Purpose

The purpose of this document is to explain how we will establish in practice our MPA network in New Zealand. This paper looks to answer the following five questions:

• Why is the MPA process important, and why should I be involved?
• What habitats do we want to protect?
• What level of protection must be in place for a habitat to be declared an MPA?
• Who recommends where the MPAs will be located and how?
• How will we check that the MPA network is actually working?

Why is the MPA process important and why should I be involved?

Marine protection is important for the future of New Zealand, environmentally, culturally, socially and economically.

As New Zealanders, we place considerable value on the use of our sea and most of us would agree that we want future generations to enjoy the same splendour and benefits of a healthy marine environment that we do.

For future generations to enjoy those benefits, however, we need to continue to mange the impacts of our activities such as pollution, sedimentation, mining, fishing etc.

The MPA network aims to set aside and protect examples of habitats as insurance for the future.

The marine environment represents a common resource the health and sustainability of which is heavily reliant on the management of human impacts such as pollution, development and extraction of resources. The more degraded the marine environment becomes the less likely it will be to regenerate.

As such we must manage our impacts on the marine environment and set aside part of it for protection so that future generations of New Zealanders will have the ability to enjoy its splendour and benefit from its resources as we have. A network of marine protected areas is an important goal of the New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy set in 2000 and an important and complementary component of the management of the marine environment.

It is important to be involved and support the MPA process, as this is your opportunity to participate and influence the future of marine protection in New Zealand.

What habitats do we want to protect in our MPAs?

The aim of the MPA network is to protect biodiversity, by protecting a range of habitats and ecosystems and biota within them. The easiest way to do this is to use a classification system that lists a range of habitats we want to protect; this system is set out in the classification approach document now out for consultation.

To ensure a representative range of marine biodiversity is protected we want to protect at least two examples of each habitat across each biogeographic region. This does not mean one MPA for each habitat as MPAs will, for reasons of good ecological connectivity and practicalities of management, comprise a number of habitats.

What level of protection must be in place for a habitat to be declared an MPA?

For an area to be declared an MPA a habitat must be protected to a level that ensures it is in a healthy functioning state; this is outlined in the MPA Protection Standard document that is also out now for consultation.

Consideration of both direct effects such as dredging, dumping, fishing, mining and indirect effects such as pollution and sedimentation will be made when selecting areas to protect and the management tools required.

As mentioned, we are looking to protect at least two examples of each habitat type in each biogeographic region. At least one will be a marine reserve the other will be selected from the range of management tools available (MPA Policy paragraph 93).

Who recommends where the MPAs will be located and how do they do that?

MPAs will be more successful if communities and individuals play a key role in recommending where they go. An important planning principle in the MPA policy is that the adverse impacts on existing users of the marine environment should be minimised in establishing MPAs.

The MPA process will driven by community participation. Regional MPA forums will be established in each biogeographic region and these forums will comprise representatives of a range of marine user and interest groups. MPA forums will be charged with the responsibility to prepare site protection proposals, and consult with regional interests and the public to prepare a set of final recommendations for Ministers. MFish and DOC will support, advise and facilitate forums to select potential MPA sites.

Making decisions on which of the proposed sites and tools proceed into statutory or regulatory process (depending on the tool) will be the responsibility of the Minister of Fisheries or the Minister of Conservation. Ministers will be strongly guided by the recommendations of the forum especially when consensus has been reached.

Background on regional forum process

Initially the Government will carry out an inventory of marine areas already adequately protected. From this will be identified which habitats are already appropriately protected through existing management tools and what are the gaps remain in the network within each biogeographic region. Where an existing management tool meets the protection standard the area will be designate as an existing MPA. The forum will, in accordance with the brief, focus on the gaps that remain.

Step 1. Setting up a forum
DOC and MFish will call for people interested in being part of the forum, a chair will be appointed by Ministers and forum members selected.

The Government will prepare a brief for the MPA forum explaining their task and the objectives for the biogeographic region. This will include the best available information on habitats that require protection in that biogeographic region.

Step 2. Forum collects information / Consultation
The MPA forum will review the information provided in the brief and will collect any additional information. The collection of additional information may include more detailed biological information that is better accessed by the local community.

In addition, detailed information will be collected on existing use of the marine environment. This information will guide decisions on potential MPA sites that will minimise adverse effects on existing users.

This information will be consulted on by the forum and will form the basis for making recommendations for new MPAs.

Step 3. Consultation on recommendations
After the MPA forum has made initial recommendations, these will be discussed with local communities and stakeholders.

Step 4. Forum recommends new MPA areas to Ministers
After the above consultation, the forum will finalise its recommendations for new MPA sites and submit these to the Minister of Fisheries and the Minister of Conservation. The tools recommended to be used at each site will need to meet the protection standard.

Step 5. Minister considers forum recommendations
All recommendations from the MPA forum will need to be considered in the context of their relevant statutory processes e.g. Fisheries Management tools will be considered under the statutory obligations of the Fisheries Act. Ministers will also be careful to ensure that proposals for marine reserves are acknowledged in a manner that does not predetermine their statutory decisions late in the established process for marine reserves.

Step 6. Government decisions on forum recommendation
Once the Ministers have made their decisions on the MPA forum’s recommendations, and the statutory process have been completed, the Government will implement the relevant Regulation and management tools. MPAs will then be entered into a formal register.

How will we check that the MPA network we develop is working?

An important part of the MPA process will be monitoring and evaluating the MPA network. MPAs will be subject to monitoring and the network overall will be subject to review to ensure that the goals of the New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy and the MPA Policy continue to be met.

Last revised 20/09/07