Bold plan to save the gulf revealed
Proposed new marine protected areas, rules for polluters and changes to commercial fishing methods have been revealed in a longawaited master plan to halt the fouling of Auckland’s blue backyard.
The collaborative policy blueprint, called Sea ChangeTai Timu Tai Pari, was unveiled in Auckland last night after four years of development.
The plan sought to stem the flow of sediment and other pollutants into the Hauraki Gulf, ease pressures on wildlife, fish stocks and kaimoana and restore the health of crucial ecosystems.
It lays out steps to “phase out” bottom contact fishing methods, review the way fish stocks are managed, create 13 new marine protected areas (MPAs) and extend two existing ones.
The suggested sites of the new MPAs were at the Mokohinaus, Little Barrier (Hauturu), Cape Colville, Aldermans (Ruamaahua), Mercury (Ahuahu) Islands, Slipper (Whakahau) Island, Whangateau Harbour, Kawau Islands, Tiritiri Matangi Islands, Noises, Rangitoto and Motutapu, the Firth of Thames and the Motukawao Group.
The new MPAs would include “no take” areas nested within “larger, special management areas with fisheries management objectives”.
Two existing marine reserves at Hahei and Leigh were recommended for extensions.
There are currently six marine reserves where no habitat disturbance or removal of marine life is allowed in the gulf, and five MPAs with no bottom contact fishing.
Mokohinau Islands Whangateau Harbour Tiritiri Matangi Island Rangitoto Island Motutapu Island Leigh Kawau Island Noises Islands
The recommended new “Ahu Moana” marine areas, from the mean high water mark to a kilometre offshore, which would allow mana whenua and local communities to manage their coastal area, using existing statutory rights and practices. It also suggested areas for an expansion of environmentally sustainable marine farming, without overriding regional coastal planning and resource consent. plan
Little Barrier Island Cape Colville Mercury Islands Motukawao Aldermen Group Island Hahei Firth of Thames
From the mean high water mark to a kilometre offshore, would allow mana whenua and local communities to work together to manage their coastal areas.
Slipper Island
Inter-tidal shellfish and oysters at Thames, Kaiaua, Coromandel Harbour North and South, Whangapoua and Maraetai, mussel and fish sites at Colville, Great Mercury, East Coromandel, South Great Barrier Island and mussel sites at the western Firth of Thames, Ponui and Whitianga. To slash sediment and nutrients entering the coastal marine area to levels which support healthy marine habitats, as well as building more wetland areas to capture sediment.
Potential new aquaculture areas included sites for intertidal shellfish and oysters around Thames and Coromandel, mussel and fish sites at Colville, Great Mercury, and South Great Barrier Island and mussel sites at the western Firth of Thames, Ponui and Whitianga.
It proposed new rules that would slash sediment and nutrients entering the coastal marine area to levels which support healthy habitats, as well as building more wetland areas to capture sediment.
Although backed by councils, DoC, and the Ministry for Primary Industries, the marine spatial plan is nonstatutory and has been steered by stakeholder groups that have put environmental, iwi, industry and recreation groups at the same table.
Paul Majurey, co-chair of the governance group which oversaw the plan, said the development had been a “major piece of work”.
“The challenge now is for agencies to pick up the recommendations suggested and to optimise the tools they have to chart a new way forward for the health of the gulf.”
The most recent environ- Such as trawling, Danish seining, set netting and dredging. Reviewing the way fish stocks are managed. mental stocktake of the gulf painted a grim picture: snapper and crayfish populations slashed by three-quarters, and development and agriculture heaping more pressure on estuaries and coastlines.
The plan’s architects were worried the gulf’s plight would only worsen, with more than 2.8 million people projected to be living within 80km of the marine park by 2041.
“This plan provides us with a blueprint for action to make the gulf increasingly productive, and to support healthy communities within its boundaries.”