Environment Southland have scrapped a proposed cat ban in the seaside community of Omaui.

The decision was announced today in the Southland Regional Pest Management Plan and came after numerous public submissions spoke against the proposal earlier this year.

The proposal looked to put a “sunset clause” on domestic cats in Omaui, where domestic cats would have six months to be desexed, microchipped and registered with the regional council after the plan began.

After this six-month period, no more domestic cats would be able to be registered or brought into the Omaui site.

The decision to not go ahead with the plan came after "insufficient support for the establishment of a site-led programme at this time", with future discussions to be held with the community to consider a revised plan in the future.

Environment Southland chairman Nicol Horrell said they had listened to the concerns of the public at the open hearings in February.

“Some parts of the plan attracted a great deal of public interest and some strong debate, but it’s the community input that helps us ensure we get the best plan we can for the region, and I think we have done that.”

He said he was surprised about the attention the proposal received earlier in the year, with the proposed ban creating international headlines.

The plan also includes continued cat control on Stewart Island, the Titi Islands and other offshore islands and islets which means all domestic cats must continue to be desexed and microchipped.

Environment Southland will provide financial support to ensure existing cats meet these requirements, with the site-led programme receiving significant support from Stewart Island residents.

Other key parts of the plan include minor amendments to possum target areas, the removal of pest classification for chinchillas in Southland as well as the adoption of recommended rules to help prevent the spread of the marine pest Undaria.

Environment Southland Chief Executive Rob Phillips said the plan also included support to help prevent the arrival of new pests into the region.

"Sometimes we might have a pest that is somewhere else in the country but not here yet. So we'll look at those to detect if they arrive in Southland."

A hearing panel, comprising of councillors Lyndal Ludlow, Grant Hubber and Robert Guyton, along with iwi and tikanga specialist Muriel Johnstone and independent chair John Simmons, considered all the submissions, both written and oral, before recommending final decisions to the Council.

The plan is now subject to appeals until 5 July, and can be read in full at www.es.govt.nz/rpmp