Have your say
Fisheries New Zealand is seeking your views on:
- draft guidelines for identifying a habitat of particular significance for fisheries management, and
- draft operational proposals for how Fisheries New Zealand will take into account that a habitat of particular significance for fisheries management should be protected when developing fisheries management advice according to section 9c of the Fisheries Act 1996
Summary of what’s being proposed
Fisheries New Zealand is progressing towards ecosystem-based management – an integrated approach to managing competing values and uses of marine resources, while maintaining the ecosystems that support them. This progress is supported by a number of initiatives delivered under the oceans and fisheries work programme and Te Mana o te Taiao – Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy.
One of these initiatives is our proposed draft guidelines for identifying a habitat of particular significance for fisheries management. The guidelines will inform habitat identification and provide greater transparency on our fisheries management advice.
The draft guidelines will:
- provide an overview of the environmental principle of section 9c of the Fisheries Act 1996
- provide a working definition for habitats of significance
- note that we will work with tāngata whenua on how habitats of significance of taonga species could be identified
- identify information that will be used to identify habitats of significance
- outline a process for identifying habitats of significance
- outline a process for identifying potential for adverse effects on habitats of significance
- propose how habitats of significance will be formally documented and notified
- outline processes to prioritise and support ongoing information gathering and habitats of significance identification
- identify research underway that will support future habitats of significance identification.
The draft operational proposals present how Fisheries New Zealand proposes to:
- take into account that habitats of significance should be protected in fisheries management advice
- identify matters that will influence how we take section 9c of the Act into account
- consider non-fishing stressors on habitats of significance.
We want your feedback
You might be interested in telling us what you think about the proposals if you are:
- a customary fisher
- a recreational or commercial fisher
- from a regional or unitary council
- interested in the sustainability and health of New Zealand's marine environment
Consultation documents
Draft guidelines for identifying a habitat of particular significance for fisheries management [PDF, 509 KB]
Draft operational proposals for habitats of significance [PDF, 235 KB]
Related documents
Frequently asked questions on identifying habitats of particular significance [PDF, 202 KB]
Habitat of particular significance for fisheries management (HoS) example registers [PDF, 171 KB]
Research projects [PDF, 242 KB]
Making your submission
Send us your comments about the consultation documents.
Email your submission to FMSubmissions@mpi.govt.nz
We invite general feedback on the 2 documents. There are also specific consultation questions in both the documents.
The consultation will be open until 18 November 2022. Following consultation, we will consider feedback and revise the guidelines.
Submissions are public information
Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.
People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.
If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.
