Fisheries New Zealand is seeking public feedback after a request from iwi to extend the temporary closure of specific fishery sites in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. 

The Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan (the Plan) has recently been approved by the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries and is now being implemented. Under this plan the control of the fisheries has been taken out of the hands of democratically accountable representatives, now to be managed in a co-governance arrangement between Māori and Crown agencies.

Those seeking to gain control of the coastline are not confined to making claims under the Marine and Coastal Area Act. Although not in the same league as the nearly 600 claims under the Act, there are also a growing number of areas approved as special customary management zones, such as mātaitai reserves, (customary fishing reserves), and taiapure, (local fisheries which give Maori customary area management rights). We are also seeing increased calls by Maori entities for temporary closures and restrictions on fishing methods, and the introduction of fisheries bylaws.