Update – 17 July 2023
Minister's decision
Following consultation, the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries has declared 5 mātaitai reserves along the west coast of the South Island. The reserves come into effect on 8 August 2023.
Commercial fishing in these mātaitai reserves is prohibited under regulation 24(2) of the Fisheries (South Island Customary Fishing) Regulations 1999, but there are some exceptions.
Commercial fishing exceptions for the reserves
For all 5 mātaitai reserves:
- Commercial fishing vessels can anchor.
- Fish taken commercially outside the mātaitai reserves can be processed inside the mātaitai reserves.
For the Paringa, Popotai Taumaka, Ōkahu and Tauneke mātaitai reserves:
- Commercial fishing for rock lobster may continue.
- The use of commercial rock lobster holding pots may continue.
For the Ōkahu Mātaitai Reserve, fish taken commercially outside the Ōkahu Mātaitai Reserve may to be landed inside the Ōkahu Mātaitai Reserve.
Reserve maps and Gazette notices
Ōkahu Mātaitai reserve map [PDF, 4.2 MB]
Paringa Mātaitai reserve map [PDF, 4.4 MB]
Paringa Mātaita Gazette notice
Popotai Taumaka Mātaitai reserve map [PDF, 1.9 MB]
Popotai Taumaka Mātaitai Gazette notice
Tauneke Mātaitai reserve map [PDF, 2.9 MB]
Tauneke Mātaitai Gazette notice
Mikonui Mātaitai reserve map [PDF, 3.3 MB]
Consultation background
We sought your feedback on 5 applications for mātaitai reserves along the West Coast of the South Island.
Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio applied for mātaitai reserves at:
- Paringa
- Popotai Taumaka (Open Bay Islands)
- Ōkahu (Jackson Bay)
- Tauneke (Barn Islands).
Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio and Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Waewae jointly applied for a mātaitai reserve at Mikonui (Ross).
Fisheries New Zealand invited submissions on the applications from the local community.
This was the first of 2 consultations that were held about the applications.
Find out about the second consultation
Application documents for the proposed reserves
Application for a mātaitai reserve at Mikonui [PDF, 311 KB]
Application for a mātaitai reserve at Paringa [PDF, 496 KB]
Application for a mātaitai reserve at Popotai Taumaka [PDF, 387 KB]
Application for a mātaitai reserve at Ōkahu [PDF, 474 KB]
Application for a mātaitai reserve at Tauneke [PDF, 462 KB]
Area of the proposed Mikonui (Ross) Mātaitai Reserve
All that area of South Island fisheries waters enclosed by a line:
- starting at a point on the mean high-water mark near the mouth of the Mikonui River (at 42°54.208'S and 170°45.516'E), then
- proceeding in a straight line in a north-westerly direction for approximately 0.5km to a point offshore (at 42°54.074'S and 170°45.213'E), then
- proceeding in a generally north-easterly direction along a line every point of which is approximately 0.5km from the mean high-water mark, for approximately 4.5 km, to a point offshore (at 42°52.624'S and 170°47.738'E), then
- proceeding in a straight line in a south-easterly direction to a point on the mean high-water mark, approximately 215m to the north-east of the end of Ross Beach Road (at 42°52.748'S and 170°48.029'E), then
- proceeding along the mean high-water mark in a generally south-westerly direction to the starting point.
The proposed area is approximately 1.8 square kilometres.
Map of the proposed Mikonui Mātaitai Reserve [PDF, 15 MB]
Area of the proposed Paringa Mātaitai Reserve
All that area of South Island fisheries waters enclosed by a line:
- starting at a point on the mean high-water mark near Knights Point (at 43°42.707'S and 169°13.792'E); then
- proceeding in a straight line in a north-westerly direction to a point offshore (at 43°42.227'S and 169°13.517'E), then
- proceeding in a straight line in a north-easterly direction to a point offshore approximately south-west of Piakatu Point (at 43°39.156'S and 169°21.272'E), then
- proceeding in a straight line in a north north-easterly direction to a point offshore approximately west of Awataikato Point (at 43°38.190'S and 169°22.090'E), then
- proceeding in a straight line in a north-easterly direction to a point offshore approximately north of Tititira Head (at 43°36.920'S and 169°25.760'E), then
- proceeding in a straight line in an east north-easterly direction to a point offshore approximately north of Buttress Point (at 43°36.720'S and 169°29.206'E), then
- proceeding in a straight line in a southerly direction to a point on the mean high-water mark near Buttress Point (at 43°37.318'S and 169°29.210'E), then
- proceeding along the mean high-water mark in a generally south-westerly direction to the starting point.
The proposed area includes the fisheries waters around Hanata Island and the Abbey Rocks.
The proposed area has an approximate 28.04 km coastline.
Map of the proposed Paringa Mātaitai Reserve [PDF, 4.4 MB]
Area of the proposed Popotai Taumaka Mātaitai Reserve
All that area of South Island fisheries waters enclosed by a line every point of which is 1.5km from the mean high-water mark of the Open Bay Islands. The fisheries water around Bignell Reef are included in the proposed area.
Map of the proposed Popotai Taumaka Mātaitai Reserve [PDF, 1.9 MB]
Area of the proposed Ōkahu Mātaitai Reserve
All that area of South Island Fisheries Waters enclosed by a line:
- starting at a point on the mean high-water mark at Homminy Point (at 43°58.447'S and 168°34.065'E), then
- proceeding in a straight line in a northerly direction for approximately 725 m to a point offshore (at 43°58.057'S and 168°34.025'E), then
- proceeding in a straight line in a north-easterly direction to a point offshore approximately 675 m to the north of Jackson Head (at 43°57.216'S and 168°37.601'E), then
- proceeding in a straight line in a south-easterly direction to a point on the mean high-water mark at Neil’s Beach (at 43°59.742'S and 168°39.457'E), then
- proceeding along the mean high-water mark in a generally north-westerly direction to the starting point.
The proposed area has an approximate 14.73 km coastline.
Map of the proposed Ōkahu Mātaitai Reserve [PDF, 1.2 MB]
Area of the proposed Tauneke Mātaitai Reserve
All that area of South Island fisheries waters enclosed by a line:
- starting at a point on the mean high-water mark near the mouth of Big Cascade Creek (at 44°05.751'S and 168°18.092'E); then
- proceeding in a straight line in a northerly direction for approximately 1.9km, to a point offshore to the northwest of the exposed rocks of the Barn Islands (at 44°04.715'S and 168°18.038'E); then
- proceeding in a straight line in a north-easterly direction to a point on the mean high-water mark at Watson Bluff (at 44°04.311'S and 168°19.305'E); then
- proceeding along the mean high-water mark in a generally south-westerly direction to the starting point.
The proposed area includes the fisheries waters around the Barn Islands and The Sugar Loaf.
The proposed area is approximately 3.6 square kilometres.
Map of the proposed Tauneke Mātaitai Reserve [PDF, 2.9 MB]
Public notices about this consultation
Public notices calling for submissions were placed in:
- The Hokitika Guardian on 20 August and 13 October 2021
- The Christchurch Press on 8 October 2021.
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 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.
