There are three zones designated for the Vatu-i-Ra Conservation Park that cover both marine and terrestrial environments.
The majority of the Conservation Park is a no-take marine zone (79.21%) that aims to protect the unique marine biodiversity of the area, while allowing for dive tourism and non-destructive research.
The Vatu-i-Ra Island in its entirety to the low water mark is a no-take terrestrial zone (0.02%) that aims to protect the unique terrestrial biodiversity of the area, while allowing for limited and controlled tourism and research, and traditional non-extractive activities.
There is also a sustainable fishing ‘catch and release’ zone (20.77%) that aims to support low impact, non-extractive fishing, through a catch-and-release system.
Each zone stipulates what activities are allowed, what activities are prohibited, and the activities that require a permit.
Zones also place restrictions on how some activities are conducted.
No-Take Marine Zone – GREEN
The No-Take Marine Zone is a no-take area that covers 87.55 km 2 of the Vatu-i-Ra Conservation Park.
The objective of this zone is to protect biodiversity while promoting environmentally-friendly tourism.
Within this zone, no extractive activities can occur, including fishing or collecting of any living or non-living matter.
No-Take Terrestrial Zone – GREEN
No-Take Terrestrial Zone is a no-take area that extends to the low water mark and covers approximately 0.023 km 2 of the Vatu-i-Ra Conservation Park.
The objective of this zone is to protect biodiversity while promoting eco-friendly tourism.
Within this zone, with the exception of low impact research, no extractive activities can occur, including the collecting of any living or non-living materials.
Disturbance of birds in prohibited and the Biosecurity Protocol must be strictly adhered to, to prevent the introduction of invasive species onto the island.
Access onto the island is only permitted with the approval of the Management Committee and traditional owners of the island.
Sustainable Fishing ‘Catch and Release’ Zone – YELLOW
The Sustainable Fishing ‘Catch and Release’ Zone allows recreational fishing, where any fish caught is subsequently released back into the wild, taking care not to cause unnecessary damage or stress to the fish.
The objective of this zone is to protect biodiversity while promoting eco-friendly tourism.
Catch and release fishing is an increasingly popular practice amongst recreational fishers who are environmentally conscious.
Fishers used methods and rigs that ensure the mouth is hooked rather than the gut.
For example, these may include the use of artificial lures, and non-offset circle hooks when using bait.
The Sustainable Fishing “Catch and Release” Zone makes up 22.95 km 2 of the Vatu-i-Ra Island Conservation Park.
Conservation Park Boundary
The Vatu-i-Ra Conservation Park encompasses an existing conservation area established by communities since 2011, within the Nakorotubu District and covers an area of 110.5 km 2.
The boundary of the Conservation Park is defined by the GPS coordinates provided in Table 1.
Table 1. The GPS coordinates for the outer boundaries of the Vatu-i-Ra Conservation Park
| Location | GPS | |
| A | North Eastern Point | -17.273321°S, 178.494905°E |
| B | South Eastern Point | -17.392150°S, 178.392150°E |
| C | South Western Point | -17.429743°S, 178.484128°E |
| D | Mid-Western Point 1 | -17.349274°S, 178.419012°E |
| E | Mid-Western Point 2 | -17.343736°S, 178.418719°E |
| F | North Western Point | 17.273570°S, 178.461057°E |
The northern boundary lies 500 m north of the oundary of the Nakorotubu District, and the southern boundary follows the boundary of the Burewai and Kavula Subdistrict.
The eastern boundary extends 500 m east of the Nokorotubu District boundary.