New marine protected areas

New rāhui tapu marine protected areas are in place in Northland.

These areas have been introduced to protect local marine ecosystems severely impacted by fishing.

Fishing and collecting kai moana (seafood) is no longer allowed:

• around the Mimiwhangata peninsula
• from Maunganui Bay (Deep Water Cove) to Opourua (Oke Bay) in the Bay of Islands.

In a third area, around Cape Brett, bulk harvesting of fish using commercial seining and trawling methods is prohibited to a depth of 100 metres.

Exceptions to the no-take rules include kina harvesting, research or restoration activities, and non- commercial Māori customary fishing rights guaranteed under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Please see the map below.

For full navigational coordinates, please visit www.nrc.govt.nz/marineareas or see your Navionics app.