Proposed temporary closure at Taranaki

Background to this consultation

Taranaki iwi applied for a temporary closure under section 186A of the Fisheries Act 1996 to the harvest of all seaweed (excluding beach cast seaweed), all anemones, both Conger Eel species (Conger wilsoni and Conger verreauxi) and all shellfish along the Taranaki coast. All shellfish is defined as all species of the phylum Echinodermata and phylum Mollusca and all species of the class Crustacea at any stage of their life history, whether living or dead. This includes, but is not limited to, rock lobster, all crabs, octopus, pāua, kina and pupu (casteye).

Fisheries New Zealand invited written submissions on the requests from persons who had an interest in the stocks concerned or in the effects of fishing in the area concerned.

Section 186A of the Fisheries Act 1996 allows the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries to 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.

Find out more about temporary closures

Reasons for the request

Taranaki iwi considered that the temporary closure would:

• provide time for pāua and other taonga species that are being overfished, the opportunity to regenerate
• give legal effect to the customary rāhui in place, strengthening the potential for kai taonga to regenerate to levels of sustainability which would ensure their continued survival for the benefit of future generations.

Letter requesting the closure

Scanned letter from Taranaki iwi [PDF, 253 KB]

The proposed closure area

Area of the proposed Taranaki temporary closure included all that area of New Zealand fisheries waters enclosed by a line:

• starting at a point on the mean high-water mark on the south bank of the Herekawe Stream mouth (at 39° 04.153'S and 174° 01.084'E); then 
• proceeding in a straight line in a north-westerly direction, following the boundary of the Tapuae Marine Reserve, to a point 2 nautical miles offshore from the mean high-water mark (at 39° 02.048'S and 173° 59.596'E); then 
• proceeding along a line in a generally south-westerly then south-easterly direction, every point of which is 2 nautical miles from the mean high-water mark, to a point offshore (at 39° 35.249'S and 173° 59.374'E); then 
• proceeding in a straight-line due north to a point on the mean high-water mark on the western side of the Rawa Stream mouth (at 39° 33.203'E and 173° 59.374'E); then 
• proceeding in a generally north-westerly then north-easterly direction along the mean high-water mark to the starting point.  

The proposed area was about 300 square kilometres.

Map of the proposed Taranaki temporary closure [PDF, 9.7 MB]

Public notice

A public notice calling for submissions on the proposed Taranaki temporary closure was placed in the Taranaki Daily News and Stratford Press on Wednesday 10 August and North Taranaki Midweek, Taranaki Star and Opunake and Coastal News on Thursday 11 August 2022.

Submissions are public information

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Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation