Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki have applied for a mātaitai reserve offshore of Puketeraki, East Otago.
A local community meeting will be held at the Puketeraki Marae at 520 Apes Road, Karitane at 7:00pm on Thursday 21 August 2025, to discuss the application
The proposed area includes approximately 47.5 sq km of South Island fisheries waters enclosed by a line drawn between Cornish Head (Ohineamio) and Purehurehu Point (west of Heyward Point) and the seaward boundary of the East Otago Taiāpure-Local Fishery. The southern boundary of the proposed area between Potato Point and Purehurehu Point is the mean high-water mark.
Fisheries New Zealand invites submissions from the local community on the application. A copy of the application, a map of the proposed area, and information on making a submission are available on the Ministry for Primary Industries website: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/ consultations
Submissions can be made until 5pm on Thursday 4 September 2025. A further consultation seeking submissions from anyone who fishes or owns quota in the area of the proposed mātaitai reserve will take place following the conclusion of the local community consultation.
A mātaitai reserve is an identified traditional fishing ground which tangata whenua have a special relationship with. Mātaitai reserves are limited to fisheries waters and do not include any land area. Mātaitai reserves do not change any existing arrangements for access to private land.
Mātaitai reserves do not change the recreational fishing rules. However, the Tangata Tiaki/Kaitiaki for a mātaitai reserve may propose changes to the rules at a later date. These are called mātaitai reserve bylaws. Any proposed bylaws will be consulted on separately with the public and relevant stakeholders. They need to be approved by the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries.
Commercial fishing is generally banned in a mātaitai reserve; however the applicants have proposed conditions to allow some commercial fishing activities to continue.
