The reserves will cover 308 square kilometres of Otago's coastal marine area.
Five new marine reserves in Otago will come into force next month, marking the first new marine reserves in Aotearoa in more than a decade.
The reserves will cover 308 square kilometres of Otago's coastal marine area and are designed to protect marine habitats and species through full "no-take" protection.
The network has been given a new te reo Māori name, Te Au Roa o Te Rakihouia, honouring Kāi Tahu connections to the moana and voyages of tūpuna across Te Waipounamu.
The name replaces the previous title South-East Marine Protection Network and pays homage to Te Rakihouia, son of Waitaha ancestor and captain of Uruaokapuarangi (Uruao) waka Rākaihautū.
