Proposed temporary fishing closure of the Leigh-Tawharanui area, north of Auckland

Background to this consultation

The Protect Rock Pools Committee requested a temporary fishing closure of the fisheries waters along a coastal strip approximately 360m wide, between the Cape Rodney–Okakari Point Marine Reserve (commonly known as the Leigh or Goat Island Marine Reserve) and the Tawharanui Marine Reserve, excluding Whangateau Harbour.

The requested temporary closure would have prohibited hand-gathering of all species of fish, aquatic life, or seaweed, except pāua, rock lobster, kina, cockles, pipis, dredge oysters, scallops, and tuatua. The requested temporary closure was for a 2-year period.

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.

Submissions closed on 31 January 2022.

Find out more about temporary closures

Hand gathering

Hand gathering is the use of the hands to take fish, aquatic life, or seaweed. This includes shore picking, diving, and hand-digging for shellfish.

Hand gathering is different than line or spear fishing.

• Line fishing refers to the use of a line, to which hooks (whether baited or not) are attached, that that is set, moored, or placed, and capable of taking fish.
• Spear fishing means the use of any device/implement capable of puncturing the flesh/exoskeleton of fish but does not include any gaff/similar device used solely for the landing of finfish. The use of rubber-powered spear guns and slings compressed gas pneumatic-powered spear guns are examples of spear fishing.

Find out more about the rules for fishing methods

What was proposed?

The proposed temporary closure covered all that area of New Zealand fisheries waters enclosed by a line:

• starting at a point on the mean high-water mark on the eastern boundary of the Cape Rodney–Okakari Point Marine Reserve at 36°16.638'S and 174°49.296'E; then
• proceeding in a straight line in a northerly direction to a point approximately 360m offshore, on the eastern boundary of the Cape Rodney–Okakari Point Marine Reserve, at 36°16.443'S and 174°49.296'E; then
• proceeding in a generally south-westerly then south-easterly direction along a line, every point of which is approximately 360m offshore from the mean high-water mark to a point offshore north of the western boundary of the Tawharanui Marine Reserve at 36°21.486'S and 174°49.256'E; then
• proceeding in a straight line in a southerly direction to a point on the mean high-water mark on the western boundary of the Tawharanui Marine Reserve at 36°21.735'S and 174°49.259'E; then
  
• proceeding along the mean high-water mark in a generally north-westerly direction to a point at approximately the middle groyne at Te Tamutu Point at the southern entrance of Whangateau Harbour at 36°19.312'S and 174°46.789'E; then
  
• proceeding in a straight line to a point on the mean high-water mark on Ti Point at 36°19.184'S and 174°47.024'E; then
• proceeding in a generally north-easterly direction along the mean high-water mark to the starting point.

Map of the proposed Leigh-Tawharanui temporary closure [PDF, 5.1 MB]

The request document

Application for a temporary closure at Leigh-Tawharanui [PDF, 613 KB]

Public notice

A public notice about the call for submissions was scheduled to appear in the New Zealand Herald and Mahurangi Matters newspapers on 29 November 2021.

Background to the request

Section 186A of the Fisheries Act 1996 provides that the Minister for Oceans and 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.

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