National Environmental Standards for Marine Aquaculture

In force

The standards replace regional council rules for existing marine farms. In some instances they allow regional council rules to remain in force. 

Official title

Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Marine Aquaculture) Regulations 2020

Under the

Resource Management Act

Lead agency

Ministry for Primary Industries with support from MfE and the Department of Conservation

Last updated:

Full text

Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Marine Aquaculture) Amendment Regulations 2026 (New Zealand Legislation website)

In force from

1 December 2020

Recent amendments

Minor amendment to the NES-MA - September 2026 

A minor amendment to the NES-MA has been made under section 44(3)(f) of the RMA. The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform's reasons for making the amendment are published in the table below to comply with RMA s44(4)(b). This amendment was notified in the New Zealand Gazette on 10 September and has effect from 8 October 2026.

Instrument  Regulation  Amendment  Reason for amendment 
Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Marine Aquaculture) Regulations 2020  Regulation 62: Research or trial activities that involve aquaculture activities outside marine farms: restricted discretionary activity 

In regulation 62 revoke regulation 62(2)(f)(vi): 

(vi) an area of effects around the footprint of the activity that is an area defined in a scientific report prepared by subject matter experts, using best-practice criteria for ecologically significant effects endorsed by the regional council. 

 To correct an editorial error.

Amendment - May 2026

The Government consulted on proposals to prepare or amend national direction, including amending the National Environmental Standards for Marine Aquaculture.

Consultation closed on 27 July 2025.

Changes to the NES-MA were gazetted on 7 May, and come into force on 4 June  2026. See RMA National Direction updates

Read the factsheet on the NES-MA amendments

Read the Recommendations and Decisions report for NES-MA.

Read the Regulatory Impact Statement for NES-MA  

Read the Infrastructure, development and primary sector national direction consultation

What they do

The National Environmental Standards for Marine Aquaculture (NES-MA) provide consistent regulations to manage existing marine farms around New Zealand.

The NES-MA will ensure existing marine farms meet best environmental practice while providing a more certain and efficient process for:

  • replacement consents for existing marine farms
  • realignment of farms
  • applications to change farmed species.

Read more about the NES-MA on the Ministry for Primary Industries website

Year three review

For the: 

  • Report on the year three review of the National Environmental Standards for Marine Aquaculture 
  • Terms of reference for the year three review of the National Environmental Standards for Marine Aquaculture. 

See the National environmental standards for marine aquaculture [MPI website].