View all high protection and seafloor protection areas and marine reserves in Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana.

High protection area

This kind of protection aims to protect, restore, and enhance marine life in the depleted Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana by reducing human impacts on the environment.

You can

• Carefully anchor your boat.
• Snorkel, kayak, swim and boat, so long as you don’t harm marine life.
• Take just a handful of shells or driftwood.
• Practise authorised customary fishing.
• Get a permit to actively restore the ecosystem.

Visit MPI Māori customary fishing for customary fishing authorisation. 

You can't

• Go recreational or commercial fishing.
• Take any seafood, including by diving or collecting by hand.
• Discharge sewerage and waste.
• Land aircraft, including drones
• Disturb sea life and habitats, such as construction, destruction, drilling, vibrations, explosions and introducing living organisms.

A permit is required to carry out active restoration activities and other prohibited activities. Visit Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana permits for more information.

Exceptions

Limited commercial fishing is provided for in two of the 12 HPAs -– Rangitoto and Motutapu HPA and Kawau HPA. This is subject to review in three years' time. 

This commercial fishing exception is limited to ring-net fishing by operators who ring-net fished in 2021, 2022 and/or 2023, and have an authorisation from DOC. It can only happen between 1 March - 31 August, and can only target kahawai, grey mullet and/or trevally.

These regulations outline further conditions: Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection (Ring Net Fishing) Regulations 2025.

Seafloor protection area

This kind of protection aims to maintain and restore important seafloor habitats, by removing activities that have an impact on the seafloor. It protects sensitive species such as sponges and corals.

You can

• Carefully anchor your boat.
• Do low impact fishing, such as line fishing, spear fishing, diving, harvesting by hand, so long as you do not damage the sea floor.
• Snorkel, kayak, swim and boat, so long as you don’t damage the sea floor.

You can't

• Operate high impact fishing methods, such as, bottom trawling, dredging, Danish seining.
• Discharge sewerage and waste.
• Disturb sea life and habitats, such as construction, destruction, drilling, vibrations, explosions and introducing living organisms.

A permit is required to carry out active restoration activities and other prohibited activities. Visit Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana permits for more information.

Mokohīnau Islands Seafloor Protection Area

Activities you also can't do:

• set netting
• potting
• bottom longlining.

You can apply for a permit to carry out these activities. Visit Activities in the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana: Apply for a permit for more information.

Marine reserve

• No fishing, netting, taking or killing of any marine life.
• No polluting, disturbing or damaging the marine environment.
• No removing any natural materials.
• No feeding the fish – this disturbs their natural behaviour.

More information 

See the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Act 2025 for the full legislation for high protection areas and seafloor protection areas.