I’m so grateful to Ben Goodwin & Amanda Choy who helped me collate the Threatened and At Risk species of the Tāmaki Estuary for the Tāmaki Estuary Protection Society.
Threatened and At Risk species of the Tāmaki Estuary
Protecting Regional Councils’ Role in Marine Conservation
The proposed Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Bill threatens to strip regional councils of their ability to regulate fishing impacts under the Resource Management Act (RMA). This shift would place decision-making solely in the hands of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)—an agency primarily focused on fisheries extraction rather than ecosystem health.
This change ignores a key legal distinction: RMA-based marine protections are not about fisheries management but about safeguarding biodiversity, cultural values, and ecosystem integrity. The Motiti Decision confirmed that councils have the authority to protect marine habitats from fishing when necessary to maintain indigenous biodiversity.
The Fisheries Act has failed to protect marine biodiversity, as evidenced by the expansion of kina barrens in Northeastern New Zealand and the complete collapse of the commercial scallop fishery. If councils lose the ability to implement marine protections under the RMA, these problems will only worsen.
New Zealanders overwhelmingly support better marine protection, yet only 0.4% of our oceans are fully protected, placing us behind international standards. The Bill would make it harder to achieve meaningful protections, contradicting both public expectations and international commitments like the 30×30 initiative.
The RMA already allows for 10-year marine protection areas, providing a practical and adaptable tool for ecosystem recovery. Removing this mechanism would take away a proven, community-driven conservation tool.
We oppose the Bill and urge the Select Committee to reject these restrictions, retain regional councils’ ability to manage fishing impacts, and ensure marine protection remains in the hands of local communities—not just the fishing industry. Now is the time to strengthen protections for our oceans, not weaken them.
Kina infographic for Hauturu
I created this infographic to explain the challenges facing the underwater forests around our first nature reserve.
GoPro drop camera
I have been 3D printing different mount designs for my GoPro in order to take photos of the seafloor from my boat / kayak for several months now. I am finally happy with the design and have posted it on Thingiverse if you want to print one yourself.
The mount connects a GoPro to a 1kg dive weight with additional cable ties. You can then lower the drop camera into the water to take photos and videos of the seafloor at different angles. I attach the mount to a diving reel with a stainless steel carabiner snap hook.
Here are some photos taken with the set up.
Submission on Regulatory Standards Bill
The proposed Regulatory Standards Bill prioritises private property rights over collective environmental interests. It asserts that “legislation should not take or impair, or authorise the taking or impairing of, property without the consent of the owner unless: there is good justification for the taking or impairment, fair compensation is provided to the owner, and compensation is provided to the extent practicable by or on behalf of the persons who obtain the benefit.” While this protects individual property owners, it could discourage essential regulations, like wetland protections or agricultural runoff controls, by imposing significant compensation burdens. This approach overlooks the shared value of ecosystems and the collective responsibility to safeguard them for future generations.
Ring net fishing in proposed protected areas
After a decade of consultation and compromise on the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill the government is proposing last minute changes to allow commercial ring net fishing in two areas. I have provided ministers analysis showing the proposal would compromise the objectives of the marine protection areas. I also asked Fisheries New Zealand for data on ring net fishing. They replied 49 working days later with a partial response, two days after the bill was debated in the house and I had complained to the Ombudsman.
The data provides factual information to support new arguments against the proposal to allow commercial ring net fishing in the proposed protection areas.
- Commercial ring net fishers in the Hauraki Gulf catch an average of $26,588 worth of fish in the proposed protected areas, which is only 6.8% of their total Gulf catch (averaging $366,213 annually). In weight, this equates to 17,616 kg or 12.5% of their total catch. This demonstrates that the proposed protected areas account for a small percentage of their overall income, especially considering these fishers also operate on Auckland’s west coast.
- The average annual catch from the proposed protected areas is 17,616 kg worth $26,588, which is small compared to the natural variability in catch outside these areas. For example, the catch outside protected areas fluctuates by 35,103 kg and $141,801 across years, far exceeding the potential loss from protection.
| 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 | 2022-2023 | Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inside protected areas (kgs) | 28,051 | 23,125 | 9,575 | 9,713 | 17,616 |
| Outside protected areas (kgs) | 120,961 | 119,841 | 108,851 | 143,954 | 123,402 |
| Inside protected areas ($) | $28,383 | $47,838 | $16,280 | $13,852 | $26,588 |
| Outside protected areas ($) | $297,053 | $376,722 | $352,221 | $438,854 | $366,213 |
Close CRA 2
I am publishing my draft submission on CRA 2 early. Key points below:
- The ecological imbalance caused by overfishing kōura (spiny rock lobster) in CRA 2 has led to the proliferation of kina barrens, devastating kelp forests along Northland’s east coast.
- Kelp forests in the Hauraki Gulf could be worth up to USD 147,100 per hectare annually, far exceeding the $10.17 million export value of CRA 2. Kina barrens, by contrast, provide no ecological or economic value.
- Fisheries New Zealand’s reliance on biased data, such as Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE), underestimates kōura depletion. Independent research shows kōura populations, even in marine reserves, are well below natural levels.
- The proposal to close commercial and recreational kōura fishing in the inner Gulf for 10 years is the largest fisheries closure ever suggested for the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. However, fisheries independent data shows it’s not enough.
- A new biomass target is precedent-setting and a significant step for Ecosystem-Based Management initiated by Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari. A 3x BR target is essential to control kina populations, halt the spread of kina barrens, and restore productive kelp forests.
- Independent data must be prioritised, and a precautionary approach adopted, including a full closure of the CRA 2 fishery. Further delays will only worsen environmental and economic losses.
End of year submissions 2024
Posting my submissions from the last few months.
Ten reasons why MPs should support Gulf protection bill
Recreational fishing lobbyists LegaSea are making a last ditch effort to stop the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill. Here are ten reasons why Scott Simpson and other MP’s should support the bill as it stands:
- Broad Public Support for Protection: There is overwhelming public support for marine protection. The bill will increase protection from 0.3% to 6%. 77% of the public want much more (30%) of the Gulf protected.
- eNGO Support for Increased Protection: Environmental groups have consistently asked for more protection than the bill currently provides, indicating that the bill is already a compromise aimed at balancing diverse interests.
- Protection to Address Depletion and Habitat Damage: The bill addresses overfishing, habitat destruction, and declines in marine biodiversity in small areas. Lage scale bottom-impact fishing is being delt with through a different process.
- Scientific Evidence Supports High Protection Areas (HPAs): While recreational fishers claim there is no evidence to support HPAs, scientific studies worldwide demonstrate that protected areas are fantastic for restoring fish populations and biodiversity.
- Minimal Economic Impact on Recreational Fishing: Recreational fishers will still have access to 87.4% of the Gulf for fishing. The HPAs cover a small portion, reducing the impact on fishing activities while promoting long-term marine ecosystem health.
- Displacement Concerns Are Overstated: The limited fishing restrictions introduced by the bill are offset by gains in fish abundance in nearby areas, as larger, reproductively mature fish spill over into fished zones, ultimately benefiting fish stocks outside HPAs.
- Limited and Controlled Commercial Fishing: The bill may include ring-net fishing in two HPAs compromising their objectives. However, 10 high protection areas and the two marine reserve extensions will be unaffected by the amendment.
- Ecosystem Benefits for Seabirds and Marine Species: High Protection Areas will help protect seabird foraging grounds and marine ecosystems, which directly impacts terrestrial food webs and biodiversity on islands in the Gulf.
- Strong Legislative Foundations: The bill aligns with New Zealand’s marine protection obligations under international agreements, reflecting a responsible approach to safeguarding marine biodiversity while considering local cultural and socio-economic factors.
- A Balanced Approach to Sustainable Use: This bill offers a compromise between no-fishing reserves and managed-use areas, establishing a multi-use marine park with regions for both recreational fishing and high protection. This approach meets both conservation and fishing community interests without entirely prohibiting either.
First look at the Bream Bay sand mining area
When I saw the proposed new Fast-track sand mine in Bream Bay placed on a map by Marc Daalder I thought I would have a look at the site.
I launched my kayak from Uretiti Beach and paddled 6.5 km to the site. On the way I paused six times to drop a weighted GoPro on timelapse from a dive line to photograph the seafloor. I then paddled South West of the mining site and took 12 more photos in a 1km North East transect.
I was not expecting to see much benthic biodiversity as the area is frequently trawled. However I was very pleased to find extensive non-calcareous tubeworm fields (Spionidae – I think) in half the photos, mostly at the north-eastern end of the transect. The filter-feeding tubeworms are a good sign the seafloor is stable and able to support even more complex biogenic habitats if trawling pressure was removed. (Sand mining directly and indirectly impacts biogenic habits, these complex 3D structures made by life on the seafloor are easily buried by unstable substrate.) The tubeworm fields are also associated with tipa / scallops. I was only clearly able to identify one live tipa in the 12 photos but tipa shells were a common feature of the area.
It was a quiet afternoon on the surface with no workups seen, however single tākapu / gannets were working the area, I counted five kororā / little penguin on the way to the site and a tight ball of forage fish.
