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Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton has rejected an application for a marine reserve to be established at Great Barrier Island.
The Department of Conservation lodged an application to name an area of 495 sq km on the northeast coast of the Hauraki Gulf island in 2004.
It was approved by the Minister of Conservation in 2005, but had to be approved by the Ministers of Transport and Fisheries.
Mr Anderton said yesterday he did not believe the interests of the public would be best served by creating a large no-take marine reserve in the remote area.
He had consulted residents, local hapu, Ngati Rehua and the iwi, Ngatiwai.
"Great Barrier Island is isolated with few shops and limited services. Many residents rely on the sea for food. Many also rely on fishing-related tourism, either directly or indirectly."
Mr Anderton said the marine reserve would have excluded Ngati Rehua from some of their traditional fishing grounds.
- NZPA
