Napier, Nugent, Meyer, Dayrell and Chanter islands seen from Raoul Island

Visiting Rangitāhua/Kermadec Islands with a permit

Introduction

These islands can only be visited if you obtain the relevant permits prior to leaving mainland New Zealand.

Rangitāhua/Kermadec Islands Nature Reserve and Marine Reserve is one of the most remote areas managed by DOC. Biosecurity conditions are in place to minimise the risk of ecological damage through the introduction of potential pest species such as rodents, invertebrates, weeds, fungi, disease, and marine pests and diseases.

Marine access

Most vessels heading to the Pacific pass near Raoul Island. The journey takes most boats 4-5 days. The waters around all the islands and rocks, out to the edge of the Territorial Sea (12 nautical miles) are part of the Kermadec Islands Marine Reserve.

This means fishing of any kind in these areas is an offence, as is the taking or disturbing of any marine life including shellfish and seaweeds. It is also an offence to take any part of the seafloor, which includes any shells and rocks.

View the maps and boundaries on Rangitāhua/Kermadec Islands Nature Reserve and Marine Reserve

Anyone thinking of going to these islands should be aware of the risks:

  • Marine charts that are old or based on poor data.
  • The area is volcanic.
  • Volcanic activity can lead to changes in the seabed depth.
  • Weather can change fast and become severe.

Navigation safety for Subantarctic and Kermadec Islands outlines how navigation safety is managed at the Kermadec (and Subantarctic) Islands and includes Operating Guidelines and GPS files that vessel operators can upload.

Access conditions

Special permission must be granted by Customs New Zealand to enter the waters or stop at the Rangitāhua/Kermadec Islands when travelling from overseas to or from New Zealand. You must travel directly from one customs clearance port to another customs clearance port.

Once this exemption has been granted, you will need to supply evidence of this to DOC. Your vessel must also meet the requirements of DOCs regional coastal plan for this area. The plan states that you will need to provide evidence of the last antifoul and maintenance on the vessel's hull, and evidence that the hull is clean. If you cannot provide this evidence, you will need to stay 1000 m off any island in the Kermadecs group. See below for more detail on clean hull requirements.

The regional coastal plan also has specific rules regarding anchorages at Raoul island:

  • General access is restricted within 300 m of shore at Raoul Island and 600m for all the other Kermadec Islands.
  • There are exceptions to those access restrictions for anchorages at Raoul, Meyer and Chanter Islands. At Raoul Island they are at Boat Cove, and for vessels up to 30m long at Fishing Rock.
  • There are two anchorage locations identified at Raoul Island that are outside the 300 m from shore restricted access zone.
    1. Denham Bay
    2. Fishing Rock.

Denham Bay and Fishing Rock are identified as preferred anchorage locations based on mariner knowledge, however, anchorage at Raoul Island more than 300 m from shore is unrestricted.

Overview of vessel requirements

  • The Islands are nature reserves and landing is by permit only.
  • The entire territorial seas of all the Kermadec Islands are a marine reserve, meaning complete no-take.
  • Discharges from vessels are restricted by the coastal plan and the Marine Reserves Act.
  • Heavy fuel oil is prohibited in the coastal marine area of the islands (to the outer limits of the territorial sea), as fuel or cargo.
  • There are vessel access and anchoring restrictions as explained above.
  • Access within 1000 m from shore, specifically, mean high water springs (MHWS) to 1000 m is restricted unless the vessel complies with clean hull rules in the regional coastal plan.
  • Hull inspections must have been carried out by an approved person.
Hull fouling inspections

Vessels intending to go inside 1000 m from mean high water springs of the islands must:

  • have and provide evidence of a current anti-fouling system (within the in-service period)
  • have completed a hull inspection (frequency depends on how old the vessels anti-fouling is).

Hull inspections must be done by an approved independent inspector to certify that your vessel has a clean hull, using the required forms.

Guidance on hull inspections including a list of approved inspectors and inspection forms can be found at Regional Coastal Plan for the Kermadec Islands. Yachting NZ Category 1 inspectors are approved to complete this for yachts. You can find a list of these inspectors on the Yachting NZ website.

Land access

The Rangitāhua/Kermadec Islands are nature reserves protected under the 1977 Reserves Act. The Act requires all visitors landing on the island to obtain and comply with an entry permit. Entry permits are only issued for Raoul Island, and stipulate what places visitors can access and when.

Raoul Island is an active volcanic site. Due to the number of known hazards heightened by the remote location, areas that can be visited on the island are restricted.

Land access conditions

Permits are subject to a number of conditions and facilitate landings to Fishing Rock only. 

To get an entry permit there are biosecurity requirements you must fulfil.

The permit does not allow for research, commercial filming, drone flying or commercial guiding. Separate permits for these activities are required.

Raoul island Map.png
Fishing Rock landing site | View larger (JPEG, 503K)

Permit requirements

  • Applications must allow a minimum of 30 working days for processing. Complex applications may take longer.
  • Due to difficult landing conditions, visitors to the island must be fit, agile and at least 12 years of age.
  • Permits are limited to two one day visits per trip with no overnight stay allowed.
  • You must fulfil all biosecurity requirements before and during your visit.
  • If you intend to travel onwards to another country, you must provide evidence of an exemption from Customs New Zealand.
Biosecurity requirements

To meet our biosecurity requirements, you must

How to apply

Before you apply, it is recommended you contact the Raoul Island team for a pre-application discussion. There is a non-refundable application fee for all entry permits.

The application form provides an estimate of costs including biosecurity inspection, quarantine, pre-departure vessel check for rodents (by conservation dogs), pre-departure hull inspection and landing fee: