Have your say
Taranaki iwi and hapū have requested a 2-year closure of the fisheries waters along the western Taranaki coastline under section 186A of the Fisheries Act 1996. The requested closure would prohibit the taking of:
- all shellfish (except rock lobster)
- all seaweeds (excluding beach-cast seaweed)
- all anemones
- all stingrays
- both conger eel species (Conger wilsoni and Conger verreauxi).
The request follows a rāhui and a previous temporary closure. The request states that additional time is needed to assist the recovery of shellfish populations, enable further data collection, and provide for the development of a longer-term protection strategy.
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.
This consultation opened on 6 August and closes on 16 September 2026.
Consultation documents
Request from Taranaki iwi and hapū for western Taranaki temporary closure [PDF, 11 MB]
List of species affected by the closure (submitted by Taranaki iwi and hapū). [PDF, 133 KB]
The proposed closure area
The proposed area covers approximately 112 square kilometres of fisheries waters along 63 km of Taranaki's western coastline. The area extends from Tapuae Stream (boundary of the Tapuae Marine Reserve) to Taungatara Stream (south-east of Opunake) and offshore to 1 nautical mile.
Map of the proposed western Taranaki temporary closure [PDF, 926 KB]
Making your submission
The closing date for submissions is 5pm on Wednesday 16 September 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
A public notice about the call for submissions was scheduled to appear in the Taranaki Daily News on 3 August 2026, the Taranaki Star on Thursday 6 August 2026, and the Opunake & Coastal News on Thursday 13 August 2026.
Related information
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 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.