Customary Marine Title

The Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 (MACA) provides a legal framework for iwi, hapu and whanau interested to be recognised in the marine and coastal areas around New Zealand. It gives groups the chance to obtain Customary Marine Title (CMT), which recognises that the group has an interest in a specific area of the coast and gives the group certain rights.

Environment Southland has been notified of the following applications for coastal waters in Southland, all shown in the map below:

The High Court has received four CMT applications from:

• Te Whanau o Topi; and
• Landowners of Ruapuke Island Group; and
• Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu; and
• The Pohio Whanau

Dennis Wiremu Tipene has made a successful CMT application. You can view the CMT order here.

Current effect on resource consent applications

All prospective applicants for resource consents for coastal activities in Southland must, before making the resource consent application to Environment Southland:

1) Check the map below

2) If your application is within the area covered by the CMT applications from Te Whanau o Topi, Landowners of Ruapuke Island Group, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, and the Pohio Whanau:

a) Contact the iwi groups at the provided contact details below to gather their views on the application.

b) Include any views expressed by the iwi groups in the consent application.

c) Environment Southland must return applications as incomplete if they do not include evidence of notification and the seeking of views with all relevant applicants.

d) Environment Southland will take into account the opinions of the CMT group when deciding on coastal resource consent applications.

3. If your application is within the area covered by the CMT order granted to Dennis Wiremu Tipene:

a) If the MACA defines your proposed activity as an "accommodated activity" in Sections 63 to 65, you can lodge your resource consent application without contacting the titleholder.

b) If (a) above does not apply to your application, then you must obtain a "permission right" from the titleholder, in accordance with Sections 66 to 68 of the MACA, before commencing the activity to which your consent application applies.

You can apply for resource consent with Environment Southland at any time during this process.

Permission rights refer to the right of the titleholder to give or decline permission for certain activities that would affect the marine and coastal area over which they hold title.