Hauraki Gulf Marine Protected Areas

DECISION: PROGRESSED

Introduction

In June 2021 the Government released a report, the Revitalising the Gulf action plan, to try and address ongoing degradation of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park waters. Successive environmental reports have shown the Gulf is in serious decline and many fish stocks are depleted.

We were disappointed and concerned that the action plan did not propose to defend the Hauraki Gulf waters from ongoing destructive fishing practices such as bottom trawling, scallop dredging and Danish seining.

In September 2022 the Department of Conservation (DOC) released proposals to create 19 new protected areas with the intention of improving the health of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.

In creating these 12 High Protection Areas, 5 Seafloor Protection Areas, and extending 2 marine reserves, there is no intent to reduce the exploitation rates of vulnerable species such as gurnard, kahawai, John dory, trevally, crayfish, hapukū and others. A separate Fisheries Plan is expected later in the year.

Update

On 22 August 2023 the Hauraki Gulf /Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill was introduced into Parliament. The Bill had its first reading on 29 August and was then referred to the Environment Select Committee for their consideration. There was little publicity about both the Bill and that submissions in response to the Bill were due by 1 November 2023. See the Marine Protection Bill 2023 page for further details.

Submission

Between September and October 2022 the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council (NZSFC) worked with LegaSea, the New Zealand Angling & Casting Association, other organisations and individuals to develop a submission responding to the proposals by the 28 October deadline.

We advocated that until the full package of proposals for both marine protection and fisheries management is made available for public consultation, and a genuine effort is made by officials to consider any feedback, we oppose the marine protection areas (MPAs) proposals issued by DOC.

Our goal is to see marine abundance and biodiversity restored in the Hauraki Gulf for the benefit of future generations. Allowing destructive fishing to continue while displacing existing fishing effort into smaller areas due to numerous MPAs is not good enough. We need bold management.

Process information

A comprehensive record of the Sea Change process that occurred between 2013 and 2021 is available on line at the Sea Change Marine Spatial Plan page here.

See the Marine Protection Bill 2023 page for further details.

Relevant information

2022

Submissions

Correspondence

Proposal

Public awareness

Background information