Proposed further temporary closure at Mair Bank and Marsden Bank, Marsden Point, Whangārei, to the harvest of all shellfish

Update – 24 June 2026

Minister's decision

Following this consultation, the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries has imposed a temporary 2-year shellfish closure at Marsden Bank and Mair Bank, Marsden Point.

The closure will take effect from Monday 29 June 2026 and end on 28 June 2028.

The closure area covers Marsden Bank and Mair Bank, starting from the end of the Marsden Point Marine Terminal jetty, along the Whangārei Harbour main channel (buoys 18, 16 and 14), and then west to the shoreline.

The closure does not apply to pipi, scallop, and spiny rock lobster, because there are already closures in place for these species.

Find out more

Fisheries (Marsden Bank and Mair Bank Temporary Closure) Notice 2026 (Notice No. MPI 2007) – NZ Gazette [PDF, 28 KB]

Customary fisheries management areas, rules, and maps

Other Closures in place

Fisheries (Marsden Bank and Mair Bank, Closure of Pipi Fishery) Notice 2014 (Notice No. MPI 380)

Fisheries (SCA 1 Closure) Notice 2022 (No. 2) (MPI 1543)

Fisheries (Cape Rodney to Port Jackson Spiny Rock Lobster Closure) Notice 2025 (Notice No. MPI 1922) .

Background to this consultation

The Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust Board, on behalf of the Patuharakeke hapū, requested a further 2-year temporary closure to the harvest of all shellfish from Mair Bank and Marsden Bank, Marsden Point, Whangārei.

Consultation opened on 10 April and closed at 5pm on Monday 18 May 2026.

Proposed closure area

The approximate area of the proposed closure was 1.46 square kilometres. It included the fisheries waters at Mair Bank and Marsden Bank:

starting at the end of the Marsden Point Marine Terminal jetty
then proceeding to the Whangārei Harbour main channel port-hand buoys numbers 18, 16, and 14
then proceeding in a westerly direction to the mean high-water mark.

Map of the proposed Mair Bank and Marsden Bank temporary closure [PDF, 725 KB]

Closure request document

Request for the temporary closure [PDF, 675 KB]

Appendices to the request: evidence and letter of support

Public notice

A public notice about the call for submissions was scheduled to appear in the Northern Advocate (10 April 2026) and Bream Bay News (23 April 2026).

Information about temporary fishery closures

Section 186A of the Fisheries Act 1996 allows the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries to temporarily close an area, or temporarily restrict or prohibit the use of any fishing method in respect of an area, if satisfied that the closure, restriction, or prohibition will recognise and provide for the use and management practices of tangata whenua in the exercise of non-commercial fishing rights.

Find out more about temporary measures

Submissions are public information

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Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation