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Proposed fisheries bylaws for the Horokaka Mātaitai Reserve, Māhia

UPDATE – 3 DECEMBER 2018

Consultation closed on 10 August 2018. The Minister of Fisheries has made decisions on 7 of the 8 proposed bylaws for the reserve.

These bylaws include:

  1. prohibition on taking certain species
  2. prohibition on taking spiny rock lobster during closed season
  3. maximum daily limit for spiny rock lobster
  4. maximum daily limit for kina
  5. prohibition on taking kina during closed season
  6. prohibition on using loops
  7. prohibition on using underwater breathing apparatus.
The bylaws come into effect on 11 December 2018.

Further information on the bylaws are in the New Zealand Gazette notice

Background to request

Regulation 28(1) of the Fisheries (Kaimoana Customary Fishing) Regulations 1998 allows the tangata kaitiaki/tiaki of the Horokaka Mātaitai Reserve, Māhia, to make bylaws restricting or prohibiting the take of fisheries resources for the purpose of sustainable utilisation.

Map of the Horokaka Mātaitai Reserve [PDF, 434 KB]

Feedback requested

The tangata kaitiaki of the Horokaka Mātaitai Reserve provided Fisheries New Zealand with draft bylaws for their reserve. Written feedback on the proposed bylaws could be made to the tangata kaitiaki, through Fisheries New Zealand.

Once the tangata kaitiaki has considered any public submissions, it will finalise the proposed bylaws and then ask for approval from the Minister of Fisheries. The minister must determine whether to approve or to reject the proposed bylaws.

What was proposed?

Number

Proposed bylaws for the Horokaka Mātaitai Reserve

1

Prohibition on taking certain species
A person must not take any of the following species from the Horokaka Mātaitai Reserve:

  • beach cast seaweed, cockles, conger eel, deepwater clam, freshwater eel, karengo seaweed, mussels (kuku), packhorse rock lobster, pāua, pipi, sea cucumber, seahorse, surf clams, tuatua (Tai Tonga (tuatua) tairaki).

2

Prohibition on taking spiny rock lobster during closed season
A person must not, on any day between 1 May and 30 September of any year, take any spiny rock lobster.

3

Maximum daily limit for spiny rock lobster
A person must not, on any day, take more than 3 spiny rock lobster.

4

Maximum daily limit for kina
A person must not, on any day between 1 October and 31 March of any year, take more than 25 kina.

5

Prohibition on taking kina during closed season
A person must not, on any day between 1 April and 30 September of any year, take any kina.

6

Prohibition on using loops
A person must not use a loop to take spiny rock lobster.

7

Prohibition on using underwater breathing apparatus
A person must not use underwater breathing apparatus to take fish, shellfish or seaweed.

8

Prohibition on using spear guns
A person must not use a spear gun to take fish, shellfish or seaweed.

Submissions are public information

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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 MPI makes to withhold information can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may tell us to release it.

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