Campaigners slam ‘unconscionable’ last-minute permit for commercial fishing in Hauraki Gulf sanctuary

Sunday, 13 October 2024

New protection areas were proposed for waters around Kawau Island.

Commercial fishing will be allowed in new ‘highly protected’ areas in the Hauraki Gulf marine park after a last minute U-turn by ministers.

Campaigners are horrified that ring-net fishing for mullet, parore, trevally and kahawai will now be permitted around the waters of Kawau Island.

And they are furious the Government has slipped the change into legislation that was 15 years in the making and endorsed by a parliamentary select committee.

Advocacy groups WWF-NZ and LegaSea say kahawai and trevally are already overfished in the area, and that seabirds and rays are vulnerable to accidental death in the nets.

Shane Jones, Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, pictured on a visit to Nelson.

But Fisheries Minister Shane Jones argues the fishing will be limited to winter and provides essential protein to Māori and Pacific Island communities in South Auckland.

In January, the Environment Committee recommended the Hauraki Gulf Protection Bill be passed in its entirety. That would create 19 new protection areas in the Tīkapa Moana Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.

It followed a long campaign by environmentalists to halt a decline in marine life and seabird populations, caused by unsustainable fishing practices, sedimentation and pollution, and years of negotiation with the community.

The legislation would establish High Protection Areas, where commercial and recreational fishing was to be banned, and Seafloor Protection Areas which prohibited trawling, dredging, and Danish seining fishing methods.

Kawau was entirely surrounded by these protection areas.

Kayla Kingdon-Bebb, WWF-New ZZ CEO, said the gulf was on the brink of ecological collapse and it was “unconscionable” to allow commercial fishing in the new high-protection areas.

She accused the Government of walking away from collaborative work by the community “on the basis of back-door lobbying by a few industry players”.

“This decision completely undermines the mana and integrity of this process and flies in the face of all the science and evidence,” she said.

Kayla Kingdon-Bebb says the changes are a “slap in the face”.

“Some fish stocks are already functionally extinct in places and we’re dangerously close to being past the point of no return.

“This last-minute U-turn is a slap in the face for the many Aucklanders, from all walks of life, who spent years creating a plan to restore the health and mauri of the gulf through the SeaChange process, which began in 2013.”

Kingdon-Bebb was sceptical of Jones’ justification. “New Zealand exports over 80% of its commercial catch, and we could certainly use some of that to feed our local communities before we need to start ransacking our few protected areas.

“The high-protection areas are set up to protect areas of critical, and declining, biodiversity. To allow this ring-netting to take place around reefs – which are home to eagle rays and dolphins and hotspots for our threatened seabirds – is a complete and utter disgrace. It completely undermines the purpose of creating these safe havens in the first place.”

Sam Woolford, LegaSea program lead, said an abundant fishery would be a better way to feed South Auckland.

“This is a perfect example regulatory capture,” he said. “We spent over a decade going through this process and what we've seen over that period is the systematic watering down of decisions made by all the stakeholders.

“Ultimately the commercial industry has managed to sway those and this is just the final example of that.

“You can't have one rule for them and one for us. It creates division and it ensures that the public loses faith in the whole process. Fisheries management in this country is very dubious at this point.”

But Jones dismissed the criticism.

“The changes are very modest. At the same time, I think people should bear in mind that we are in the grips of a wicked cost of living crisis, and this is not unreasonable for people who treat fish as a key part of the household diet.

“The amount and the locations that we're talking about are not inordinately large. In fact, the commercial industry is most displeased that these concessions are so tiny.

“So I feel that the constituency that may be up in arms, they should bank the 95% victory that they've got.”

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka confirmed Cabinet has agreed to the amendments.

“Ministers considered a wide range of advice and opinions to ensure we are putting in place modern marine protection that balances the needs of communities, the environment and the economy.

“Limited ring-net fishing will continue for a small number of fishers in protected areas who supply local communities. This will be reviewed after three years.”

Potaka said careful monitoring of the new protection areas would be introduced. “This is being funded through the International Visitor Levy and reprioritisation within Vote Conservation.”

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