Background information
With the Minister of Conservation's approval, the Department of Conservation is proposing an amendment to one of the current management measures in Te Pēwhairangi (Bay of Islands) Marine Mammal Sanctuary. We are proposing to remove the marine mammal safe zones.
Te Pēwhairangi (Bay of Islands) Marine Mammal Sanctuary was established in 2021 to regulate human interactions with marine mammals, particularly bottlenose dolphins.
The management measures within the sanctuary include:
- People must keep out of the water within 300 m of all marine mammals (dolphins, whales, seals);
- Vessels must maintain a 300 m distance from all marine mammals and stop if the person in charge becomes aware of any marine mammal closer than 300 m. Vessels must remain stopped until any marine mammal is more than 300 m away; and
- Vessels must observe a 5-knot speed limit in two marine mammal safe zones.
The sanctuary was co-designed and is co-managed with Ngā Hapū o Pēwhairangi with the aim of limiting human and vessel interactions with all marine mammals so they can undertake critical behaviours including feeding and nursing.
Recent scientific monitoring has shown bottlenose dolphins rarely use the safe zones. High-use areas for dolphins are predominantly outside the safe zones but still within the sanctuary boundaries. This suggests focussing our efforts on enforcement of the 5-knot speed limit within the two safe zones might not be the most effective way to support the recovery of dolphin populations.
Removing the safe zones would allow DOC to focus compliance and enforcement resources on the remaining dolphin-centric, high-value management measures and enable us to provide protection where it matters most: around the dolphins, wherever they go.
Application documents:
How to make a submission
Members of the public have an opportunity to make submissions on the proposed amendment to one of the Te Pēwhairangi, (Bay of Islands) Marine Mammal Sanctuary management measures.
Submissions close 30 March 2026 at 11:59 pm.
You can also send your submission by post or email:
Post:
Consultation: Te Pēwhairangi (Bay of Islands) Marine Mammal Sanctuary Department of Conservation,
Private Bag 3072,
Hamilton 3240
Email: boimms@doc.govt.nz
Once submitted, submitters' information is subject to the Official Information Act 1982 and may be released under that Act. If you wish to keep any part of your submission confidential, state this in writing when making your submission.
What happens next
After submissions close:
- DOC and Ngā Hapū o Pēwhairangi Marine Mammal Protection Advisory Committee Rōpū will analyse all submissions received.
- DOC and Ngā Hapū o Pēwhairangi Marine Mammal Protection Advisory Committee Rōpū will make a recommendation to the Minister of Conservation based on key findings from the submissions received.
- The Minister of Conservation will make a decision on the proposed changes.
- Submissions will be published online.
Further information
- Update on the population and spatial ecology of bottlenose dolphins in the Bay of Islands, March 2025 by NIWA (PDF, 3,606K)
- Two-month status update of land-based monitoring of the Te Pēwhairangi – Bay of Islands Marine Mammal Sanctuary (PDF, 1,129K)
- Te Pēwhairangi Marine Mammal Sanctuary Review Report (PDF, 538K)
Contact
If you have any questions about the submission process, you can contact us via email: boimms@doc.govt.nz