Foreshore and Seabed

2 Main Elements of the Foreshore and Seabed Act

2.4 OTHER KEY AREAS

Other key areas of the Act include:

• Foreshore and Seabed Register

• Local Authority Land

2.4.1 Foreshore and Seabed Register

The Act establishes a public foreshore and seabed register as a permanent record of:

• The orders made, varied or cancelled by the Maori Land Court or High Court;

• Controls imposed on customary rights orders by the Minister of Conservation under the Resource Management Act 1991;

• Agreements entered into to recognise groups that would have had territorial customary rights, but for Crown ownership of the public foreshore and seabed; and

• Any restrictions or prohibitions on access imposed by Ministers over a wahi tapu or site of significance.

The Chief Executive of the Ministry of Justice will be responsible for this register, which will be publicly available through Ministry of Justice offices, and at the offices of local authorities.

2.4.2 Local Authority Land

Almost all foreshore and seabed that was owned by local authorities prior to 1991 was revested in the Crown by the Foreshore and Seabed Endowment Revesting Act 1991. Any remaining foreshore and seabed owned by local authorities is vested in the Crown under this Act. Where the local authority loses ownership of foreshore and seabed that it acquired by purchase, it can apply to the Minister of Conservation for redress.

Further information on the process and criteria which the Minister will apply may be obtained from the Department of Conservation.