Cook Islands · Spearfishing zone
Maina Island ra'ui (Aitutaki lagoon, 2025)
What this zone is
Overview
How spearfishing is treated at Maina Island ra'ui (Aitutaki lagoon, 2025).
On 7 January 2025 the Aitutaki community re-established a traditional ra'ui (fishing ban) at three lagoon locations, one of which is Maina Island (a sand cay / 'Honeymoon Island' motu at the south-western extreme of Aitutaki Lagoon). All fishing, including spearfishing, is prohibited inside the ra'ui; fines of up to NZ$1000 apply, with catch/equipment confiscation and boat impoundment. Ra'ui locations are to rotate (planned shifts every five years, next from 2027).
On the coast
Location
Approximate reference point for this zone. See the full picture on the interactive map.
18.9140°S, 159.8350°W
View on the mapSource
This zone is documented in the official source below.
Before you dive
License for Cook Islands
Whether you need a license to spearfish here, and how to get one.
Aitutaki: from the Cook Islands Tourism Office in Arutanga and the Araura Marine Research Centre near the airport. Rarotonga: no licence required for general fishing.
Get your licenseOpens the official portal · cookislandspocketguide.com