Te Takutai Moana Act 2011, ss 58–60
“Customary marine title” is roughly similar to some of the elements of ownership and exclusive possession (that is, the right to possess the area to the exclusion of all other people), but the rights it gives are restricted.
Your group can’t sell the area or exclude the New Zealand public from it, but customary marine title does give you certain rights – for example:
the right to give or refuse permission for activities by others that need resource consents from local councils or permits
ownership rights over minerals other than petroleum, gold, silver and uranium
provisional ownership rights over taonga tūturu found in the area
the right to be consulted when someone applies for a marine mammal watching permit.
To prove that it has customary marine title that should be recognised for a particular area, a Māori group must have had the exclusive use and occupation of the area since 1840 without any substantial interruption, and must have held it in accordance with tikanga.
Your group can delegate or transfer its customary marine title to the area in accordance with tikanga.