New Zealand’s marine environment is home to a rich variety of plant and animal life, but unfortunately much of this diversity is under threat.
Activities such as pollution, marine farming, coastline development, tourist ventures, over-fishing and environmentally damaging fishing methods all take their toll on the vulnerable marine environment and the plants and animals that live there.
Marine protected areas, including marine reserves, marine parks and marine mammal sanctuaries, where there are restrictions on pollution, development and fishing, make a huge difference in allowing our marine life to flourish.
Forest & Bird's Campaign
Forest & Bird’s I Love Marine Reserves campaign is seeking greater protection for New Zealand waters. We are calling for 10% of our coastal waters plus 25% of our offshore waters to be protected by a network of no-take marine reserves by 2010.
Marine reserves are areas of the sea and foreshore that are managed to preserve them in their natural state. Marine reserves may be established in areas that contain underwater scenery, natural features and marine life of distinctive quality, beauty or uniqueness.
All marine life within a marine reserve is protected. Fishing and the removal or disturbance of any living or non-living marine resource is prohibited, except as necessary for permitted monitoring or research.
The public is welcome to visit and enjoy marine reserves. In all marine reserves people can dive, snorkel, swim, kayak, anchor, use boats, picnic on beaches, explore rock pools and enjoy other non-destructive recreational activities.
Forest & Bird’s campaign recognises the role Maori fisheries management tools, such as rahui, taiapure and mataitai, can play in enhancing biodiversity and that these tools can be complementary to no-take marine reserves.
'I Love Marine Reserves' Campaign Goals
To increase public support for and awareness of marine reserves.
To have 15% of New Zealand’s coastal environment protected in each geographical region, including at least 10% in marine reserves.
To have 30% of New Zealand’s off-shore marine environment protected in each biological region, including at least 25% in marine reserves.
To see the Government fulfill its objective of protecting 10% of the marine environment by 2010.
To see an effective Marine Reserves Bill passed into law.
To ensure the development of a transparent and effective marine protected areas framework.
Support marine reserve proposals in your area and encourage others to do the same.
Coming soon! A DVD of a documentary on Marine Reserves made by wildlife filmmaker Andrew Pennekit.
Writing to Ministers and MPs: You can help by writing to the Ministers of Conservation and Fisheries at Parliament (Freepost – no stamp required) in support of specific marine reserve applications, or marine reserves in general:
Steve Chadwick,
Minister of Conservation,
Parliament Buildings
Wellington, email: steve.chadwick@parliament.govt.nz
Jim Anderton,
Minister of Fisheries,
Parliament Buildings,
Wellington, email: jim.anderton@parliament.govt.nz
Or you could write to your local MP expressing your support for marine reserves and encouraging them to also give their support. (Information on this site may help.)
Some points you may wish to make:
A comprehensive system of marine protected areas, including no-take marine reserves, is needed to protect a representative range of marine environments.
As a member of the public you value the environmental, recreational and scenic values of the marine environment – and would like to see these values protected.
The Government's policy states it is committed to the creation of marine reserves – we’d like to see this promise fulfilled.
