Features

Aerial view of Tuhua (Mayor Island)

Tuhua (Mayor Island) Marine Reserve, north of Tauranga, was established in January 1993 to protect marine organisms and their habitats for present and future generations.

It covers about three square nautical miles at the northern end of the Island and extends from mean high water springs mark to one nautical mile offshore. The reserve includes about five kilometres of coastline from Tumutu Point east to Turanganui Point.

The east and west boundaries are marked by a pair of triangular orange and white daymarks on the shore which when lined up give the bearing of the boundary. The seaward boundary is located as described on the map.

Tuhua was once internationally renowned for its recreational fishing, diving and big game fishing, but recreational and commercial fishing and harvesting have severely depleted fish stocks. This prompted the Mayor Island Board of Trustees ‚ as representatives of the owners and tangata whenua of Tuhua ‚ to call for the establishment of a marine reserve and a complementary restricted fishing area for the Island. The proposals received widespread support.