Date:  02 June 2026 Source:  Joint media release DOC and Kāi Tahu

The five new marine reserves, due to come into effect next month, will protect special and unique marine habitats and marine life along the Otago coast. Together they will cover 308 square kilometres or four per cent of the Otago coastal marine area.

Previously known as the South-East Marine Protection Network (SEMP), Te Au Roa o Te Rakihouia acknowledges Kāi Tahu ancestral explorers and long-standing connections to the coastal landscape of southeast Te Waipounamu.

Kāi Tahu rangatira Edward Ellison, who is Upoko of Te Rūnanga o Ōtakou, says the creation of the marine protection network is a pivotal step toward promoting the long-term health of this precious marine environment.

“The name Te Au Roa o Te Rakihouia refers to the long wake or enduring ocean pathway of Te Rakihouia, son of the great explorer Rākaihautū and the first-known human to journey along and around the coastline of the South Island, conveying the enduring relationship between our people and the moana,” he says.

“Having governance and management structures in place that recognise the rakatirataka and kaitiakitaka of Te Rūnanga o Moeraki, Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki and Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou in our respective rohe will help ensure that decisions around the management of Te Au Roa reflect our customary practices and local knowledge of these coastal areas.

“Te Au Roa will complement the existing mātaitai and taiāpure reserves, providing the opportunity for habitats and animals within the reserve network to become more abundant and diverse over time while sustaining our deep connection with the moana and coastline.”

DOC and Kaī Tahu will work in partnership to co-manage the marine reserves once they are in place.

DOC Operations Director Aaron Fleming says the partnership with Kāi Tahu to manage the marine reserves is a new approach that brings together the knowledge systems and responsibilities of Kāi Tahu and DOC.

“This is new for marine reserve management in Te Waipounamu and Aotearoa. Our partnership with Kāi Tahu means we’ll share decision-making and a new team of DOC and Kaī Tahu rangers will carry out day-to-day management and monitoring of the marine reserves.

“We see this as an opportunity to work together to improve conservation outcomes and enable these special marine ecosystems to flourish for the benefit of everyone.

“We’re excited to get to this point and look forward to the benefits marine protection will bring to Otago’s amazing marine life and the region.”

Preparations are well underway for the marine reserves including surveying and developing maps, signage and clear information for the public. A team of nine rangers is being recruited, and baseline monitoring is underway to understand the current state of habitats and species, serving as a benchmark for assessing change once protections are in place.

Marine reserves are fully protected areas that minimise human disturbance, allowing marine life and ecosystems to return to a more natural state. They are ‘no take’ areas open for everyone to explore and enjoy.

The marine reserves were gazetted on 28 May and will come into effect on 1 July 2026.

Further information

The marine reserves were approved in 2023 and are part of a marine protection network that includes five proposed Type 2 marine protected areas with fisheries management measures and a proposed kelp protection area, which Fisheries New Zealand (part of the Ministry for Primary Industries) is progressing.

The network aims to safeguard important marine habitats and biodiversity, complementing existing mātaitai reserves and taiāpure in the region. It’s the result of work that began more than 13 years ago through a collaborative process involving Kāi Tahu, fishing, environmental, science, tourism and community interests.

The boundaries of a sixth marine reserve, Te Umukōau, are being reconsidered following consultation with the Otago Rock Lobster Industry Association and others involved in recent judicial review proceedings. The Minister of Conservation will decide on the new boundaries.

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