Update – 21 January 2022
The consultation closed on 8 November 2021. The Minister for Oceans and Fisheries has decided to approve the Ōpihi Extension Mātaitai Reserve, Canterbury.
The reserve becomes effective on Friday, 11 February 2022.
Consultation background
Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua applied to extend the Ōpihi Mātaitai Reserve in the southwest corner of the Ōpihi Lagoon near Temuka, Canterbury. Fisheries New Zealand invited submissions from persons having a fishing interest in the stock or stocks in the proposed extension area. People with a fishing interest are those who take fish, aquatic life, or seaweed or own quota, and whose ability to take such fish, aquatic life, or seaweed or whose ownership interest in quota may be affected.
A mātaitai reserve is an identified traditional fishing ground and is established for the purpose of customary food gathering. Mātaitai reserves are limited to fisheries waters and do not include any land area.
Find out more about mātaitai reserves
Earlier consultation held with the local community
Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua and Fisheries New Zealand had previously consulted with the local community on the application. That consultation did not result in any changes being made to the application.
Find out more about the consultation with the local community (closed 19 July 2021)
What was proposed?
The application sought approval to extend the current Ōpihi Mātaitai Reserve to include the streams, creeks, and bodies of water that adjoin the southwest corner of the Ōpihi Lagoon area, as defined in the Fisheries (Notification of Opihi Mātaitai Reserve and Tangata Tiaki/Kaitaki) Notice 2014.
Consultation documents
Ōpihi Mātaitai Reserve extension application [PDF, 1012 KB]
Proposed extension of Ōpihi Mātaitai Reserve map [PDF, 3.1 MB]
Submissions are public information
Note that any submission you make becomes public information. People can ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we have to make submissions available unless we have a good reason for withholding it. That is explained in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.
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 Fisheries New Zealand makes to withhold information can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may tell us to release it.
