The boundaries extend from Three Brother’s Point offshore 5 nm to a point 6.9 nm offshore to Bushy Point Beacon. The sanctuary is approximately 65,967 hectares and covers 161 km of coastline.

The NZ Gazette notice for a marine mammal sanctuary specifies the restrictions on activities within its boundaries.

Find out more about fishing regulations on the Ministry of Fisheries website.

Marine mammal protection

All marine mammals are fully protected in New Zealand waters under the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978, which DOC administers.

If you see marine mammals stranded or in distress, please contact your nearest DOC office immediately.

Related links

• Marine Mammals Protection (Catlins Coast Sanctuary) Notice 2008 (PDF, 268K)
• Marine mammals sanctuaries consultation and NZ Gazette notices of intention
• Map: Catlins Coast marine mammal sanctuary boundaries (JPG, 251K)