Taputeranga Marine Reserve, Marine reserve on Wellington's south coast, New Zealand.

Taputeranga Marine Reserve spans about 855 hectares along Wellington's southern coastline, where three ocean currents meet and create varied underwater habitats. Extensive kelp forests dominate the seafloor, providing shelter and food for many fish species.

The reserve was established in 2008 to protect an area damaged by overfishing and transform it into a safe zone for marine life. Fish populations, especially blue cod, have recovered noticeably since that time.

The reserve's name comes from Tapu Te Ranga, the island it surrounds, and the coast it protects includes the bays of Ōwhiro, Island Bay, Houghton and Princess Bay. Before protection, locals gathered pāua, kōura, mariri and rāwaru here; these species are among the seafood that made the area well known.

The reserve sits about 6 kilometers from Wellington's city center and has designated areas for snorkeling, diving, and coastal walking. Equipment rentals are available nearby to help you prepare for your visit.

The wreck in the reserve is HMNZS Wellington, a frigate deliberately sunk as an artificial reef off Houghton Bay in 2005, three years before the reserve opened. Divers reach it within the reserve's waters, where it now stands in for lost rock habitat.