One of the highlights of a holiday in GOLDEN BAY has to be the drive
along the edge of the vast estuary known as Westhaven, or Whanganui Inlet.
This is the second-largest estuary in the South Island and as well as
being a beautiful landscape it is an important fishing and wildlife area.
Recognising the great natural values of Westhaven and the firm desire of
local people to keep their estuary free from the sad decline which is
evident in estuaries such as the Manukau, the Department of Conservation
proposed Marine Reserve status for the inlet and, after a considerable
amount of public consultation, not one but two types of reserves have come
into being.
In the southwesterly end of the inlet, from Pah Point towards Mangarakau,
the estuary is now Marine Reserve, where all plants and animals are
protected - no fish, shellfish, whitebait or seaweed may be taken. In the
north-eastern two thirds of the inlet things are different; this area is a
Wildlife Management Reserve, where commercial fishing is prohibited, as
are certain "indiscriminate-catch" types of net, but where all
other traditional types of fishing, plus whitebaiting and duck-shooting,
are encouraged.
