Mataitai being assessed

Five South Island mataitai came into effect last week, but it could be some time before a decision on the proposed Otago Harbour mataitai is reached.

Since 2000 the Ministry of Fisheries has received 36 mataitai reserve applications, of which five were approved last month and came into effect on Thursday.

They are the Oreti Mataitai Reserve, near Invercargill, the Pikomamaku, Kihuka and Horomamae within the Titi Islands, and the Wairewa Mataitai Reserve, which is on the southwestern side of Banks Peninsula.

For the remaining applications, the required consultation between the local community and commercial fishers had been completed for 21 proposed mataitai, with the remaining 10 at various stages in the application process, MFish spatial allocations manager Randall Bess said.

Of those 31 applications, 20 were for South Island fishery waters and the remaining 11 were for the North Island.

Each application would be assessed by the ministry before advising the Ministry of Fisheries, he said.

Consultation for the Otago mataitai had been completed.

The application was still to be assessed against the regulatory criteria before the minister was advised, Mr Bess said.

"MFish is currently unable to advise when assessment of the Otago application will be completed and therefore, when a decision is likely."

The Otago Harbour application was lodged by Otakou runanga in October 2008.

hamish.mcneilly@odt.co.nz

Add a Comment