Proposed change to the coastal plan for the Kermadec and Subantarctic Islands: 2025 consultations

Have your say on Proposed Plan Change 1 – Regional Coastal Plan: Kermadec and Subantarctic Islands. Submissions closed 22 October 2025. The Minister now invites further submissions, closes midnight 12 December 2025

Background

The Minister of Conservation acts as a local authority for the Kermadec and Subantarctic Islands and developed the Regional Coastal Plan: Kermadec and Subantarctic Islands 2017.

These islands are unique and remote, up to 1000 km away. They support many indigenous species, some that only breed on these islands. Many species are globally threatened or at risk and rely on both the land and marine environments. Some species migrate across hemispheres or ocean basins and are internationally significant (listed under International Conventions). These include species of whales, seabirds and marine turtles.

Biosecurity of both the marine and terrestrial environments is critical. Millions of dollars have been spent on pest eradications and work to keep these islands predator free.

The Coastal Plan seeks to preserve these values. Because vessels are generally the only way to get to the islands, two critical matters that the coastal plan manages are the risk of oil spill and the risk of introducing marine pests via hull biofouling.

The proposed changes

The following summarises the proposed changes to the Coastal Plan:

Vessel hull inspections
- New inspection requirements to reduce the risk of introducing marine pests in vessel hull biofouling. (Applies to both groups of islands).
Changes to access and anchoring rules that relate to navigation safety and protection of wildlife and the environment, including:
- Allowing operators of vessels longer than 125 m to apply for a resource consent (a coastal permit) to access Perseverance Harbour on Campbell Island, which is currently prohibited. This allows access to a tourist landing site at the head of the harbour.
- Restricting ancillary craft (such as zodiacs) from travelling too far from the main ship as this is a high-risk activity in these environments. (These changes will apply two both groups of islands).
- Tightening restrictions on vessels accessing Port Ross in the Auckland Islands during the winter months when the tohorā/southern right whales are present in large and increasing numbers. This is to reduce risk of collision, pollution of the environment and injury to the whales.
- Providing more safe anchorage options for small vessels, including the Southern Ocean scampi fleet vessels for sheltering from bad weather in Carnley Harbour of Auckland Island.
Clarify the natural character status of both island groups
- A technical change to the Plan that describes issues to be managed to clarify that all the coastal marine area of both groups of islands is of outstanding natural character.
Statutory acknowledgements
- The statutory acknowledgements of both Ngāti Kuri and Te Aupōuri will be included in the Plan as part of this plan change. Both iwi settled with the Crown in 2015, after the operative Plan had been notified in 2011.
- The inclusion of statutory acknowledgements is a legal requirement and will not be subject to submissions.

Why we are proposing these changes

Under section 31A of the Resource Management Act, the Minister of Conservation has the responsibilities, duties and powers of a local authority in respect of the Subantarctic and Kermadec Islands and their coastal marine areas. Section 64 of the Act requires there to be a regional coastal plan for a region at all times. The Regional Coastal Plan: Kermadec and Subantarctic Islands became operative on 15 September 2017.

Through implementation of the Plan (since notification in 2011) DOC has identified some changes considered necessary to address matters of health and safety and for the protection of the environment.

Summary of Submissions

The submission received have been reported on both by submitter and by provisions proposed to be changed.

Supporting documents

The following documents have been prepared in support of Proposed Plan Change 1:

Submissions received

How to make a further submission

Further submissions can be made by persons who made submissions limited to matters raised in the submissions. Any person representing a relevant aspect of the public interest or who has an interest in the proposed plan greater than the general public can make a further submission. However, further submissions can only support or oppose an original submission listed in the summary. It is not an opportunity to make a fresh submission on matters not raised in the submissions.

Further submissions close on 12 December 2025 at midnight.

Submission form:

Complete the submission form and send it us by post or email.

Post:

Department of Conservation
Private Bag 3072
Hamilton 3240

Attention: Jesse Gooding, RSP Resource Management Team

Email: planchange1@doc.govt.nz
Subject line: Further Submission on Plan Change 1 to the Regional Coastal Plan: Kermadec and Subantarctic Islands

What happens next

We invited submissions and have now summarised and publicly notified the submissions and a summary of the submissions received. There is a 10 working day period to further submit to support or oppose submissions.

Once we have received all further submissions, we will prepare a report that includes:

a summary and analysis of the submissions and further submissions
recommendations on which parts of the proposed plan change to adopt, remove or modify.

We will then hold a hearing if submitters have indicated they want to be heard. If you choose to be heard, we will notify you of the hearing date and you will have an opportunity to present oral submissions.

Contact

If you have any questions about the application or the submission process, contact us via email: planchange1@doc.govt.nz