Aramoana Conservation Group spokesman Adrienne Hall told a recent conservation board meeting there was a "massive gap" in conservation protection along Otago's coast.
"We'd love to see it filled."
Mr Langsbury had attended a symposium organised by the board on the region's coastline and the issue had struck a chord with the group, which has worked hard to protect Aramoana's salt marsh, he said.
"We would like to see Otago move ahead and push strongly [for a marine protected area]."
Mr Langsbury said the board had written to Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson after the symposium, outlining its concern Otago still had no marine reserves and asking when it could expect to see some progress on marine conservation in the region.
The board continued to advocate for marine protection in Otago but he "did not see it happening in the near future", Mr Langsbury said.
However, all assistance advocating marine protected areas from groups such as the Aramoana Conservation Group would be helpful, he said.
In a letter to the board, Ms Wilkinson said she was aware of the marine biodiversity and special characteristics of the Otago coastline and could understand "your frustration at the apparent lack" of protection in the region.
From the Government's point of view, it was important for priorities to be established and for it to have a "thorough understanding of the fundamental values throughout the inshore marine environment" to identify where there were knowledge gaps and where habitats were not protected, she said.
Doc and the Ministry of Fisheries were working to gather that information and she hoped it would be available later in the year for Government consideration.
