Sites and areas of significance to Māori include sites, places and features of historical, cultural and spiritual significance to tangata whenua. In the coastal marine area, they may include seascape features, reefs and toka (rocks), wāhi tapu, urupā, tauranga waka (canoe landing sites), wetlands (ngā repo), mahinga kai (food gathering areas), marae and taonga. It is important that these sites and areas of significance to Māori are protected, and that the effects of activities within or in proximity to such sites and areas are assessed and appropriately managed.

Sites identified in Schedule 6 have been identified by Waikato Regional Council from existing sources, including treaty settlement and iwi planning documents, but are not necessarily all sites of significance to Māori in the coastal marine area. Some important sites have a "silent file" status and are not identified in Schedule 6 to this plan. Only Māori can identify their taonga (and other cultural and traditional values). The plan provides for this identification following consultation and the participation of tangata whenua in their identification.

Sites and areas of significance to Māori were modified from Areas of Significant Conservation Value (ASCV) as defined by the Regional Coastal Plan 27th October 2005, and the Whanganui-A-Hei Marine Reserve area was sourced from the DOC marine data portal in June 2023. The original ASCV GIS layers were digitised from the scanned copies of maps stored within the Appendix of the proposed Regional Coastal Plan in 2005, therefore the 2005 data sources within this data layer indicates the general location of features only. The features in update in 2023 will have a higher level of data accuracy.

SASM layer update May 2024. 

The sites and areas of significance to Māori (SASM) and outstanding natural features and landscapes (Seascapes) map layers in the notified version of the proposed regional coastal plan were found to extend slightly landward of the indicative coastal marine area (CMA) boundary line in a number of small and discrete locations around the coastline of the region, beyond the jurisdictional boundary of the proposed plan.

These have been addressed through a single GIS assessment of the coastline, to inform a clause 16(2) process, prior to the hearings (see https://discover.wairc.govt.nz/otcs/llisapi.dll/Overview/28497487).

Waikato Regional Council metadata link: 

https://oradblive.wairc.govt.nz:8443/ords/f?p=135:2:6683492767397::NO::P2_METADATA_ID:11898