A recently formed community group is helping to supercharge DOC's compliance work at Tasman Bay's two marine reserves.
DOC manages marine reserves at Tonga Island in Abel Tasman National Park and Horoirangi just north of Nelson. Staff work hard to ensure people know exactly where reserves are through markers, signs and navigational apps such as MarineMate. Every fisher should know marine reserve rules and where they can fish.
Marine Reserve Ranger Stew Robertson says DOC's efforts to ensure people follow the marine reserve rules are being strongly supported by Coastwatch Whakatū, a project co-ordinated by Tasman Bay Guardians.
"Through our 0800 DOC HOT line, we receive many reports of people potentially breaching marine reserve rules," says Stew.
"That information is valuable: it's helped us find offenders, prevent offending and if something has already happened, we either educate or issue fines.
"But one of the challenges we've faced is we didn't get information in as timely a way as we'd like, or it was lacking the detail we needed to investigate.
"DOC staff patrol the marine reserves regularly, but we can't be there all the time. That's why DOC relies on the general public to help.
A subsequent call to the community for support led to the formation of Coastwatch Whakatū – a group of passionate volunteers who either live near the marine reserves or spend time on the ocean or beaches.
Local conservation charity Tasman Bay Guardians offered to help support and co-ordinate the group, so Stew could focus on the training of the Coastwatch volunteers in the skills and information needed to support compliance work.
Fisheries NZ, Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council are also part of the Coastwatch group as the community volunteers are also trained in other marine rules like catch limits and other hazards around the bays, such as pollution events, faulty navigation lights and floating hazards like logs.
Stew says continued vigilance by the community is needed to protect the two marine reserves and the wider Tasman Bay marine areas.
"After a rise in compliance incidents last year across our marine reserves we have seen a slight dip this year – but it's still twice as many as the three years previously."
Incidents across the two marine reserves rose from an average of 10 annually from 2020 to 2024, before a spike to 24 incidents in 2025.
"If you see someone breaking the marine reserve rules – for example fishing inside a marine reserve – call it in to 0800 DOC HOT."
The 0800 DOC HOT line (0800 362 468) is maintained 24 hours a day seven days a week and means DOC staff can be alerted in real time.
Anyone reporting a marine reserve incident is urged to provide as much evidence as they can – for example time and date, descriptions of vessels and people aboard them, photos or videos if it's safe to collect them, as well as licence plate numbers of vehicles or trailers – and anything else witnesses may see.
If you see people taking too many or undersized fish or shellfish, you should call Fisheries NZ on 0800 POACHER, with the same details.
People who break marine reserve rules can be fined up to $600, or if the offending is serious, they can be prosecuted and face up to $10,000 in fines or three months in prison.
People interested in joining Coastwatch Whakatū should contact Coast Watch – Tasman Bay Guardians. The group is planning to hold training for a new intake of marine conservation volunteers in late September.
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