Pursuant to Regulation 15 of the Marine Mammals Protection Regulations 1992, I, Martin Kessick, Acting Deputy Director-General of Conservation, hereby declare that for a period of five years from the date of this notice, no new permits for commercial operations to view dusky dolphins along the Kaikoura Coast (defined here as all those waters between the Clarence River Mouth (173°56'E, 42°10'S) and the Waiau River Mouth (173°22'E, 42°47'S) and extending out due east to 25 nautical miles from the shore) shall be granted.

This declaration does not apply to the following applications:

• Applications to renew existing dusky dolphin viewing permits for the Kaikoura Coast;
• applications for viewing dusky dolphins from kayaks that are launched from shore at Kaikoura Peninsula;
• applications for viewing dusky dolphins from aircraft; or
• applications by existing permit holders (that are permitted to view dusky dolphins along the Kaikoura Coast) to extend their area of operation to include any part of the area between the Conway River and the Waiau River, provided that there are no changes to any other permit conditions.

For the avoidance of doubt, applications to amend existing permits under Regulation 13(5) of the Marine Mammals Protection Regulations 1992 may be made.

Dated at Wellington this 20th day of November 2014.

MARTIN KESSICK, Acting Deputy Director-General.