First steps towards more sustainable fisheries

Media release

For immediate release

2 May 2015

First steps towards more sustainable fisheries for the Hauraki Gulf

The potential for achieving a high-value, low-impact Hauraki Gulf fishery through impact investment is the subject of a feasibility study being funded by Foundation North.

The study, by EnviroStrat, will look at the feasibility of new investments that generate a financial return while also delivering a positive impact on the natural resources, ecosystems, and communities of the Gulf.

Envirostrat’s lead for the feasibility study, Dr Nigel Bradly, says the study will address some of the major issues at the heart of the recently released Hauraki Gulf Marine Spatial Plan (Sea Change / Tai Timu Tai Pari). The plan recommends a range of changes to fisheries and fishery management including the application of kaitiakitanga and kotahitanga as principles of engagement.

“Creating a high value, genuinely sustainable fishery is a key challenge identified in Tai Timu Tai Pari,” Dr Bradly says. ”There are many parts to this complex challenge, and we believe an impact investment approach may provide part of the answer. Impact investing is untested in New Zealand but is very successful in other countries that have similarly complex, long-standing environmental challenges.”

Dr Bradly is partnering with Richelle Kahui-McConnell and Lucy Tukua who bring expertise in iwi and stakeholder engagement and working with local communities. A key area of focus will be in demonstrating how this approach can benefit mana whenua and local communities through greater employment, capacity building and funding of local initiatives.

Foundation North Chief Executive, Jennifer Gill, says the $50,000 grant for the study is the first significant grant from a $5 million fund established by Foundation North to support initiatives aimed at finding solutions to the complex environmental issues facing the Hauraki Gulf.

“Our Gulf Innovation Fund Together (GIFT) is looking for ways in which the environmental, social, cultural and economic outcomes for the Hauraki Gulf can be significantly improved,” Jennifer Gill says. “Because the research findings will be made publicly available, there’s real potential for other communities in Auckland and Northland, and nationally, to learn from the research as well.”

ENDS

Background

Study focus

The feasibility study will focus on specific areas for possible investment, and the expected environmental and social benefits from them, including:

· Transition to less destructive methods of fishing for commercial fisheries to increase value whilst reducing impact

· Deep water finfish / scallop aquaculture

· A sustainable fisheries brand for the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park

· The feasibility of a high-value, low-impact fishery-related tourism sector

· Mussel reef restoration and recreational fishing / water quality benefits

About G.I.F.T.

The Gulf Innovation Fund Together (G.I.F.T) was initiated by Foundation North to ignite innovation to improve the mauri of the Hauraki Gulf.

Foundation North has committed $5 million over five years to:

· Significantly improve the environmental health of the Hauraki Gulf by seeking and enabling innovation.

· Support projects that will deliver intergenerational benefit and wide impact.

To learn more about the GIFT fund, see www.giftofthegulf.org.nz

About Foundation North

Foundation North holds in trust for the Auckland and Northland communities an endowment, or putea, of over a billion dollars. This comes from the sale of the community’s shares in what was previously the Auckland Savings Bank. That endowment allows us to make millions of dollars in grants each year to not-for-profit groups in Auckland and Northland. www.foundationnorth.org.nz

About Envirostrat

EnviroStrat is a New Zealand-based consultancy delivering a range of services to the marine, freshwater, energy and resources, and government sectors.

Established by Dr Nigel Bradly in 2007 following a decade working in the UK, United States and Middle East, EnviroStrat brings the benefit of a mix of strategy and execution in both the private and public sectors around the world. Dr Bradly combines deep networks across a range of sectors with extremely strong analytical and implementation experience.

EnviroStrat services include impact investment, business growth, strategy, policy and evaluation, project and programme management, and complex stakeholder engagement. Its team has delivered to a range of public and private sector clients around the world over the past 18 years.

About Lucy Tukua

Lucy has been involved at the coalface for her iwi of Hauraki and Waikato in both governance and operational roles. She brings a depth of local government knowledge with involvement in governance and operational roles along with a wealth of longstanding relationships. As a Kaitiaki for Tikapa moana she is passionate about the mana and longevity of Tikapa across all facets and was involved during the early stages of the Hauraki Gulf Forum as technical officer and more recently a Mana Whenua representative on the Stakeholder Working Group tasked with writing the Marine Spatial Plan. As a member on

the Auckland Council's Urban Design Panel she is a strong advocate for cultural context and water sensitive designs, ensuring that development impacts on Tikapa are minimal and that there is a clear outcome that seeks to enhance the mauri or life giving essence of Tikapa Moana, Te Moananui a Toi. Being of Ngati Paoa and Ngati Whanaunga she has a whakapapa connection to Tikapa moana along with her whanau, hapu and Iwi.

About Richelle Kahui-McConnell

Richelle is of Ngati Maniapoto and Samoan descent, she is a multi-award winning tangata whenua social scientist and ecological restoration expert skilled in Iwi engagement and social capital analysis and development with particular regard to development of cultural health outcomes. As one of the core technical writers for Tai Timu Tai Pari she has expertise in advocacy for community based outcomes and innovative practice in ecological restoration, leading the way in shellfish restoration practice in Aotearoa.

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