The February 2026 Notices to Mariners set out a series of changes skippers need to be aware of before heading out. Some affect familiar cruising grounds. Others relate to how ports and protected areas are being managed right now.
Hauraki Gulf marine protected areas now active
The most consequential change in this edition is the confirmation that new marine protected areas in the Hauraki Gulf are now in force.
These protections apply immediately. They are not proposals or future planning measures.
The issue for skippers is timing. Chart updates will follow later. Until then, the Notice to Mariners and Department of Conservation guidance are the authoritative sources.
Restrictions vary by zone type. Some relate to fishing methods. Others affect anchoring and seabed disturbance. Locations long treated as routine stopping points may now sit inside areas with specific limits.
Electronic charts remain useful tools, but they do not replace regulatory awareness. Knowing where restrictions apply sits with the skipper.
Tauranga Harbour dredging and navigation changes
Tauranga Harbour remains an active working port, and this month’s notices reflect ongoing activity.
Dredging is underway between A Beacon and Town Reach Beacon. A temporary lit starboard lateral buoy has been deployed. Further changes to aids to navigation may occur as work progresses. Spoil grounds D and G have also been temporarily extended, with new boundaries defined by position.
Several Tauranga charts are affected, including NZ 541 and associated harbour plans.
For visiting skippers, this is not an area to rely on last season’s track. For regular users, it is a reminder that familiarity does not guarantee accuracy. Channels shift. Marks move. Depths change.
When operating close to dredged areas or planning to anchor, the harbourmaster remains the best source of current information.
Whanganui Port dredging and bar navigation
On the west coast, Whanganui Port requires added caution.
Dredging is underway along wharves 1 and 2, with two active spoil grounds in use. A temporary pile has also been installed near one of those areas.
More importantly, the North Head Bar leading lights are currently unlit until further notice.
For bar crossings, this is a material change. The leads provide critical alignment, particularly in marginal conditions. Without them, greater emphasis must be placed on timing, daylight, local knowledge, and conservative judgement.
This is not a situation to rely on habit.
Otago charts flagged for new editions
Three Otago area charts are listed for new editions. No immediate action is required, but the listing signals recent survey work or accumulated corrections.
Skippers operating along the lower east coast should check chart editions and be ready to update once new releases are issued.
ECDIS performance check recommended
The general notices include a recommendation for vessels using ECDIS systems to run the official ENC data presentation and performance check produced by the International Hydrographic Organization.
International concerns have been raised about some systems failing to display important chart features correctly. The test dataset allows operators to confirm whether their system is behaving as intended.
While aimed primarily at commercial operators, the principle applies more broadly. Electronics assist navigation. They do not remove responsibility.
The full document on which this article is based is here.
