Proposed options for bottom fishing access zones (trawl corridors) in the Hauraki Gulf

Have your say

Fisheries New Zealand is seeking your views on proposed bottom fishing restrictions in the Hauraki Gulf (Tīkapa Moana / Te Moananui-ā-Toi).

We're looking at options for establishing bottom fishing access zones, also known as trawl corridors.

The proposals seek to protect key seafloor habitats by excluding bottom trawling and Danish seining from the Hauraki Gulf, except within defined areas. 

The consultation opened on 30 August and closes at 5pm on 6 November 2023. However, late submissions will be accepted up to 5pm on 4 December 2023.

A summary of the 4 proposed options is on this page and full details are in the consultation document.

Consultation document

Proposed options for bottom fishing access zones in the Hauraki Gulf [PDF, 3.2 MB]

Related information

Revitalising the Gulf

Frequently asked questions about the proposed bottom fishing restrictions [PDF, 185 KB]

Aquatic environment and biodiversity report: Exploring the use of spatial decision support tools to identify trawl corridors in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park [PDF, 25 MB] 

Bottom-trawling ban for most of Hauraki Gulf – Government media release

Fishing methods

Supplementary information added on 10 October 2023

This information has been added at the request of submitters. The additional maps provide a representation of:

• the intensity of bottom contacting trawl effort;
• the predicted current occurrence of 9 different groups of biogenic habitat-forming taxa in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park relative to each of the 4 proposed trawl and Danish seine closure options in the consultation document.

Trawl corridors supplementary information – Biogenic, October 2023 [PDF, 4.4 MB]

Trawl corridors supplementary information – Fishing, October 2023 [PDF, 743 KB]

In addition, we’ve also made the shape file for the proposed bottom fishing access zones available:

Shape files [ZIP, 4.8 MB]

Summary of what's being proposed

Restrictions on bottom trawl and Danish seine fishing to carefully selected “bottom fishing access zones” were signalled as part of the Government's Revitalising the Gulf strategy. The strategy set out the range of actions needed to manage the effects that people have on the Hauraki Gulf. It was also a key action included in the recently approved Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan [PDF, 14 MB]

The proposed options would restrict bottom trawl and Danish Seine fishing methods in the Hauraki Gulf to defined areas to protect important benthic habitats.

• Option 1: Danish seine fishing banned from 74.1% and trawl fishing banned from 77.1% of the Gulf shallower than 200 metres* and limit these fishing methods to 6 defined zones.
• Option 2: Danish seine fishing banned from 79.4% and trawl fishing banned from 82.4% of the Gulf shallower than 200 metres and limit these fishing methods to 5 defined zones.
• Option 3: Danish seine fishing banned from 86.6% and trawl fishing banned from 88.5% of the Gulf shallower than 200 metres and limit these fishing methods to 4 defined zones.
• Option 4: Danish seine fishing banned from 87.3% and trawl fishing banned from 89.2% of the Gulf shallower than 200 metres and limit these fishing methods to 4 defined zones.

*About 3.4% of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park is deeper than 200 metres. The use of bottom contact fishing methods in areas deeper than 200 metres is outside the scope of this consultation and will need to be assessed in a separate process that includes representation of deep-water fisheries stakeholders.

Proposals developed though collaboration

Fisheries New Zealand has undertaken extensive stakeholder engagement to develop the proposed bottom fishing access zones. The options were developed using the best available scientific information by a spatial planning group which included representation by key stakeholders and with input from the Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan Advisory Group

Fisheries New Zealand engaged widely with tangata whenua with interests in the Hauraki Gulf through 2 rounds of engagement during the development of Revitalising the Gulf and the Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan. This included discussion on marine protection, fisheries priorities for iwi, and managing mobile bottom impact fishing methods. Fisheries New Zealand also undertook further engagement with iwi, prior to public consultation, on the development of options for bottom fishing access zones.

Making your submission

Email your feedback on the proposed bottom fishing restrictions by 5pm on 4 December 2023 (extended on 3 November 2023) to fmsubmissions@mpi.govt.nz

While we prefer email, you can post written submissions to:

Fisheries Management
Fisheries New Zealand
17 Maurice Wilson Avenue
PO Box 53030
Auckland Airport 2022
New Zealand.

Following this consultation, the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries will be provided with advice and submissions from the public to support making final decisions on where bottom trawling and Danish seining will be permitted in the Hauraki Gulf.

What to include

Make sure you tell us in your submission:

• the title of the consultation document
• your name and title
• your organisation's name (if you are submitting on behalf of an organisation, and whether your submission represents the whole organisation or a section of it)
• your contact details (such as phone number, address, and email).