Mātaitai bylaws for the Ōpihi Mātaitai near Temuka

Your views sought

The Tangata Tiaki/Kaitiaki of the Ōpihi Mātaitai proposed a bylaw to reduce the daily bag limit for pātiki (flat fish) to 10 per person within the Ōpihi Mātaitai reserve boundaries.

Fisheries New Zealand invited written submissions in response to the proposed bylaw from persons who have an interest in the stock concerned.

Submissions closed on 23 August 2019.

Background

Previously, the daily bag limit for pātiki within the Ōphihi Mātaitai Reserve was 30 per person, as set out in the Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013.

Given increasing fishing within the mātaitai area, which includes the lower reaches and lagoons associated with the mouth of the Ōpihi River, the Tangata Tiaki/Kaitiaki proposed to reduce the daily bag limit within the mātaitai to 10 pātiki per person.

The proposed bylaw was necessary to:

• enhance and maintain the pātiki fishery
• ensure access for customary and recreational fishers who have less fishing capacity
• ensure the long term future of the fishery.

Related documents

Proposed mātaitai bylaw for the Ōpihi Mātaitai [PDF, 762 KB]

A map of the proposed area [PDF, 3.5 MB]

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