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Proposed temporary closure of Waimarama, Hawke's Bay, to the harvest of blackfoot pāua

UPDATE – DECEMBER 2020

Minister’s decision

Following consultation, the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries has decided to temporarily close Waimārama to the take of blackfoot pāua between 23 December 2020 and 22 December 2022, inclusive.

Proposed Waimārama Temporary Closure [PDF, 1.9 MB]

A map of the closed area [PDF, 6.5 MB]

Your views sought

Ngāi Hapū o Waimarama has requested a temporary closure to the harvest of blackfoot pāua, from Waimarama, Hawke’s Bay.
The request is for a 2-year closure.

Fisheries New Zealand invites written submissions in response to the request from persons who have an interest in the species concerned or in the effects of fishing in the area concerned.

Find out more about temporary closures

Map of the proposed closure area

Proposed Waimarama temporary closure [PDF, 3.2 MB]

Area boundaries

The approximate area of the proposed temporary closure includes all those fisheries waters within the following lines:

  • starting at a point on the mean high-water mark at Whakapau Point at 39°41.019'S and 177°03.793'E; then
  • proceeding in a straight line in an east south-easterly direction for 2 nautical miles to a point offshore at 39°41.542'S and 177°06.296'E; then
  • proceeding along a line in a generally south south-westerly direction, every point of which is 2 nautical miles from the mean high-water mark, to a point offshore at 39°52.511'S and 177°01.427'E; then
  • proceeding in a straight line in a west north-westerly direction to a point on the mean high-water mark at Huarau at 39°52.003'S and 176°58.913'E; then
  • proceeding in a generally north north-easterly direction along the mean-high-water mark to the starting point.

The closure request

Download a copy of the request [PDF, 311 KB]

Making your submission

The closing date for submissions is 5pm on Wednesday, 2 December 2020.

Email your submission to FMSubmissions@mpi.govt.nz

While we prefer email, you can post your submission to:

Spatial Planning and Allocations
Fisheries Management
Fisheries New Zealand
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140.

Public notice

A public notice about the call for submissions is scheduled to appear in the Hawke’s Bay Today on 5 November 2020.

Background to the request

Section 186A of the Fisheries Act 1996 provides that the Minister of Fisheries may 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.

Ngāi Hapū o Waimarama considers that a further 2-year closure will:

  • recognise and provide for the management practices of Ngāi Hapū o Waimarama in their exercise of non-commercial fishing rights
  • enable blackfoot pāua to replenish and increase in number and size.

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.