PROPOSED ARAHURA AND TOTARA/ROSS MATAITAI RESERVES
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Te Runanga o Ngati Waewae and Te Runanga o Makaawhio have jointly applied to the Minister of Fisheries to establish a mätaitai reserve at Totara/Ross, and Te Runanga o Ngati Waewae has applied as the sole applicant to establish a mataitai reserve at Arahura.
Pursuant to Regulation 18 of the Fisheries (South Island Customary Fishing) Regulations 1999, a public notice calling from submissions from the local community in relation to the applications was published in the Greymouth Star on Friday the 17th and 24th of April, and in the West Coast Messenger on Wednesday 22 April.
A copy of the public notice, which includes a map showing the locations of the proposed mätaitai reserve areas, is available for download below.
Download Public Notice (PDF 271KB)
Written submissions in response to these applications are invited from the local communities are requested by Monday 25 May 2009, addressed to:
Spatial Allocations Manager
Ministry of Fisheries
PO Box 1020
Wellington
Randall.Bess@fish.govt.nz
Copies of the applications and maps of the proposed areas are also available from the above address.
A previous notice advertised the Totara/Ross and Arahura applications with others along the West Coast. Any submissions received at that time will be considered for these two applications.
Further notices will be advertised regarding a public meeting with the local communities and an invitation for written submissions from those persons who take fish, aquatic life or seaweed or own quota, and whose ability to take such fish, aquatic life or seaweed or whose ownership interest in quota may be affected by the proposed mataitai reserves.
A mätaitai reserve is an identified traditional fishing ground in fisheries waters established for the purpose of non-commercial customary food gathering. A mätaitai reserve applies to all species managed under the Fisheries Act 1996, and does not apply to species managed under the Conservation Act 1987, such as whitebait.
Further information on mätaitai reserves is available here.