The Waitangi Tribunal has ruled against two Maori hapu, that believe they should have been consulted in the protection of the endangered Maui's dolphin in Northland.

The two Maori sub-tribes based around Aotea Harbour, allege the Crown's 2013 Threat Management Plan did not include their interests as guardians of the Maui's dolphin.

But a judgement by the Tribunal today, has found the Crown's policy does not breach the Treaty of Waitangi, nor its obligations to Ngāti Te Wehi and Ngāti Tahinga.

“Based on the evidence it considered, the tribunal was unable to conclude that the Crown’s processes lacked good faith or were unreasonable,” the tribunal said in a statement.

The Tribunal took into account that the Crown not only had to consider the importance of the dolphin to Maori, but also its Treaty duties to fisheries in the Threat Management Plan.

The Maui's dolphin is one of the world’s smallest and rarest dolphins. It is found only off the west coast of the North Island.

The Department of Conservation estimated in 2012 that there were between 48 and 69 of the dolphins remaining.