About
The Rakiura Tītī Island Administering Body are kaitiaki of the Rakiura Tītī Islands along with, and on behalf of, all Rakiura Māori.
Under the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998 the Rakiura Tītī Islands were returned to Ngāi Tahu ownership, with Rakiura Māori controlling and managing the islands via an Administering Body.
Accordingly, the Rakiura Tītī Islands Administering Body was set up in 2004 to control and manage the Tītī Islands as a nature reserve subject to the customary rights of Rakiura Māori to take tītī on a sustainable basis.
The Rakiura Tītī Islands are shown on the map below. This group of islands does not include the Beneficial Islands, which are managed separately and under different legislation.
The role of the Administering Body includes:
The ability to make bylaws relating to management of islands
The preparation of a management plan for the management of islands (to be submitted to the Minister of Conservation for approval).
Establishment of work programmes for the islands for the protection and enhancement of the islands including biodiversity and biosecurity and monitoring of tītī.
The issuing of permits to access the islands and to harvest tītī (available to Rakiura Māori only).
To prepare and agree on constitution for the RTIAB (with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu).
The names of islands are currently being consulted on with Rakiura Māori as part of the Management Plan Review. We welcome your input on this.