The park is named after Abel Janszoon Tasman, the Dutch explorer who was the first European to reach New Zealand, during his travels with the Dutch East India Company in 1642. Tasman's middle name has been adopted by Project Janszoon a privately funded initiative working in partnership with DOC on the ecological restoration of the Abel Tasman National Park.For at least 500 years Māori lived along the Abel Tasman coast, gathering food from the sea, estuaries and forests, and growing kūmara on suitable sites. Most occupation was seasonal but some sites in Awaroa estuary were permanent.The Ngāti Tūmatakōkiri people were resident when, on 18 December 1642, the Tasman anchored his two ships near Wainui Mohua(Golden Bay). He lost four crew in a skirmish with the local people and sailed away without stepping ashore.