In Todays NZ Herald

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sports/sportsstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3400451&thesection=sport&thesubsection=watersports&thesecondsubsection=general">http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sports/sportsstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3400451&thesection=sport&thesubsection=watersports&thesecondsubsection=general

11.04.2003
By PETER JESSUP

The NZ Underwater Association has received more than 8000 submissions on its proposal that a large area of the Hauraki Gulf, centred around Tiri Tiri Matangi Island and the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, be declared a marine reserve.

Around 6000 of those submissions came on survey forms promoted by the Tiri Action group, most of them boating and fishing club members and Hibiscus Coast residents. The majority opposed the proposal in its present form. The Hibiscus Coast Boating Club was hosting an information evening last night, preparing the ground to go as far as court.

Opponents were aggrieved that they received notification of the association's application on December 19, just before the summer holidays, and with a submission deadline of February 28. That was extended to March 31.

The association, which had been preparing its plans for five years, is using Department of Conservation expertise to sift the submissions and present them as part of a formal application it expects to file before Conservation Minister Chris Carter by September.

Fishers' concerns include the 600ha-plus the association proposes be included in the reserve; the fact it includes bays that offer sheltered fishing during varying winds; and the distance boaties would have to travel to get to fishable waters given restrictions for cables, shipping lanes and the Defence Department.

They are also uneasy at DoC's stated intention of creating reserves "from the mountains to the seas," and at the Government's stated goal of roping off 10 per cent of the coastline.

Opponents argue that reserves should be created in appropriate places for real reasons rather than arbitrarily to meet a quota.

The biggest concern is that the approach to Auckland waters is ad hoc. There is no system in place, no co-ordination, and no thought given to the needs of all interested parties.

There are reserves at Long Bay, Goat Island and Tawharunui, plus the recently-gazetted Te Matuku Bay at Waiheke Island and another proposal at Great Barrier.

Off the west coast, the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society has proposed a marine park for the area from South Kaipara Head - or the north head (option 2) - to Port Waikato. It has identified nine areas within that which it says demand increased protection, for reasons ranging from Maui's dolphins to rare and colourful sea slugs.

The nine areas are:

* The upper Muriwai beach area, including Papakanui Spit and the Wainui inlet.

* Oaia Island off Muriwai and part of the south end of Muriwai Beach including Flat Rock.

* Maori Bay.

* The Te Waharoa coast south of Maori Bay and north of O'Neill Bay.

* Anawhata.

* Piha.

* The north head of the Manukau Harbour from outside Paratutae to Destruction Gully.

* Lawry Point and Big Muddy Creek estuary further up the north coast of the harbour.

* The Port Waikato river-mouth area.

The exact boundaries of any reserves are yet to be surveyed. But most include areas popular with anglers because of their current and depth of water, rocky contour, accessibility, or because of presence of fish food such as shellfish.

Forest and Bird is leading a discussion group, including residents and ratepayers, local authorities, fishing and conservation groups, iwi and others.

It has just published a discussion document and called for submissions. The society hopes to process those with DoC help so as to get a more definite proposal before Carter.

The Underwater Association and Forest and Bird said their proposals were open to negotiation. Thee only common ground they will find with fishers in each case is the intention to push commercial interests out as far as the 12-nautical-mile mark.

I'm really getting the impression that public opinion isn't going to stop or curtail any of these reserve plans. It's known that the government departments just play a 'wait and we'll get the reserve no matter what' game. I wonder if court action is the way to beat these robbing beggars. That or open reserves to fishing, for free!

I'vce always thought it would take legal action to prolong the process beyond their imaginations. Just look at the Treaty court actions.

Our government doesn't give a rats arse for protests and submissions and the like. They do however worry about loosing court actions as it makes it harder to legislate if they can't win against it!

Ross

Can anyone tell me why they want to protect the Port Waikato river mouth, There can't be to many resdent fish there, and as for pollution what isn't in the waikato river at that point. ????. 

Stephen

Dont they use some of that area as a bombing range. If you want to put a reserve anywhere .....

Rockhopper.

With what are they going to drop their bombs. We don't have an Air Force any more, or at least one that can drop bombs.

according to forest and bird the waikato estuary is significant bird habitat. the proposed reseve if ti goes ahead will also take in up to 1km inland from the mean high water mark, the point is how far up the river will the boundary go as salt water is sometimes as far up the river as tuakau.alot of farmers are going to be upset when they find that they can't farm as before as they are now part of a marine reseve and can't change the enviroment, no plowing as it changes the water quality etc. no additions to existing buildings in port waikato town as it changes the enviroment so much for property rights on private land.the marine park/reserve laws say that any activity that compromises the enviroment of the park in any way is prohibited, thats why farmers in tirau have to apply to the hauraki gulf marine park board to build anew cow shed if they are in the hauraki plains drainage basin.silly eh and we are looking at letting forest and bird control the north island from taupo to auckland as anything that effects water quality must be approved by the park board if it is in the waikato drainage basin. cheers fishwid

hi reidfish ,the point i was making  was that,the new park would stop simple things like adding a room to your home if it was felt that it might affect drainage or water quality if you have a home in the waikato drainage basin.

yes stop dirty dairying, stop hydro scheames such as the one on the upper waipa , but do it sensibly all you need is one greenie to prove that your house extension will create more stormwater and it could be stopped,or you will be made to go to great expense to mitigate the effects ,or prove them harmless. lots of hassle and time to comply with the law.

  cheers fishwid.

 Did anyone read the article by the Minister of Conservation in the herald last week.  He is very pro marine reserves and uses lies and half truths to support his possition.  I was reply pissed off.  I sent him an email asking him to name a few of the 300 endangered marine species he is trying to protect in Marine reserves  --  as yet no reply.  As wrote letter to the editor.  This is the uncut version.

It seems that the Hon Chris Carter has swallowed the biodiversity bait � hook line and sinker.  How else could he so glibly say that no take marine reserves over 10% of New Zealand�s marine environment out to 200 miles is perfectly reasonable and not a vast area. If Chris had been properly advised he would know our EEZ covers 500 million ha, so he is proposing transferring 50 million ha into the conservation estate by 2010. On what scale is that not vast? I suspect Tangata Whenua will have something to say about that.

He is also incorrect to say that 90% of the remaining space is available for fishing.  There is a long list of current exclusion areas for shipping lanes, communication cables and military zones. Soon there will be large areas set aside as Aquaculture management areas and fishing may be restricted inside Mataitai.  Most recreational and subsistence fishing occurs with in 8 km of the coast. 

In effect the marine reserves bill allows any body to propose a marine reserve any size anywhere they like. You can be sure that marine reserves will be proposed for the best most diverse marine habitat first � headlands and offshore islands.  Just look at the proposals in the pipeline right now.  Volkner Rocks, Tiritiri, Great Barrier, Mimiwhangati and Cape Brett.

Point Taken fishwid, I guess I trust that controling bureacracies are so underfunded that it will avoid some of the excesses of what certain administrators can go to - although maybe that's being naiive as you point out.

Man, as John H says, I was surprised also by the '300 endangered marine species' quote.  I'd like to know how many of those are even affected in the slightest by fishing, what status they need to be listed as 'endangered' and by whom. 

Here's an example of what the half truths have done - Volkner Rocks.  Much was made of the special species of deep water sponges discovered there, yet the reserve has no restriction on anchoring there, and that is the only control that would have saved the sponges, if they were in fact in need of protection anyway.  Are they part of the 300 species that we have to worry about?

Please excuse my ignorance, but just what was the Volkner Rocks decision? Has there been one or is 'the process' still ongoing?

obald