Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton and Conservation Minister Steve Chadwick have announced better measures to make the marine environment of New Zealand more protected than before. There are 14 coastal regions in the country in order to cerate a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that reflect the diversity of New Zealand’s marine environment. Now the protection of each has been on the shoulder of the local groups, or forums for their suggestions.
Jim Anderton explained that the government’s commitment to having 10 percent of our coastal marine environment protected by 2010, as stated in the Biodiversity Strategy of 2000. He says there will be three types of marine protection in these regions: Marine Reserves – highest form of protection that strictly prohibits taking anything from the water. Other marine protected areas – there will be some activities, but no to anything that would significantly change the overall environment, such as bottom trawling, dredging. Other marine protection tools – it exclusively protects certain plants or animals in the marine environment.
According to Anderton these levels of protection will help to identify what marine protection is already in place around New Zealand and what more needs to be done. He informed that the new steps of protection means that community groups, called Marine Protection Planning Forums, can start looking at the best way for each region to protect their local habitats.
Anderton said that the forums will work together to recommend new areas that should be protected in each region which will be considered by the Ministers. Steve Chadwick said four of the 14 regions have been chosen to start this work: West Coast South Island region, Otago-Southland region, the Hauraki Gulf area and the Sub-Antarctic region, which covers the Auckland, Campbell and Bounty Islands.
