Ngāti Manuhiri welcomes stronger protection for coastal rockpools
Ngāti Manuhiri welcomes the decision of the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, Hon Shane Jones, to introduce stronger protections for rockpools and intertidal fisheries across Auckland and the Coromandel.
Chief Executive of the Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust, Nicola Rata-MacDonald MNZM, says the action taken by the Minister, and the advocacy of Under-Secretary Jenny Marcroft, are a game changer for intertidal species and marine ecosystems.
“We are delighted to see proactive action being taken to protect our intertidal species and support the health and resilience of our marine ecosystems.” Nicola says.
“For Ngāti Manuhiri, this is about kaitiakitanga. The moana is a taonga, deeply connected to our whakapapa, identity and wellbeing, and we have a responsibility to protect it for those who come after us.
“When marine life is continuously removed from the same rockpools and rocky shores, there comes a point where those ecosystems cannot survive such high and sustained pressure. We have a responsibility to act before further damage occurs.”
The decision to establish the closure without a predetermined end date is particularly significant and sets an important precedent for fisheries management.
“What is especially encouraging is that this is not being treated as a short-term intervention. The decision not to put an expiry date on these protections provides an opportunity for these ecosystems to recover over the long term, rather than simply waiting for the next crisis before action is taken.”
“This is a significant shift towards taking a long-term view of the health of our marine environment, recognising that recovery does not happen according to an arbitrary timeframe.”
Ms Rata-MacDonald says the measures demonstrate what can be achieved when fisheries management is focused on ecosystem health and long-term sustainability, providing an opportunity to shift the focus from managing depletion towards genuine restoration.
“Healthy fisheries, abundant marine life, and functioning coastal ecosystems are critical to both the environmental health of the Gulf, and the cultural wellbeing and future of our communities.”
“Our aspiration is not to manage decline. Our aspiration is to restore abundance.”
“We want our tamariki and mokopuna to inherit a moana that is abundant with marine life. That requires decisions that look beyond what is happening today and take responsibility for the health of the moana into the future.”