Part 1Preliminary provisions
Purpose and acknowledgements
4Purpose
The purpose of this Act is to—
- establish a durable scheme to ensure the protection of the legitimate interests of all New Zealanders in the marine and coastal area of New Zealand; and
- recognise the mana tuku iho exercised in the marine and coastal area by iwi, hapū, and whānau as tangata whenua; and
- provide for the exercise of customary interests in the common marine and coastal area; and
- acknowledge the Treaty of Waitangi (te Tiriti o Waitangi).
To that end, this Act—
- repeals the Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004 and restores customary interests extinguished by that Act; and
- contributes to the continuing exercise of mana tuku iho in the marine and coastal area; and
- gives legal expression to customary interests; and
- recognises and protects the exercise of existing lawful rights and uses in the marine and coastal area; and
- recognises, through the protection of public rights of access, navigation, and fishing, the importance of the common marine and coastal area—
- for its intrinsic worth; and
- for the benefit, use, and enjoyment of the public of New Zealand.
- for its intrinsic worth; and