Tawharanui Marine Park
Tawharanui Marine Park was established in 1981 on the northern coast of Tawharanui Peninsula covering an area of approximately 400 hectares, about one and a half hours north of Auckland.
New marine reserve established
After a successful application by the Auckland Regional Council, the Tāwharanui Marine Reserve will come into force on 15 September 2011.
The new marine reserve is in approximately the same location as the Tawharanui Marine Park. The boundaries of the marine reserve differ slightly from the marine park. However, the protected area remains about the same size of 400 hectares.
View a map of the Tāwharanui Marine Reserve and Tawharanui Marine Park boundaries (PDF, 42K)
The Tāwharanui Marine Reserve will be administered by the Department of Conservation.
What happens to the marine park?
Once the Tāwharanui Marine Reserve comes into force on 15 September 2011, steps will be taken to disestablish the Tawharanui Marine Park. This will involve a request to the Chief Executive of Fisheries to revoke the fisheries regulations that prohibit fishing in the marine park.
Tawharanui Marine Park rules
Until the Tawharanui Marine Park is disestablished, the marine park rules still apply to the small areas of the park which are outside the new marine reserve. Special fisheries regulations prohibit the taking of all marine life within a three kilometre length of the shore and out to half a nautical mile from the coast.