One step closer to marine reserve at Tawharanui

27 July 2007

Plans for a marine reserve at Tawharanui are one step closer to becoming a reality now that the Auckland Regional Council (ARC) has lodged the final document in its application to upgrade the Tawharanui Marine Park to reserve status.

“It’s now in the hands of the Department of Conservation (DOC) and the Minister,” says ARC Chairman Michael Lee.

“We are hopeful that the Minister’s decision will be favourable. A marine reserve at Tawharanui will certainly be unique – there are few, if any, places where people will find an undersea sanctuary right next to a land open sanctuary and linked by a superb surf beach,” he says.

Public consultation on the ARC’s application closed on 15 July and a total of 13 submissions were received. Nine submissions were in support of upgrading the marine park to a marine reserve and four opposed the application.

A summary of all submissions has been forwarded to DOC and the next step in the process is for the department to prepare a report, based on the application process and public feedback, for the Minister to consider.

As well as enhancing the existing protection of the area’s natural and scientific values, a marine reserve would:

• Make an important contribution to the establishment of a marine reserve network, incorporating representative examples of the full range of habitats and ecosystems found in New Zealand’s marine environment.

• Give effect to the purpose of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act 2000 and would enhance the values and overall status of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.

• Contribute to an objective of the Auckland Regional Policy Statement to protect 10% of the region’s coastal marine area as marine reserves, which is consistent with the intention of the New Zealand government’s Biodiversity Strategy to protect 10% of New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone by 2010.

The area has been a marine park with no fishing allowed since 1981 and the move to a marine reserve is designed to change the administration of the area and enhance its protection, rather than create a new marine protected area.

If the ARC’s application is successful, changes will include the straightening of the boundaries, clarifying the extent of the protected area for all users and administrators of the marine reserve.

The proposed marine reserve is almost identical in size to the current protected area so it is anticipated there will be little or no inconvenience to recreational or commercial fishers using the surrounding area.

ENDS

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