The Minister of Conservation hereby gives notice of amendments made under sections 53(1) and 57(2) of the Resource Management Act 1991 to the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement 2010 (New Zealand Gazette, 4 November 2010, No. 148, page 3710).

Pursuant to section 52(2) of the Resource Management Act 1991, Her Excellency the Governor-General, acting on the advice and with the consent of the Executive Council and on the recommendation of the Minister of Conservation (having satisfied the requirements of that Act), approves the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement Amendment 2025.

1. Title

This is the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement Amendment 2025.

2. Commencement

This amendment to the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement comes into force on 15 January 2026.

3. Principal instrument

This instrument amends the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement 2010.

4. Policy 6Amended (Activities in the Coastal Environment)

(1) In policy 6(1)(a) replace “important to” with “which may be required for”.

(2) In policy 6(1)(g):

1. replace “take into account” with “recognise”;
2. add “current and” before “future generations”.

(3) In policy 6(2)(a) add “current and” before “future generations”.

(4) After clause 6(2) insert new clause 6(3):

“(3) Where an activity is infrastructure, including renewable electricity generation or electricity transmission, an aquaculture activity, or extraction of minerals for the purpose of supporting infrastructure, (6)(1)(e), (2)(c) and (2)(d) above must be read to apply if the activity has a functional need or operational need to locate in the coastal marine area.”

(5) Insert new clause 6(4):

“(4) In this policy, ‘operational need’ and ‘functional need’ have the meanings set out in the National Planning Standards issued under section 58E of the Act.”

5. Policy 8 Amended (Aquaculture)

(1) Replace Policy 8(b) with:

“(b) taking account of the environmental (ecological, cultural, social and economic) benefits of aquaculture, including any available assessments of national and regional benefits;”

(2) In Policy 8(c) replace “.” with “; and”.

(3) Insert new Policy 8(d):

“(d) providing for aquaculture activities within aquaculture settlement areas gazetted under section 12 of the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Act 2004.”

Made at Wellington on 15 December 2025.

Hon TAMA POTAKA, Minister of Conservation.