applications.

Find out about the second consultation

Application documents for the proposed reserves

• Application for a mātaitai reserve at Mikonui [PDF, 311 KB]
• Application for a mātaitai reserve at Paringa [PDF, 496 KB]
• Application for a mātaitai reserve at Popotai Taumaka [PDF, 387 KB]
• Application for a mātaitai reserve at Ōkahu [PDF, 474 KB]
• Application for a mātaitai reserve at Tauneke [PDF, 462 KB]

Area of the proposed Mikonui (Ross) Mātaitai Reserve

All that area of South Island fisheries waters enclosed by a line:

1. starting at a point on the mean high-water mark near the mouth of the Mikonui River (at 42°54.208'S and 170°45.516'E), then
2. proceeding in a straight line in a north-westerly direction for approximately 0.5km to a point offshore (at 42°54.074'S and 170°45.213'E), then
3. proceeding in a generally north-easterly direction along a line every point of which is approximately 0.5km from the mean high-water mark, for approximately 4.5 km, to a point offshore (at 42°52.624'S and 170°47.738'E), then
4. proceeding in a straight line in a south-easterly direction to a point on the mean high-water mark, approximately 215m to the north-east of the end of Ross Beach Road (at 42°52.748'S and 170°48.029'E), then
5. proceeding along the mean high-water mark in a generally south-westerly direction to the starting point.

The proposed area is approximately 1.8 square kilometres.

Map of the proposed Mikonui Mātaitai Reserve [PDF, 15 MB]

Area of the proposed Paringa Mātaitai Reserve

All that area of South Island fisheries waters enclosed by a line:

1. starting at a point on the mean high-water mark near Knights Point (at 43°42.707'S and 169°13.792'E); then
2. proceeding in a straight line in a north-westerly direction to a point offshore (at 43°42.227'S and 169°13.517'E), then
3. proceeding in a straight line in a north-easterly direction to a point offshore approximately south-west of Piakatu Point (at 43°39.156'S and 169°21.272'E), then
4. proceeding in a straight line in a north north-easterly direction to a point offshore approximately west of Awataikato Point (at 43°38.190'S and 169°22.090'E), then
5. proceeding in a straight line in a north-easterly direction to a point offshore approximately north of Tititira Head (at 43°36.920'S and 169°25.760'E), then
6. proceeding in a straight line in an east north-easterly direction to a point offshore approximately north of Buttress Point (at 43°36.720'S and 169°29.206'E), then
7. proceeding in a straight line in a southerly direction to a point on the mean high-water mark near Buttress Point (at 43°37.318'S and 169°29.210'E), then
8. proceeding along the mean high-water mark in a generally south-westerly direction to the starting point.

Map of the proposed Paringa Mātaitai Reserve [PDF, 6.6 MB]

Area of the proposed Popotai Taumaka  Mātaitai Reserve

All that area of South Island fisheries waters enclosed by a line every point of which is 1.5km from the mean high-water mark of the Open Bay Islands. The fisheries water around Bignell Reef are included in the proposed area.

Map of the proposed Popotai Taumaka Mātaitai Reserve [PDF, 3.2 MB]

Area of the proposed Ōkahu Mātaitai Reserve

1. starting at a point on the mean high-water mark at Homminy Point (at 43°58.447'S and 168°34.065'E), then
2. proceeding in a straight line in a northerly direction for approximately 725 m to a point offshore (at 43°58.057'S and 168°34.025'E), then
3. proceeding in a straight line in a north-easterly direction to a point offshore  approximately 675 m to the north of Jackson Head (at 43°57.216'S and 168°37.601'E), then
4. proceeding in a straight line in a south-easterly direction to a point on the mean high-water mark at Neil’s Beach (at 43°59.742'S and 168°39.457'E), then
5. proceeding along the mean high-water mark in a generally north-westerly direction to the starting point.

Map of the proposed Ōkahu Mātaitai Reserve [PDF, 1.2 MB]

Area of the proposed Tauneke Mātaitai Reserve

All that area of South Island fisheries waters enclosed by a line:

1. starting at a point on the mean high-water mark near the mouth of Big Cascade Creek (at 44°05.751'S and 168°18.092'E); then
2. proceeding in a straight line in a northerly direction for approximately 1.9km, to a point offshore to the northwest of the exposed rocks of the Barn Islands (at 44°04.715'S and 168°18.038'E); then
3. proceeding in a straight line in a north-easterly direction to a point on the mean high-water mark at Watson Bluff (at 44°04.311'S and 168°19.305'E); then
4. proceeding along the mean high-water mark in a generally south-westerly direction to the starting point.

The proposed area includes the fisheries waters around the Barn Islands and The Sugar Loaf.

The proposed area is approximately 3.6 square kilometres.

Map of the proposed Tauneke Mātaitai Reserve [PDF, 13 MB]

Making your submission

Submissions close at 5pm on Tuesday, 30 November 2021.

Email your submission to FMSubmissions@mpi.govt.nz

While we prefer email, you can post your submission to:

Fisheries management – Spatial planning and allocations
Fisheries New Zealand
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140.

Public notices about this consultation

Public notices calling for submissions were placed in:

• The Hokitika Guardian on 20 August  and 13 October 2021
• The Christchurch Press on 8 October 2021.

A second consultation is planned

After the local community consultation period has closed, Fisheries New Zealand will hold a second consultation.

This will invite written or electronic submissions from persons who take fish, aquatic life, or seaweed or own quota, and whose ability to take such fish, aquatic life, or seaweed, or whose ownership interest in quota may be affected by the proposed mātaitai reserves. The second consultation will be advertised in the same newspapers and on this website.

About mātaitai reserves

A mātaitai reserve is an identified traditional fishing ground and is established for the purpose of customary food gathering. Mātaitai reserves are limited to fisheries waters and do not include any land area.

Find out more about mātaitai reserves

Fisheries (South Island Customary Fishing) Regulations 1999 – NZ Legislation

Submissions are public information

Note that any submission you make becomes public information. People can ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we have to make submissions available unless we have a good reason for withholding it. That is explained in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.

Tell us if you think there are grounds to withhold specific information in your submission. Reasons might include that it's commercially sensitive or it's personal information. However, any decision Fisheries New Zealand makes to withhold information can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may tell us to release it.