The Aotea Great Barrier Environmental Trust works collaboratively with iwi, community and agencies to advocate for and progress environmental outcomes on the island. We act as the umbrella trust for many projects, the largest of which is the Predator Free 2050 funded eradication project, which is now lead by Ngāti Rehua-Ngātiwai ki Aotea. As advocates we have supported the Sea Change process since 2014 and provided independent science-based submissions on marine dumping, marine protection, shellfish and seabird conservation and discontinuing harmful fishing methods. We have been monitoring MPI’s response to the Caulerpa incursion since August 2021 when it was found on the Barrier and are working with tangata whenua on a local response.

Summary of feedback on the Discussion Paper

We supported in principle the establishment of a Fisheries Plan for the Hauraki Gulf, in order to help protect its valuable fisheries resources and marine biodiversity. We also welcome the Discussion Document on the Proposed Options for Bottom Fishing Access Zones (BFAZs), and the considerable work that has gone into its preparation.

However, we do not support any of the options proposed in the discussion paper. We support Option Zero – the discontinuation of these methods in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park from 2025, as agreed in the Sea Change process.

This is because:

These methods are damaging to the marine ecology as has been widely documented over decades.
They are not consistent with the purposes of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.
Ongoing BFAZs as proposed are in direct conflict with the first Management Objective (1.1) of the Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan.
They are not supported by the community of Aotea – as indicated by the Sea Change process and recent requests for an exclusion area around Aotea.
They were specifically identified as to stop in the Gulf by 2025 in the Sea Change recommendations (a process which included commercial fishers).
They will spread the invasive exotic caulerpa seaweed when they come into contact with it in the areas south west of Aotea Great Barrier.

These methods are destructive to the marine ecology

Aotea has suffered the effects of unrestricted bottom contact fishing methods for many decades. These impacts have been documented in the Gulf by successive studies and the State of Our Gulf reports prepared by the Hauraki Gulf Forum since 2000 and the Ministry is well aware of this. Around Great Barrier the impacts are as negative as they have been elsewhere in the Gulf:

Reduction in fish biomass across multiple species.
Damage to substrates and the marine ecology.
Wasted catches found floating or washed ashore.

Risk of spreading Caulerpa has not been factored into this proposal

Exotic Caulerpa has established in 800ha meadows to depths of up to 40m on the west and south coasts of Aotea Great Barrier and in several other locations in the Gulf. The new risk to our marine environment posed by Caulerpa and the huge damage already apparent around Aotea is of grave concern to the community and agencies.

MPI has in 2023 received requests from the community and iwi to exclude bottom contact methods from around the island in order to avoid fragmentation and spreading of Caulerpa masses that grow to these depths in our waters. Caulerpa is a marine ecological disaster. It could be caught up and carried to new locations by fishing gear and this is why the community requested such an exclusion.

Bottom fishing is not consistent with the purpose of the HGMP

These methods have long been responsible for large-scale destruction of benthic habitats and biodiversity in the Hauraki Gulf. Such destructive fishing practices have no place in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. The Act for the Park specifically recognises that:

“The interrelationship between the Hauraki Gulf, its islands, and catchments and the ability of that interrelationship to sustain the life-supporting capacity of the environment of the Hauraki Gulf and its islands are matters of national significance.”

Allowing BFAZs is in direct conflict with Management Objective (1.1) of the Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan

The very first Management Objective (1.1) of the Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan: “Protect marine benthic habitats from ANY adverse effects of bottom-contact fishing methods” cannot be met under any of the proposed options.

An Option Zero - the phased withdrawal of commercial bottom fishing from the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, should have been part of the consultation process and it is a failure of this process that it is not. We oppose all of the four proposed options for BFAZs.

Of extreme concern is the lack of credible evidence supporting the locations of the proposed BFAZs. There is little to no recorded biodiversity data for those specific areas. In addition there are strong cautions on the interpretation of the biodiversity modelling, clearly stated in the scientific report that the BFAZs are based on, which have not been followed or even acknowledged in the current Discussion Document.

In our view there is very little basis for the claim that the proposed BFAZs are low biodiversity impact. Locations of the BFAZs cannot be justified until further biodiversity data is collected, as suggested in the scientific report. Further, we support the submission of the Auckland Conservation Board on this area of the document.

Sea Change recommended the removal of all bottom fin fishing methods from the Hauraki Gulf by 2025

The very extensive public consultation for Sea Change included commercial fishing stakeholders. It also included Aotea Great Barrier residents. There was almost unanimous support for the exclusion of these methods from our waters and the Gulf in these engagements. Why do the options put forward now in 2023 for consultation to that same community not include this option, despite the clear mandate from that very comprehensive consultation process?

In summary, the Aotea Great Barrier Environmental Trust does not support any option put forward in the Discussion Document. We request the recommendations emerging from the Sea Change process are implemented in full, effectively the removal of all bottom fishing methods for fin fish by 2025 from the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.