Marine reserves are special places to be enjoyed by everyone. They offer the chance to see rare and abundant sea creatures and environments. Walking, sailing, kayaking, snorkelling and diving are just some of the ways you can explore what is above and below the surface of our marine reserves.
Marine reserves are complete no-take areas that protect marine life for scientific study and your enjoyment. Help protect marine reserves by following these rules.
- No fishing of any kind.
- Don't take or kill marine life.
- Don't remove or disturb any marine life or materials.
- Don't feed fish - it disturbs their natural behaviour.
- Take care when anchoring to avoid damaging the sea floor.
Learn more about the marine protection in New Zealand and purposes and benefits of marine reserves.
View our parks and recreation marine reserve pages, including maps and boundaries, below. You can also see marine reserves and boundaries on DOC maps: Discover the outdoors .
Akaroa Marine Reserve, established in 2014, is one of the two marine reserves in Canterbury. It lies at the mouth of Akaroa Harbour and is 512 hectares.
Antipodes Island is the most remote of New Zealand’s subantarctic islands, over 800 km southeast of the South Island with plenty of marine life waiting to be discovered.
The Auckland Islands - Mōtū Maha Marine Reserve covers an area of about 484,000 ha in the Southern Ocean, providing breeding grounds for Southern right whales.
The waters of Bounty Islands/Moutere Hauriri have species diversity and density that is comparable to areas in the tropical and north pacific, like Galapagos island and Puget Sound.
Campbell Island/Moutere Ihupuku is New Zealand’s southern most marine reserve and is home to the giant spider crab.
Cape Rodney-Okakari Point lies north of Auckland. The marine reserve offers some of the best snorkelling and scuba diving opportunities close to Auckland. Visitors can also enjoy swimming, kayaking and walking on the beach.
Fiordland’s ten marine reserves border the Fiordland National Park and are a fantastic example of protected natural environments.
Hautai is New Zealand’s most remote mainland marine reserve - two days’ walk from the nearest road end, in an area with no formed walking tracks.
The reserve sits near the township of Kaikoura, at the point where the undersea Kaikoura canyon approaches close to the land. Visiting the reserve is an unparalleled opportunity to see whales, dolphins, seals and seabirds, and often in large numbers.
Horoirangi Marine Reserve lies north of Nelson city along the eastern side of Tasman Bay/Te Tai-o-Aorere. The reserve offers something for everyone. From walking and exploring the intertidal zone, to snorkelling, diving, kayaking and boating.
Kahurangi Marine Reserve lies off the far northwest of the South Island. Walkers on the famous Heaphy Track in Kahurangi National Park can enjoy a stroll along its southern reach.
Kapiti Marine Reserve is popular for its abundant sea life including blue moki, kingfish, seals and dolphins. It's also home for some top dive spots include the Hole-in-the-Wall underwater archway.
The Kermadec Islands Nature Reserve and Marine Reserve, located about 1,000 km northeast of New Zealand, is the most remote area managed by DOC and can only be visited with a special permit.
Just 20 km north of Auckland lies the Long Bay-Okura Marine Reserve. The reserve protects a variety of coastal habitats: sandy beaches, rocky reefs, estuarine mudflats and mangroves.
Tucked away in the Marlborough Sounds, Long Island - Kokomohua Marine Reserve is a great getaway for the whole family. Relax on a sandy beach, explore rocky reefs and admire the distinctive landscapes of the Marlborough Sounds.
The Mōtū Manawa-Pollen Island Marine Reserve protects 500 hectares of the inner reaches of Auckland's Waitemata Harbour.
Parininihi Marine Reserve showcases a slice of the north Taranaki coastline and the unique sponge gardens of Pariokariwa reef, boasting some of the highest species diversity recorded in New Zealand and around the world.
Pōhatu Marine Reserve is a sheltered bay on Banks Peninsula’s outer coastline. It is home to some characteristic marine animals like white-flippered blue penguins and New Zealand fur seals.
Beneath the waves at the Poor Knights, the caves, arches, tunnels and sheer cliffs provide a great variety of habitats to explore.
Punakaiki Marine Reserve surrounds the pancake rocks and blowholes at Dolomite Point, one of the most distinctive landscapes of the West Coast.
The 1,404 ha Tapuae Marine Reserve is on the rugged Taranaki coast close to New Plymouth and adjoins the Ngā Motu/Sugar Loaf Islands Marine Protected Area.
Taputeranga Marine Reserve is only 6 km from Wellington’s city centre. This picturesque coastline offers easy access for snorkelling, diving, tide pooling, and walking opportunities. Explore the reserve through the unique Snorkelling Trail through the waterway.
This small marine reserve was created as an educational site because of its accessibility, variety of habitats and simple beauty. This is one of the best places to see Hector dolphins without the need for a boat.
Tāwharanui Marine Reserve is good for families, with pōhutukawa lined beaches, good swimming and rockpooling.
Te Angiangi Marine Reserve protects a piece of the central Hawke's Bay coast, between Aramoana and Blackhead.
Te Matuku Marine Reserve protects one of Waiheke Island's largest and least disturbed estuaries, along with an area outside Te Matuku Bay in the Waiheke Channel.
Te Paepae o Aotea (Volkner Rocks) is a diverse and thriving ecosystem that you have to see to believe. A diver’s paradise that gives access to some of Aotearoa’s most prized marine life.
This is a special marine reserve as it's home to eight different marine habitats including inshore reef, rocky intertidal platforms and sediment flats.
The reserve protects a wide range of habitats from sandy flats to rocky reefs, offering great snorkelling and diving. Visitors to the reserve can also enjoy swimming, kayaking and viewing the interesting coastal geology.
Tonga Island Marine Reserve is renowned for its golden sand beaches, intimate coves, and excellent summer weather. Enjoy swimming, snorkelling, and kayaking along the coast of the Abel Tasman National Park.
Tūhua (Mayor Island) is a collapsed volcano on the edge of the continental shelf. The marine reserve surrounding it is a wonderful dive spot, with a mixture of shallow reef and deepwater environments.
Enjoy snorkelling, diving, and kayaking in the crystal-clear waters teeming with fish, penguins, and kelp forests.
Fed by two lagoons and the Waiho River, this marine reserve forms a protective buffer for these waterways and wetlands. It lies alongside parts of Westland Tai Poutini National Park.
From lush native coastal forest to tidal channels and out to the sea, Whanganui Inlet (Westhaven) is the first estuary in New Zealand to protect everything from the land to the sea by a combination of marine and wildlife reserves.
The marine environment in the Whangārei Harbour is of distinctive quality, and two marine areas are set aside for protection around Motukaroro (Passage) Island and at Waikaraka.