Marine Reserves Defined

The Future of Marine Reserves

Contents: Easy

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A marine reserve is a protected area of the sea. They are safe places for native plants and animals.

What is a marine reserve?

A marine reserve is a protected area of the sea. They include habitats such as estuaries, rocky and sandy shores, mangrove forests, reefs and open ocean. Laws protect all species in a marine reserve. You can’t fish or take any animals or plants from the reserve. Also protected are non-living things such as sand, shells and rocks.

Why are marine reserves important?

Marine reserves protect some of our special habitats, plants and animals. They are safe places where native animals can live, breed and grow.

Marine reserves help to:

protect biodiversity
boost the numbers of fish and food species
allow people to study untouched marine environments
protect ecosystems from any threats
increase recreation and tourism for New Zealand.

Who looks after our marine reserves?

The Department of Conservation (DOC) looks after marine reserves in New Zealand. Local councils and volunteers help DOC.

Where are our marine reserves?

There are marine reserves around the coast of New Zealand and some offshore islands.

See where they are here: www.doc.govt.nz/marinereserves and www.doc.govt.nz/marine-reserves-map.

Ready for a quiz? Try the Marine Reserves Defined activity.

Audio Māori keywords:

Check out Introducing Marine Reserves from DOC's Protecting our Marine World education resource for activities to do before and after the field trip.

Marine reserves are protected areas of the sea. They protect some of New Zealand's special habitats, plants and animals. Image: Andrew Penny, LEARNZ.

Marine reserves are protected areas of the sea. They protect some of New Zealand's special habitats, plants and animals. Image: Andrew Penny, LEARNZ.

Laws protect all species within a marine reserve. You can’t fish or take any animals or plants from the reserve. Image: Andrew Penny, LEARNZ.

Laws protect all species within a marine reserve. You can’t fish or take any animals or plants from the reserve. Image: Andrew Penny, LEARNZ.

Marine reserves are safe environments where native animals can live, breed and grow. Image: Andrew Penny, LEARNZ.

Marine reserves are safe environments where native animals can live, breed and grow. Image: Andrew Penny, LEARNZ.

Marine reserves allow people to study untouched marine environments. They can show what the marine environment once looked like, before human impacts. Image: Andrew Penny, LEARNZ.

Marine reserves allow people to study untouched marine environments. They can show what the marine environment once looked like, before human impacts. Image: Andrew Penny, LEARNZ.

Marine reserves increase recreation and tourism opportunities for New Zealand. Image: Andrew Penny, LEARNZ.

Marine reserves increase recreation and tourism opportunities for New Zealand. Image: Andrew Penny, LEARNZ.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) is responsible for looking after the marine reserves in New Zealand. Local councils and volunteers also help DOC to protect these important places. Image: Andrew Penny, LEARNZ.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) is responsible for looking after the marine reserves in New Zealand. Local councils and volunteers also help DOC to protect these important places. Image: Andrew Penny, LEARNZ.

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