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Proposed bylaws for 9 mātaitai on the west coast of the South Island

Have your say

Makaawhio Tangata Tiaki/Kaitiaki have proposed bylaws to maintain and improve sustainability and increase fish stocks within 9 West Coast mātaitai.

This includes changes to the recreational fishing rules for a number of fish, shellfish, and seaweed species within these mātaitai.

Submissions open on 5 December 2024 and will close at 5pm on Friday 31 January 2025.  

What's being proposed?

The 9  mātaitai are:

The proposed bylaws are different for each mātaitai but generally would:

  • prohibit taking seaweed except karengo and wakame (Undaria)
  • prohibit taking of some shellfish species
  • reduce daily limits for some fish and shellfish species
  • reduce combined daily finfish bag limits in some mātaitai
  • implement a maximum tail width for spiny rock lobster of 70mm in some mātaitai
  • implement a maximum daily limit per vessel for spiny rock lobster, pāua, blue cod, and combined finfish bag limits for some mātaitai.

Consultation document

Makaawhio Mātaitai Reserves proposed draft bylaws [PDF, 272 KB]

Making a submission

You can make submissions about the proposed draft bylaws by 5pm on Friday 31 January 2025. Email your feedback to fmsubmissions@mpi.govt.nz

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

Inshore Fisheries South
Ministry for Primary Industries
Private Bag 1926
Dunedin 9054.

A copy of the proposed bylaws may be inspected from 5 December 2024 during normal office hours at:

The Fisheries New Zealand office
73 Otaki Street
Dunedin

The Fisheries New Zealand office
14 Sir William Pickering Drive
Christchurch

Makaawhio Rūnanga office
125 Revell Street
Hokitika

Department of Conservation
Awarua/Haast Visitor Centre, Haast Junction,
Corner SH6 and Jackson Bay Road, Haast.

Definition of mātaitai reserves

A mātaitai reserve is an identified traditional fishing ground which tangata whenua have a special relationship with. They are limited to fisheries waters and do not include any land area. Mātaitai reserves do not change any existing arrangements for access to private land.

More information about mataitai reserves

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.

Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation

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