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.
Submissions closed 30 March 2026
Members of the public had the opportunity to make submissions on the proposed amendment to one of the Te Pēwhairangi, (Bay of Islands) Marine Mammal Sanctuary management measures. Submissions closed 30 March 2026 at 11.59 pm.
Submissions received
Parts of the advice have been redacted in accordance with the Official Information Act (OIA). Where any information has been redacted, the applicable section of OIA has been identified with the redaction.
Te Pēwhairangi (Bay of Islands) Marine Mammal Sanctuary rules were amended following public consultation
A change to the rules in Te Pēwhairangi (Bay of Islands) Marine Mammal Sanctuary has removed the two designated marine mammal safe zones. These zones, which covered about 7% of the sanctuary, required vessels to travel at speeds of no more than 5 knots.
This change follows a review by DOC and Ngā Hapū o Pēwhairangi Marine Mammal Protection Advisory Committee Rōpū on the effectiveness of the Sanctuary rules, with public consultation undertaken throughout March 2026.
The amendment to Te Pēwhairangi (Bay of Islands) Marine Mammal Sanctuary rules is in effect as of 4 July 2026.
The remaining management measures within the sanctuary include:
- People must keep out of the water within 300 m of all marine mammals (dolphins, whales, seals); and
- 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.
Removing the safe zones allows DOC to focus compliance and enforcement resources on the remaining dolphin-centric management measures.
NZ Gazette notice
Consultation document and map
The public consultation document ‘A proposal to improve the effectiveness of the Marine Mammal Sanctuary by removing one of the current management measures: the marine mammal safe zones' includes more information about:
- the problem
- the proposal, and
- next steps and how to make a submission.
Consultation document (PDF, 453K)
View a map with the proposed changes (PDF, 3,533K)
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)