Proposed temporary closure around Waiheke Island to the harvest of scallops, mussels, rock lobster, and pāua

Background to this consultation

Ngāti Pāoa requested a temporary closure to the harvest of scallops, mussels, rock lobster, and pāua from Waiheke Island.

The request was for a 2-year closure.

Fisheries New Zealand invited written submissions in response to the request from persons who have an interest in the species concerned or in the effects of fishing in the area concerned.

The proposed temporary closure requested covered all that area of New Zealand fisheries waters within 1 nautical mile offshore from the mean high-water mark of Waiheke Island.

Find out more about temporary closures

Consultation documents

Waiheke Island application [PDF, 378 KB]

Proposed Waiheke Island temporary closure map [PDF, 4.3 MB]

Public notice

A public notice about the call for submissions was scheduled to appear in the New Zealand Herald and Gulf News on Thursday, 4 February 2021 and the Waiheke Weekender on Thursday 11 February 2021.

Background to the request

Section 186A of the Fisheries Act 1996 provides that the Minister of Fisheries may temporarily close an area, or temporarily restrict or prohibit the use of any fishing method in respect of an area if satisfied that the closure, restriction, or prohibition will recognise and provide for the use and management practices of tangata whenua in the exercise of non-commercial fishing rights.

Temporary closures apply to recreation, commercial and customary fishing, but have no effect on marine farming.

Ngāti Pāoa consider that a temporary closure will recognise and provide for the customary management practices of tangata whenua in the exercise of their non-commercial fishing rights and allow time for scallop, mussel, rock lobster, and pāua stocks in the area to replenish and increase in number and size.

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.