A recently formed community group is helping strengthen the Department of Conservation'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 to ensure people know exactly where reserves are through markers, signs and navigational apps such as MarineMate. Every fisher should know the marine reserve rules and where they can fish.
Marine reserve ranger Stew Robertson says DOC's efforts to ensure people follow the rules are being strongly supported by Coastwatch Whakatū, a project coordinated by Tasman Bay Guardians.
"Through our 0800 DOC HOT line, we receive many reports of people potentially breaching marine reserve rules," Stew says.
"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 call to the community for support led to the formation of Coastwatch Whakatū, a group of volunteers who either live near the marine reserves or spend time on the water and local beaches.
Local conservation charity Tasman Bay Guardians offered to help support and coordinate the group, allowing Stew to focus on training volunteers in the skills and knowledge needed to support compliance work.
Fisheries New Zealand, Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council are also part of the Coastwatch group. Volunteers receive training in other marine regulations, including catch limits, and are taught how to identify hazards such as pollution events, faulty navigation lights and floating debris.
Stew says continued community vigilance is needed to protect both marine reserves and the wider Tasman Bay marine environment.
"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 increased from an average of 10 a year between 2020 and 2024 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) operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, allowing DOC staff to be alerted in real time.
Anyone reporting a marine reserve incident is urged to provide as much evidence as possible, including the time and date, descriptions of vessels and people aboard them, photos or video if it is safe to collect them, vehicle or trailer registration numbers, and any other relevant details.
People who see others taking too many or undersized fish or shellfish should contact Fisheries New Zealand on 0800 POACHER and provide the same information.
People who break marine reserve rules can be fined up to $600. Serious offending can lead to prosecution, fines of up to $10,000 or up to three months in prison.
People interested in joining Coastwatch Whakatū can contact Tasman Bay Guardians. The group plans to hold training for a new intake of marine conservation volunteers in late September.
