This application is notified under section 51A of the National Parks Act 1980. The Minister of Conservation has received an application to vary the head licence 45654-OTH. This head licence authorises Fiordland Lobster Company to manage the port area of Deepwater Basin on the Department’s behalf. Due to increasing health and safety concerns Fiordland Lobster Company wish to restrict access to the port area via a fence. The effect of the fence will be to restrict public access to a small area of Fiordland National Park and Crown-owned assets (wharf, berths and moorings) in the common marine and coastal area.

The Department is considering extending the term of the head licence 45654-OTH at the same time to match the lease-licence (authorising their commercial activities at this location) PAC-14-18-16 held by Fiordland Lobster Company. This would extend the term to the end of July 2030.

Fiordland Lobster Company will surrender the area of head licence outside of the fenced area.

Applicant

Applicant: Fiordland Lobster Company Limited
Location of proposed activity: Port area of Deepwater Basin in Fiordland National Park
Concession applied for: Variation to head licence
Summary of proposal: The restriction of access to the commercial port to manage an established health and safety risk via the installation of a fence across the hardstand between the petrol tanks/boat ramp, and the Fiordland Lobster Company building and ‘Whitehouse’. The purpose of this fence is to manage access to the working port area of Deepwater Basin to prevent accidents occurring due to the commercial activities occurring from this area.

Application documents:

• Fiordland Lobster Company letter outlining the current health and safety risks, and prior measures taken to manage these (PDF, 249K)
• Map of area which will have restricted access as a result of the fence (PDF, 108K)
• Signed head licence (PDF, 2,138K)

Submissions

Submissions closed 3 February 2025.

Once submitted, submitters' information is subject to the Official Information Act 1982 and may be released under that Act. If you wish to keep any part of your submission confidential, state this in writing when making your submission.

What happens next

After submissions close:

1. DOC will analyse and consider all submissions.
2. A hearing will be held if there have been requests to be heard by the Director-General. If you have expressed an interest in presenting your submission at a hearing, you'll be contacted by DOC regarding this.
3. DOC will analyse and consider information raised at the hearing if a hearing occurred.
4. DOC will make a recommendation to the Minister of Conservation.
5. The Minister of Conservation will make a decision on the application.

Decision

No details at this point. Details, such as submissions and the decision outcome, will be added when they are available.

DOC comment regarding publicly notified applications

The Minister of Conservation has made no determination regarding the suitability of the potential restriction of access at the commercial port are of Deepwater Basin in Milford Sound Piopiotahi. This public notification should not be interpreted as an intention on the part of the Minister of Conservation to approve this restriction of access.

Contact

If you have a question about the potential restriction of access or the submission process you can email DNSubmissions@doc.govt.nz, with the subject line: Submission on proposal to restrict access to part of Deepwater Basin.