The Department of Conservation’s announcement sparked widespread celebration among conservation stakeholders.
Although some fishing interests responded more cautiously to the news, key industry body Seafood NZ also expressed pleasure at the growth in sea lion numbers.
"Seafood NZ is delighted to see the mainland population of New Zealand sea lions continue to grow.
"The rebuilding of this sea lion population was one of the objectives in the Sea Lion Threat Management Plan, so this is welcome news.
"Sea lions are a part of the marine environment and while they eat some of the fish that we also catch, the industry manages our fisheries with the ecosystem in mind," a spokeswoman said.
To be considered a breeding colony, at least 35 pups must be born for five consecutive seasons.
Doc said, if this occurred, it would give Otago the first breeding colony on mainland New Zealand, excluding Stewart Island/Rakiura, for 150 years.
Te Rūnaka o Ōtākou chief executive Nadia Wesley-Smith said it was an important milestone for the local sea lion population.
"This represents a significant amount of mahi from many dedicated whānau and members of our wider Ōtepoti community.
"While we celebrate this occasion, we continue to strengthen ongoing conservation efforts ..."
Doc Coastal Otago biodiversity ranger Moss Thompson said it was a milestone more than 30 years in the making.
"This is an incredible success story and reflects the ... work by mana whenua, conservationists and the Otago community who have all championed the return of this taoka species to our coastlines.
"While it’s not a guarantee of what might come in years to follow, it’s a significant win for a species that was almost lost from the mainland entirely."
Recreational fishing organisation Fish Mainland Southland regional director Alan Key expressed concerns regarding the overlap of people with what could sometimes be an "aggressive" species.
Mainland growth could be due to population overflow elsewhere, as they sought more space and resources, he said.
"There are those who are anti-sea lion within recreational and commercial fishing, but I don’t see [sea lions] as an issue in that respect.
"What we have seen, even recently, is an increase in aggressive incidents between people and sea lions and that problem will only grow as the mainland population grows."
New Zealand Sea Lion Trust chairman Shaun McConkey was thrilled about the record number of pups this season.
"As the numbers continue to increase, we will need to work out ways to share our coastlines with these large, charismatic taoka," he said.
The occasionally "boisterous" animals needed to be treated with care.
"Sea lions, especially pups, may approach vehicles or people, or rest in unexpected places.
"Slow down when driving along coastal roads and always keep dogs under control.
"You never know what might be around the corner."
Pakake are among the rarest sea lion species in the world.
Once widespread across South Island coastlines and parts of the North Island, the species began to decline due to hunting.
By the early 20th century, they were functionally extinct on mainland New Zealand.
That changed in 1993, when a single female, known as "Mum", became the first New Zealand sea lion in more than 100 years to give birth on the mainland — in Otago.
The main breeding colonies on Campbell and Auckland Islands in the New Zealand subantarctic continue to experience serious population declines.
