This report presents the South-East Marine Protection Forum’s recommendations to the Ministers of Conservation and Fisheries. The Executive Summary is a succinct precis of the recommendations contained within this report.

The Forum’s understanding of Kāi Tahu rights and interests when recommending sites for protection is initially provided, along with a brief introduction to the Forum region and process.

The Forum’s recommendations form the main body of the report. Each recommendation is prefaced by an explanation, and described in terms of its contributions to the Marine Protected Areas Policy and Implementation Plan (the MPA Policy) objectives, and its effects on existing users. In addition, Network 1 includes a recommendation for a site that sits outside the network.

Individual sites are then presented with a site-by-site rationale for their inclusion in a network, how they meet the protection standard and other matters relevant to the MPA Policy, such as the assessment of effects on existing users. More detailed site information has been provided in Appendix 1.

Following the site descriptions, the Forum has made recommendations in relation to the future management of the potential MPAs and general recommendations in regard to other significant factors.

Universal issues have also been noted to record some of the obstacles that hindered reaching consensus. These may assist future processes or reforms.

The report concludes with a description of broader issues, which were out of scope for the Forum but which some Forum members would like to bring to the attention of the Ministers