Mana whenua and the Department of Conservation are stepping up summer protection efforts across the Hauraki Gulf following the passing of the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana Protection Act.
The legislation, which came into force last year, establishes 12 new high protection areas aimed at restoring the health of the Gulf. While the act has been widely welcomed by mana whenua, some concerns remain around exemptions allowing ring-net fishing in two of the protected zones.
Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, alongside other iwi, are investing in the long-term restoration of their moana through initiatives such as restoring mussel beds and removing kina barrens.
Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki chair Billy Brown says the legislation sends a clear message that parts of the Gulf are now off limits to harvesting.
“So, we now have laws to protect parts of the Gulf, Tīkapa. But I will say this, the legislation is a platform to remind not only Aucklanders, people in Tāmaki, but the country that there are areas that we need to protect, that there are areas that we need to revitalise for the good of our future.”
Department of Conservation Marine Protection Ranger Dani Willis Kaio says public awareness and compliance has been strong since the protections were introduced.
“The majority of the people on the ground are actually aware of these areas now and are pretty happy to follow the rules.”
Summer protection push
Tīkapa Moana and its surrounding islands attract more than 150,000 visitors each year, with numbers peaking over summer, prompting an increase in protection and education efforts.
Alongside the new legislation, the government announced $26 million in public and private investment to upgrade island infrastructure, install informational signage and clearly mark protected areas.
Signs are now visible at popular boat ramps and swimming spots throughout the Gulf.
Brown says the visibility of the signage reinforces the role of mana whenua in restoring the marine environment.
“These laws are for a very few that flout laws. And the laws really are there for those that sit there and say, what are you going to do about it. Well, we have some backing now.”
However, Willis Kaio says many breaches stem from misunderstanding rather than intent.
“I would say some common missteps would be missing the new signs that we have in place and not taking time to read those. Another common misstep would be not utilising or even knowing about the Marine Mate app that is available on your phone. Another misstep would be mostly in the Seafloor Protected Areas that we have, and not understanding that you are allowed to do some types of fishing in those areas.
“Typically, the only thing you aren’t able to do in regards to fishing is harming the seafloor. So, that would be practices like trawling and dredging and staying away from those.”
Me whai pānga ngā hapori
Nā te pāhitanga o tēnei ture i Pāremata, kua toro atu ngā kaimahi o Te Papa Atawhai ki ngā hapori huri noa i Tāmaki Makaurau me Hauraki.
E ai ki a rātou, koni atu i te 450 ngā pōti kei te tautiaki i tēra wāhi, me te aha, e whitu ngā kaimahi ka whakapau kaha mō ngā rā e whitu i te wiki. Neke atu i te 8,500 ngā tāngata kua uiuitia ki ngā karapū ika, ki ngā mākete, ki ngā taunga pōti, ki tātahi, ki runga i te wai anō hoki.
Kua tukuna hoki te pārongo ki ngā pakihi 160 neke atu, ā, koni atu i te 100 ngā tohu kuā whakatōkia ki ngā wāhi āheinga wai huri noa i Tikapa moana.
Hei tā Willis Kaio he mea nui te tiaki i Tikapa Moana.
“Ko ngā wāhi ēnei e noho haumaru ana kia tika anō ai te mauri o Tīkapa Moana o Hauraki.”
E ai ki a Brown, ko te oranga o te iwi me te taiao, he mana kotahi.
“People say it and it’s totally true, if the whenua and the moana are healthy, we’re healthy.”
