Update – March 2022
Online public meeting about a mātaitai reserve application
Fisheries New Zealand and Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke (Rāpaki) Rūnanga invite members of the local community to attend an online public meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss a request by Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke (Rāpaki) Rūnanga to extend the Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupō Mātaitai Reserve.
During the meeting, you will be able to ask questions to Fisheries New Zealand and MPI representatives, and representatives from Rāpaki Rūnanga.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we are holding this public meeting on Zoom on 5 April from 7pm to 8.30pm. Zoom registration link
The closing date for submissions on the application has been extended to 5pm on Monday 18 April 2022.
Email your submission to FMSubmissions@mpi.govt.nz
Your views sought
Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke (Rāpaki) Rūnanga has applied to extend the Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupō Mātaitai Reserve to include the outer harbour, adjoining the eastern boundary of the existing reserve.
Fisheries New Zealand invites submissions on the proposal from the local community. Fisheries New Zealand and Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke (Rāpaki) Rūnanga will hold a public meeting to discuss the application. The date of the meeting is yet to be confirmed. It will be held in accordance with the COVID-19 Protection Framework.
This is the first of 2 consultations that will be held about the application.
Find out about the second consultation
What's being proposed?
The proposed extension covers all that area of South Island fisheries waters enclosed by a line:
- starting at a point on the mean high-water mark near the eastern extremity of Ōtokitoki / Gollans Bay at 43°35.950’S and 172°45.450’E, then
- proceeding along the mean high-water mark in a generally north-easterly direction to a point at Awaroa / Godley Head at 43°35.234’S and 172°48.535’E, then
- proceeding in a straight line in a south-easterly direction to a point on the mean high-water mark at Te Piaka / Adderley Head at 43°36.228’S and 172°49.566’E, then
- proceeding along the mean high-water mark in a generally south-westerly direction to a point near the eastern extremity of Deep Gully Bay at 43°37.092’S and 172°46.147’E, then
- proceeding in a straight line in a north-westerly direction to the starting point.
The approximate area of the proposed mātaitai extension is 11.08 square kilometres.
Consultation documents
Map of the proposed extension to the Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupō Mātaitai Reserve [PDF, 7.8 MB]
Application from Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke (Rāpaki) Rūnanga to extend the Whakaraupo Mātaitai Reserve [PDF, 468 KB]
Public meeting to be announced
A further notice will be published to advertise a public meeting with the local community to discuss the application. The public meeting will be held in accordance with the COVID-19 Protection Framework.
Making your submission
Submissions close at 5pm on Monday, 18 April 2022.
Email your submission to FMSubmissions@mpi.govt.nz
While we prefer email, you can post your submission to:
Fisheries management – Spatial planning and allocations
Fisheries New Zealand
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140
Public notices about this consultation
Public notices about the call for submissions are scheduled to appear as follows:
The Christchurch Press:
- 16 February 2022
- 24 February 2022
The Bay Harbour News:
- 23 February 2022
- 2 March 2022
A second consultation is planned
After the local community consultation period has closed, Fisheries New Zealand will hold a second consultation.
This will invite written or electronic submissions from persons who take fish, aquatic life, or seaweed or own quota, and whose ability to take such fish, aquatic life, or seaweed, or whose ownership interest in quota may be affected by the proposed mātaitai reserve.
The second consultation will be advertised in the same newspapers and on this website.
About mātaitai reserves
A mātaitai reserve is an identified traditional fishing ground and is established for the purpose of customary food gathering. Mātaitai reserves are limited to fisheries waters and do not include any land area.
Find out more about mātaitai reserves
Fisheries (South Island Customary Fishing) Regulations 1999 – NZ legislation
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.
