Fisherman Island (New Zealand)

Fisherman Island

The island from the sandy spit on Adele Island
Fisherman Island Show map of South Island Fisherman Island Show map of New Zealand
Geography
Location	Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere
Coordinates	40°59′33″S 173°03′03″E
Total islands	1
Administration
New Zealand

Fisherman Island is a small uninhabited island off the coast of New Zealand. It is contained within Abel Tasman National Park and adjacent to Motuareronui / Adele Island.[1]

In August 2014, the name of the neighbouring island was officially altered to Motuareronui / Adele Island.[2] Motu means island, arero is a tongue and nui is big; hence, Motuareronui literally means the big island shaped like a tongue, which makes Motuareroiti / Fisherman Island (with iti meaning little) the little island shaped like a tongue; however, in his comprehensive book on natural and cultural history of Abel Tasman National Park, Philip Simpson suggests the two islands are incorrectly named, as follows:[3]

Tongues (arero) are important to Māori culture... the islands are not, however, noticeable tongue shaped. A recent official change as a result of the Treaty settlement is that Tasman Bay is shared with Te Tai o Aorere. This supports the suggestion that the two islands are incorrectly named and should be Motuaorerenui and Motuaorereiti.

See also

• Desert island
• List of islands

References

1. Hoiberg, Dale H., ed. (2010). "Abel Tasman National Park". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. I: A-ak Bayes (15th ed.). Chicago, IL: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc. pp. 25. ISBN 978-1-59339-837-8.
2. "NZGB decisions". Land Information New Zealand. August 2014. Archived from the original on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
3. Simpson, Philip (2018). Down the Bay. Nelson, NZ: Potton & Burton. p. 214. ISBN 9780947503932.