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Northland Regional Council has formally declared new no-take fishing areas after the Environment Court ruled such bans can be used to protect marine areas that have significant ecological and cultural value.
The council was taken t court by Forest & Bird and Fish Forever for failing to include fishing prohibitions in its proposed regional plan.
The bans will cover Maunganui Bay (Deep Water Cove) to Oporua (Oke Bay) in the Bay of Islands as well as around the Mimiwhangata peninsula.
It also means commercial seining and trawling methods) is prohibited in a new area around Rakaumangamanga (Cape Brett) to a depth of approximately 100 metres.
Exceptions to the no-take rules include kina harvest and activities mostly associated with restoration, research and tikanga such as customary fishing.
Council chair Tui Shortland says the council is working with iwi and hapū in the implementation areas.
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