Have your say
The Kaikōura Marine Guardians, in conjunction with Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura, have requested a temporary closure of the rock lobster fisheries in the Kaikōura Marine Area. The request has been made under section 186B of the Fisheries Act 1996.
The requested closure would prohibit taking of rock lobster from 1 July 2026 to 30 September 2026. Your feedback is specifically sought on the suitability of these dates. It is intended to give rock lobster populations an opportunity to rebuild in the area while a wider review of management settings for the CRA5 (Canterbury/Marlborough) rock lobster stock is underway.
Fisheries New Zealand invites written submissions from anyone who has an interest in the fish stock concerned, or in the effects of fishing in the area concerned.
Closure request document
Temporary seasonal closure for rock lobster fishing at Kaikōura [PDF, 275 KB]
The proposed closure area
The proposed closure covers approximately 1,521 square kilometres and includes all the South Island fisheries waters within the area defined as Te Whata o Rakihouia i Te Tai o Marokura – Kaikōura Marine Area in Schedule 1 of the Kaikōura (Te Tai o Marokura) Marine Management Act 2014.
This area extends from the mean high-water mark out to 12 nautical miles offshore and covers a stretch of coast running from Clarence Point southwards along the mean high-water mark to a point 300 metres north of the mouth of the Conway River.
Map of the proposed temporary closure [PDF, 430 KB]
Making your submission
The closing date for submissions is 5pm on Monday 18 May 2026.
Email your submission to FMSubmissions@mpi.govt.nz
While we prefer email, you can post your submission to:
Spatial Allocations
Fisheries Management
Fisheries New Zealand
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140.
Public notice
Public notices about the call for submissions are scheduled to appear in the Christchurch Press on Wednesday 8 April 2026, the North Canterbury News on Thursday 9 April 2026, The Weekend Express (Marlborough) on Saturday 11 April 2026, the Blenheim Sun on Wednesday 15 April 2026 and the Kaikoura Star on Thursday 16 April 2026.
Related information
Section 186B of the Fisheries Act 1996 allows the director-general of the Ministry for Primary Industries 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 is likely to assist in recognising and providing for the use and management practices of tangata whenua in the exercise of non-commercial fishing rights.
