Marine Protected Areas in New Zealand

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Marine reserves are an important part of conservation in New Zealand . There are different types of protected areas that have been created due to different legal bases.

Marine Protected Areas

The legal basis for these protected areas is the Marine Reserves Act 1971 .

Marine Reserves (marine protected areas)

As of January 23, 2014, there are 44 Marine Reserves in New Zealand. These areas are under the Department of Conservation , which is supported by the Department of Fisheries, Customs and the Armed Forces.

Marine Protected Areas Type 2

These areas are less protected than the Marine Reserves. In some cases, a larger Type 2 protected area surrounds a smaller marine reserve. The economic use of these areas is subject to defined restrictions. Most environmentally harmful fishing methods such as fishing with a trawl are forbidden.

Marine Mammal Sanctuaries (protected areas for marine mammals)

As of January 23, 2014, there are 6 Marine Mammal Sanctuaries in New Zealand . The legal basis is the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978 . They protect some important retreats and migration routes for the 43 species of marine mammals and nine seal species native to New Zealand. The New Zealand natives have a close relationship with whales. Whaling was later a major industry for European immigrants. Today New Zealand focuses on the protection of marine mammals and their sustainable tourist use.

Hauraki Gulf Marine Park

The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park , which includes the Hauraki Gulf , adjacent sea areas and land areas, was placed under protection by a separate parliamentary act in 2000. Fifty islands and five marine reserves are located in it . The area, which encompasses both land and sea areas, is heavily used by people due to its proximity to Auckland . The protection is intended to make integrated management possible.

Mataitai Reserves

The legal basis is Part IX of the Fisheries Act 1996 . Its emergence is an implementation of the obligations entered into by the New Zealand government with the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Claims Settlement Act 1992 .

Mataitai Reserves regulate the use of traditional areas where the Māori fish and gather seafood. They are administered by the local tribes Hapū / Iwi , together with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). Resource management and non-commercial fishing methods are used in line with indigenous customs.

Taiapure

The legal basis are sections 174-185 of the Fisheries Act 1996. Taiapure are also traditional fishing grounds of the Māori. They are also used for commercial fishing. However, it allows the local indigenous people to influence the cultivation. In this way, the type and amount of creatures caught, the fishing season, minimum dimensions and fishing methods can be limited.

Areas of significant conservation value

Marine areas of great importance for nature conservation can be regulated by the local authorities in regional coastal plans.

Benthic Protection Areas

These 17 offshore marine areas were subjected to fishing regulation in April 2007. Their aim is to protect the seabed from fishing with bottom trawls. The protected area covers 1.2 million km² (four times the area of ​​the land mass of the country) and is thus the largest marine reserve in the exclusive economic zone of a state worldwide.

The trawl fishing with bottom trawls in the areas generally prohibited. The use of pelargic trawls is permitted, but subject to strict regulations. So two observers have to be carried and the network and the ship are electronically monitored.

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Marine Reserves Act 1971 . Parliamentary Counsel Office , accessed July 30, 2012 .
  2. ^ Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978 . Parliamentary Counsel Office , accessed July 30, 2012 .
  3. ↑ Other marine protection . Department of Conservation , archived from the original on March 15, 2015 ; accessed on December 20, 2018 (English, original website no longer available).
  4. ↑ a b Mätaitai Reserves . Ministry for Primary Industries , June 12, 2014, archived from the original January 28, 2015 ; accessed on December 20, 2018 (English, original website no longer available).
  5. ↑ Taiapure - Local Fisheries . Ministry for Primary Industries , June 12, 2014, archived from the original January 14, 2015 ; accessed on December 20, 2018 (English, original website no longer available).
  6. ↑ a b Benthic Protection Areas . Ministry for Primary Industries , August 5, 2009, archived from the original January 28, 2015 ; accessed on December 20, 2018 (English, original website no longer available).