Source: police-emblem-97
Have your say
Ngāti Wakarara – Ngāti Hau Takutai Kaitiaki Trust has requested 2 temporary closures at:
- Tangoiro/Waihirere
- Motuoroi.
Both areas are north of Gisborne. If granted, the closures would prohibit the take of finfish and shellfish (including crustaceans and rock lobster) for 2 years, under section 186A of the Fisheries Act 1996.
The request follows a rāhui and previous temporary closures. The request states that additional time is needed for:
- further population recovery after Cyclones Hale and Gabrielle
- data collection over a sufficient timescale
- to establish longer-term protection strategies.
Fisheries New Zealand invites written submissions from anyone who has an interest in the species concerned, or in the effects of fishing in the areas.
We are accepting submissions from 20 May until 5pm on 18 June 2025.
Letter requesting the closures
Tangoiro Waihirere and Motuoroi Temporary Closure Request 2025 (Redacted) [PDF, 1 MB]
The proposed closure areas
The area of the proposed Tangoiro/Waihirere temporary closure covers about 0.7 square kilometres and includes the fisheries waters offshore of Tangoiro and Waihirere Beachs. The proposed area excludes the rock platform at the southern end of Waihirere Beach.
Map of the proposed Tangoiro/Waihirere temporary closure [PDF, 625 KB]
The area of the proposed Motuoroi temporary closure covers about 1.2 square kilometres, and includes the fisheries waters between Motuoroi Island and the mainland, from the Lockwood Woolshed to south of the shore caves.
Map of the proposed Motuoroi temporary closure [PDF, 637 KB]
Map of both proposed temporary closures [PDF, 519 KB]
Making your submission
The closing date for submissions is 5pm on Wednesday 18 June 2025.
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 is scheduled to appear in the Gisborne Herald on Tuesday 20 May 2025.
About temporary closures
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 will recognise and provide for the use and management practices of tangata whenua in the exercise of non-commercial fishing rights.
Submissions are public information
Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.
People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.
If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.
