Formulating Oceans Policy — what’s the rush?

Some readers may be aware of a Government roadshow presently touring the country consulting with the public in an effort to involve them in formulating a ‘strategic vision for managing the oceans’.  

By the time you read this the public consultation phase will be all but complete, though I’m willing to bet that most New Zealanders had no idea that ‘Oceans Policy’ was under discussion, much less that a round of public consultation was already underway.

The Government’s position is this: currently there are eighteen pieces of legislation related to the use of the oceans in and around New Zealand.  There are laws about the use of, the protection of, and the conservation of, marine resources and the marine environment. This framework is complicated, piecemeal and contradictory; most of the laws have developed in isolation from each other, with no common framework incorporating the special values of our oceans.

So, they have embarked on a process of developing a comprehensive Oceans Policy.

It is seen as high priority by the present New Zealand government and is being actively pursued by several overseas governments, like Canada’s and Australia’s, whose policies are already well advanced.

A ministerial advisory committee has been appointed by Cabinet to report back to a ‘Ministerial Group’ chaired by Pete Hodgson (Minister of Fisheries, Energy, Minister of Research, Science and Technology).

The ‘Ministerial Advisory Committee’ consists of seven people drawn from various government departments, chaired by David McDowell. Its role is to advise on a framework and establish some guiding principles to determine priorities and allow trade-offs between user groups (‘stakeholders’), and to identify relevant values and principles.

The end result will be an Oceans Policy that defines our interaction with the marine environment and the land that surrounds it — a sort of Resource Management Act for the oceans. 

After their recent experience with the Soundings process, I’m sure this latest round of consultation on marine issues will be looked upon with a fair bit of suspicion by the New Zealand public.

One has to ask also, if Government is really serious about Oceans Policy, with its overarching ‘strategic’ goals and potential to influence every aspect of interaction with the marine environment, why are they concurrently pursuing the Soundings process, marine reserves and other marine-related processes? Surely ‘Oceans Policy’ comes first — it has the potential to influence—even negate—any outcomes of these other processes on which so many New Zealanders are working so hard.

If, on the other hand, Government isn’t serious, and Oceans Policy is intended as nothing more than an airy-fairy ‘overview’ or ‘guideline’ for marine management, what’s the big hurry? 

Oceans Policy Meetings

So far meetings have generally been poorly attended (could it be the lack of publicity perhaps?). Even more disturbing, recreational fishers as a group have been very poorly represented. Put simply, recreational fisherpeople (the public) have not been turning up to the meetings in any numbers, leaving the field open for some well organised pressure groups whose vision and interests are not necessarily ours.

One thing is certain, by not being present at these meetings, we are not being heard. It’s possible our interests will be ignored completely (look at what happened with Soundings before option4 got involved).

For details of the public meetings still to be held, check Oceans Policy website www.oceans.govt.nz(http://www.oceans.govt.nz/) or phone the Oceans Policy Secretariat on 04 470 7590 or 0800 00 1461.

By John Eichelsheim 
Fishing News