Pursuant to section 6 of the Wildlife Act 1953 the Minister of Conservation gives the following notice.

Notice

1. Title

This notice is the Wildlife (Sooty Shearwater (Hākoakoa) Harvest from Mangere Island) Notice 2024.

2. Commencement

This notice comes into force on 1 March 2025.

3. Expiry of Notice

This notice expires and is revoked at the close of 31 May 2029.

4. Interpretation

(1) Unless the context requires otherwise, terms used in this notice have the same meaning as in the Wildlife Act 1953.

(2) In this notice—

chick means any downy sooty shearwater that still occupies a burrow and has not yet fledged.

sooty shearwater means the species of bird Ardenna grisea (formerly known as Puffinus griseus), and also known as Hākoakoa.

5. Scope of notice

(1) This notice applies only in regard to chicks on Mangere Island Nature Reserve.

(2) This notice imposes conditions on—

(a) the hunting or killing of any chick; and

(b) the removal of any chick from Mangere Island Nature Reserve.

6. Sooty shearwater may be hunted or killed

(1) This notice enables:

(a) Levi Lanauze;

(b) Jason Ryan;

(c) Danielle McQuarrie;

(d) Malcolm Lanauze;

(e) Heidi Lanauze;

(f) Claude Ryan; and

(g) Cole Lanauze.

to hunt or kill chicks—

(a) during each period specified in clause 7; and

(b) subject to the conditions specified clause 8.

7. Season and times chicks may be hunted or killed

(1) Each person specified in clause 6(1) may hunt or kill chicks during each of the following periods:

(a) from the commencement of this notice on 1 March 2025 until the close of 31 May 2025;

(b) between 1 March and 31 May 2026;

(c) between 1 March and 31 May 2027;

(d) between 1 March and 31 May 2028; and

(e) between 1 March and 31 May 2029.

8. Authorised take limited to no more than 50 chicks in total per year

(1) Each person specified in clause 6 may only hunt or kill any chick when fewer than 50 chicks in total have been taken in the same calendar year under this notice.

(2) Each person specified in clause 6(1) must avoid causing any damage to any burrow and other natural features and vegetation when taking any chick.

(3) Each person specified in clause 6(1) may install access hatches in up to 10 Sooty Shearwater burrows during the first hunt or kill season in 2025 stipulated in clause 7. In the event access hatches are installed, photographs of the hatches must be taken post installation and each modified burrow must be marked. The photographs of the modified burrows along with the names of each person who modified the burrows must be provided to the Wairarapa Chatham Islands Operations Manager within 1 month of being taken.

(4) Each person specified in clause 6(1) may install access hatches in Sooty Shearwater burrows during the 2026 hunt or kill season and/or subsequent seasons stipulated in clause 7 subject to written approval from the Wairarapa Chatham Islands Operations Manager.

(5) When hunting and killing any chicks, each person specified in clause 6(1) must use methods that are humane and minimise distress and pain felt by chicks.

(6) This notice applies only when each person specified in clause 6 accesses Mangere Island Nature Reserve in accordance with a permit granted under section 57 of the Reserves Act 1977 and complies with all the conditions specified in such permit.

Dated at Wellington this 13th day of December 2024.

Hon TAMA POTAKA, Minister of Conservation.