Cook Islands · Spearfishing zone
Takutea Wildlife Sanctuary (no-take nature reserve)
What this zone is
Overview
How spearfishing is treated at Takutea Wildlife Sanctuary (no-take nature reserve).
Takutea is a small uninhabited coral cay ~20 km NW of Atiu, managed as a wildlife sanctuary / nature reserve (WDPA 555705176; IUCN category IV; designated 1903) by trustees appointed by the Land Court on behalf of the people of Atiu. It is a de-facto no-take reserve: no species may be removed from the island or its lagoon without the trustees' approval, so all fishing/spearfishing and taking of marine life is prohibited without permission. The trustees also ban the killing of birds and removal of tropicbird tail-feathers. Permanent (not a rotational ra'ui).
On the coast
Location
Approximate reference point for this zone. See the full picture on the interactive map.
19.8120°S, 158.2900°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
