Hauraki Gulf Marine reserves are being Jonesied*

The Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill is due to have its second reading in Parliament soon. It was introduced by the last Labour Government and referred to the select committee process.

When it was introduced then Minister Willow Jean Prime said this about the bill:

The purpose of this bill is to contribute to the restoration of the health and mauri of the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana. The bill is the product of years of effort from a wide range of people to restore the Hauraki Gulf. It establishes 19 new marine protection areas that, in addition to existing marine reserves in the cable protection zones, will nearly triple the protection in the gulf. These areas are a critical contribution to protecting biodiversity and reversing the decline we have seen in the gulf.

…

It is clear, as highlighted by successive State of our Gulf reports, that the gulf is in trouble and needs our support. Kōura – rock lobster were once abundant and are now considered to be functionally extinct in the gulf. Kina barrens are rapidly expanding as their predators decline in numbers. Sustained action is required to prevent this ongoing decline, and marine protection has a key role to play in this—and that is what this legislation delivers: the new marine protection. This bill will create 19 new marine protection areas, including two marine reserve extensions, five seafloor protection areas, and 12 high protection areas. This bill will extend existing marine reserves: the first is Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve, close to Leigh and commonly known as Goat Island—New Zealand’s first marine reserve that has provided biodiversity benefits for nearly 50 years; so it is extra special that we can extend the protection here. The second is the iconic Te Whanganui-o-Hei / Cathedral Cove Marine Reserve. This extension will encompass the outer edge of the reef, increasing its protection to these important habitats and the biodiversity they support.

National supported its introduction and off to the select committee it went.

The bill as reported back has some amendments agreed to by all select committee members.

The report contained the following comment:

Although many submitters requested changes to the protection areas that the bill would create, we do not recommend they be changed. The proposed protection areas are the result of an extensive consultation period. We consider that, on balance, the proposed areas are both pragmatic and fair. Any removal of protected areas, change in designation, or changes to boundaries would upset this balance and necessitate more consultation.

The Bill was recently considered by Cabinet and this Beehive Press Release details what decisions have been taken by Cabinet about the Bill.

The Press Release was full of feel good rheroric like “[a] Government commitment to restoring the health and mauri of the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana will enhance the area for generations to come” and “[c]ommitting to progressing this Bill means we are targeting our efforts into high-value conservation areas delivering the best outcomes for biodiversity.” It celebrated “establishing 19 new marine protection areas that will nearly triple the space protected in the gulf”.

It also had this statement:

Limited ring-net fishing will continue for a small number of fishers in protected areas who supply local communities. This method has very little impoact (sic) on the environment beyond the target species.

Er what?

You create a protected area but allow it to be fished?

And I am sure the target species will suffer a significant impact. Which is why you set up a sanctuary in the first place.

So much for Aotearoa New Zealand being clean and green.

The Hauraki Gulf Forum, a statutory body involving representatives from Central and Local Government and Iwi and a major proponent of the Bill have been scathing in its response to the change.

Co-chairs of the Forum, Nicola MacDonald and Mayor Toby Adams, have expressed their alarm at this proposal.

“Opening up high protection areas to commercial fishing undermines years of collaboration by successive governments with Iwi, communities and industry to ensure that the Gulf is protected and restored,” says Ms MacDonald.

Mayor Toby Adams says that there is already a robust permitting regime in the Bill to allow activities such as fishing to take place within a protected area.

“The permitting regime already included in the Bill ensures that any activity which takes place meets the biodiversity objectives and the purpose of each protected area,” says Mayor Adams.

“There is no reason to bake into the legislation an exception for commercial fishing, other than an acknowledgement that this would never meet the threshold for receiving a permit – in and of itself an example of why this change should be thrown out.”

The Forum also noted there would be changes to the Treaty provisions. Currently the Bill says that the Act “must be interpreted and administered so as to give effect to the principles of te Tiriti o Waitangi/the Treaty of Waitangi”.

How typical of this Government. Wind back environmental protection to allow their mates to plunder a marine reserve. And at the same time give the fingers to the Treaty of Waitangi. While at the same time come out with a whole bunch of PR platitudes.