There are ten marine reserves in Fiordland region of New Zealand's South Island. They protect a wide variety of species and habitats. The original two reserves were established at the request of New Zealand Federation of Commercial Fishermen in 1993. An additional eight reserves were established on the recommendation of the Guardians of Fiordland in 2005.

Hawea (Clio Rocks) Marine Reserve

Established in 2005 and covers 411 hectares. It is known for its deep water habitat and vertical-wall reefs.

Kahukura (Gold Arm) Marine Reserve

Established in 2005 and covers 464 hectares. It is known for being a very sheltered area inhabited by black and read coral.

Kutu Parera (Gaer Arm) Marine Reserve

Established in 2005 and covers 433 hectares. It is known for its estuary and shallow water environments.

Moana Uta (Wet Jacket Arm) Marine Reserve

Established in 2005 and covers 2,007 hectares. It covers a wide variety of habitats around Entry Island

Entry Island

Entry Island is an island off the east coast of the Magdalen Islands, which are part of the Canadian Province of Quebec. The island is 2 km wide and 3 km long. The island is located 12 km from the main port of Cap-aux-Meules of the Magdalen Islands. Entry Island is only accessible...

.

Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve

Established in 1993 and covers 690 hectares. It is known for its muddy-bottomed, deep water habitats and is one of the most popular sites in Fiordland for recreational diving.

Taipari Roa (Elizabeth Island) Marine Reserve

Established in 2005 and covers 613 hectares. It is known for its population of bottlenose dolphins, Fiordland crested penguins

Fiordland Penguin

The Fiordland Crested Penguin , also known as Tawaki , is a species of crested penguin from New Zealand...

, and yellow glass sponges.

Taumoana (Five Fingers Peninsula) Marine Reserve

Established in 2005 and covers 1,466 hectares. It is formed from part of the Charles Sound known for containing several unique habitats and harboring a population of paua

Paua

Pāua is the Māori name given to three species of large edible sea snails, marine gastropod molluscs which belong to the family Haliotidae , known in the United States and Australia as abalone, and in the United Kingdom as ormer shells.-Species:There are three species of New Zealand pāua:New...

, a type of abalone.

Te Awaatu Channel (The Gut) Marine Reserve

Established in 1993 and covers 93 hectares. It is known for its intertidal habitat.

Te Hapua (Sutherland Sound) Marine Reserve

Established in 2005 and covers 499 hectares. It is one of the least visited of the ten Fiordland marine reserves.

Te Tapuwae o Hua (Long Sound) Marine Reserve

Established in 2005 and covers 3,672 hectares. It is known for its population of strawberry holothurians

Sea cucumber

Sea cucumbers are echinoderms from the class Holothuroidea.They are marine animals with a leathery skin and an elongated body containing a single, branched gonad. Sea cucumbers are found on the sea floor worldwide. There are a number of holothurian species and genera, many of which are targeted...

, a type of sea cucumber.

External links

• Department of Conservation - Fiordland marine reserves A-Z
• marineNZ.org - Fiordland Marine Reserves