Your views sought
The Patuharakeke Rohe Moana Committee and Te Rerenga Parāoa Rohe Moana Committee have each applied for a mātaitai reserve under regulation 18 of the Fisheries (Kaimoana Customary Fishing) Regulations 1998. The applications are made on behalf of Ngāti Kahu, Parawhau, Ngāti Tu and Patuharakeke.
This is the first of 2 consultations to be held about the applications. For this consultation, we invite written submissions on the proposals from the local community.
The local community is defined as individuals who either:
- own land in proximity to the proposed mātaitai reserve, or
- have resided in proximity to the proposed reserve for a cumulative period of at least 3 months in each of the 3 consecutive years immediately prior to June 2025.
In addition, the Patuharakeke Rohe Moana Committee, Te Rerenga Parāoa Rohe Moana Committee, and Fisheries New Zealand invite the local community to attend a meeting to discuss the applications.
Find out about the second consultation
The proposed areas
Patuharakeke Mahinga Mātaitai Reserve: Approximately 115 square kilometres of fisheries waters along the coastline between the intersection of State Highway 1 and Springfield Road, near Oakleigh, south Whangārei, to the eastern end of Andersons Cove, Bream Tail, and includes Bream Bay, Northland.
Poupouwhenua Mahinga Mātaitai Reserve: Approximately 1 square kilometre of offshore fisheries waters near Marsden Point, Whangārei Harbour, adjoining the proposed Patuharakeke mātaitai reserve.
Consultation documents
Application for the Patuharakeke Mahinga Mātaitai Reserve [PDF, 28 MB]
Application for the Poupouwhenua Mahinga Mātaitai Reserve [PDF, 365 KB]
Map of proposed Patuharakeke Mahinga Mātaitai Reserve [PNG, 947 KB]
Map of proposed Poupouwhenua Mahinga Mātaitai Reserve [PNG, 938 KB]
Making your submission
Submissions close at 5pm on Friday 21 August 2026.
Email your submission to FMSubmissions@mpi.govt.nz
State in your submission which of the proposed mātaitai reserves, or both, your submission relates to.
While we prefer email, you can post your submission to:
Fisheries management – spatial allocations
Fisheries New Zealand
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140.
Public notices about this consultation
Public notices about the meeting with the local community and the call for submissions from the local community are scheduled to appear in:
- The Northern Advocate on 9 July and 20 July
- Northland Age on 9 July and 21 July
- Bream Bay News on 15 July and 23 July.
Local community meetings
The local community is invited to attend a meeting to discuss the applications. This meeting will be held at:
- Marsden Yacht and Boat Club
- 6pm on Thursday 30 July 2026
- One Tree Point Boat Ramp, One Tree Point Road, Ruakaka.
A second consultation is planned
After the local community consultation has closed, Fisheries New Zealand will hold a second consultation.
This will invite written submissions from persons having a fishing interest in the stock or stocks in the proposed areas.
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 which tangata whenua have a special relationship with.
Mātaitai reserves 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.
Mātaitai reserves do not affect private landowners’ land titles or their ability to exercise resource consents for such things as taking water or extracting gravel or sand. Resource consents are managed under the Resource Management Act 1991.
Find out more about mātaitai reserves
Fisheries (South Island Customary Fishing) Regulations 1999 – NZ Legislation
Mātaitai reserves do not change the recreational fishing rules. However, the tangata tiaki/kaitiaki for a mātaitai reserve may propose changes to the rules at a later date. These are called mātaitai reserve bylaws. Any proposed bylaws will be consulted on separately with the public and relevant stakeholders. They need to be approved by the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries.
Mātaitai reserves do not have an impact on whitebait or trout fishing.
Commercial fishing is banned in a mātaitai reserve.