The area now under rāhui covers roughly half the Whāngarei Harbour.
It runs from the upper harbour’s Kissing Point down to Manganese Point on the harbour’s northern side and across to Takahiwai on the harbour’s southern shoreline and back to Kissing Point.
Its northern harbour boundary stretches down from Kissing Point Marina, with its distinctive blue boat sheds, following the coastline to the Onerahi Peninsula. It encompasses the full Onerahi shoreline including Kaiwaka Point, the Onerahi Boat Ramp, and Onerahi Wharf.
From Onerahi, the rāhui boundary continues down the northern harbour shoreline through the Whangārei Marine Reserve at Waikaraka and Tamaterau to Manganese Point.
The rāhui’s seaward boundary runs from Manganese Point across the harbour to Takahiwai.
From there it heads back up the harbour following the shoreline back towards the city, via Hewlett Point and across the mouth of the Mangapai River to Golden Bay’s Portland cement works. It continues through the southern shoreline’s mangrove forests, takes in all of Port Whangārei, and returns to the marine services area opposite Kissing Point.
The rāhui includes all the waters around Matakohe Limestone Island.
It will remain in place for two weeks by which time it is hoped the missing man might have been located. The no fishing zone would then be reviewed.
Police are continuing to appeal to the public, and in particular to motorists who were in the Beach Road area in Onerahi on the morning of Sunday, October 20, between 8am-11am, for any sightings or information that might assist the search.
“If you have any dashcam footage or information that may assist, please update us at 105 online or call 105 referencing file number 241021/1742,” Detective Sergeant Paul Overton said.
Sarah Curtis is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on a wide range of issues. She has nearly 20 years’ experience in journalism, much of which she spent court reporting. She is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.
