Keeping our coastal waters clean

Instant Fines for Unlawful Discharges or Dumping from Ships

All of us have a part to play in keeping our coastal water clean. It’s our playground, a food source and supports our valued marine ecosystems. We need to look after our coastal water.

The rules about discharges and dumping from ships and offshore installations are contained in the Resource Management (Marine Pollution) Regulations 1998.

Regional councils can issue infringement notices (instant fines) to those who don’t comply with the Regulations and who breach Sections 15A and 15B of the Resource Management Act 1991.

The fines can be given for unlawful discharges (such as sewage, oil or garbage) or dumping from ships. Ship means any form of water borne vessel regardless of size.

Anyone breaching the Resource Management (Marine Pollution) Regulations 1998 will be liable for a fine of $500.

The Regulations say:

Discharge of Sewage from any ship

To discharge untreated sewage from your boat you must be more than:

500 metres from shore and
500 metres from a marine farm and
500 metres from a mataitai reserve (customary fishing reserve) and
200 metres from a marine reserve and
in waters more than 5 metres deep.

But check your regional coastal plan - further restrictions on untreated sewage discharges apply in Northland and some other regions.

To discharge treated sewage from your boat you must have either a Grade A or Grade B system.

If you use a Grade A system you can discharge anywhere except within 100 metres of a marine farm.

If you use a Grade B system you can discharge anywhere except within 500 metres from a marine farm or a mataitai reserve.

The Regulations provide a list of Grade A and Grade B sewage treatment systems.

Discharge of Oil (including substances classified as oil by the Regulations)

Oil or mixtures containing oil can be discharged in the coastal marine area from your boat only if:

the oil is not derived from the cargo of the ship and
the ship is proceeding en route and
the oil content of the discharge before dilution with any other substance does not exceed 15 parts per million.

Discharge of Garbage

Discharge of plastics, dunnage (eg, matting), lining and packaging materials in the coastal marine area from your boat is prohibited.

You may only discharge other garbage, including food wastes, paper, rags, glass, metal, bottles and crockery, from your boat if:

the garbage has been ground up (to a particle size of 25 mm or less and
the discharge occurs further than 3 nautical miles from shore or further than 500 metres from any offshore installation.