| Fiordland
Fisheries Marine Area Announcement
Marian
Hobbs
1
October 2004
Article
from the NZ Herald
01.10.2004
Minister announces
Fiordland marine area
A 928,000 hectare Fiordland marine area will be created to protect
the special environment of the South Island fiords, Environment
Minister Marian Hobbs announced today.
The marine area would be created through a strategy developed by
the Fiordland Guardians, which would achieve the right balance between
environmental protection and commercial fishing and recreational
use.
The guardians had worked with the Fiordland and Southland communities,
Ngai Tahu, Environment Southland, the Ministry for the Environment,
the Department of Conservation and the Ministry of Fisheries to
develop the strategy.
"Fiordland is a globally unique environment," Ms Hobbs
said in a statement.
"It has high-value marine resources and exceptional biodiversity,
including species found only in this part of the world.
"It is a special area worthy of special protection. We are
acting now to ensure future generations will enjoy the treasures
of this area."
Ms Hobbs planned to introduce legislation to Parliament creating
the marine area and management regime before the end of the year
and expected it to be passed by the middle of next year.
It would:
* recognise the national and international importance of the natural
features of Fiordland;
* identify the 928,000ha marine area, which takes in Milford and
Doubtful sounds;
* establish a local advisory committee to advise the Government
and Environment Southland;
* create eight new marine reserves, totalling about 9430ha.
Commercial fishing within large parts of the inner fiords would
be banned but a 46,000ha recreational fishing area would be created.
Ms Hobbs said the guardians had spent eight years developing their
strategy to address concerns over increasing pressure on the fiords
from human activity, including cruise ships, fishing, diving, electricity
generation and boating.
"The Government thanks the guardians for their foresight, vision
and dedication to this valuable part of New Zealand's natural heritage,"
she said.
"The way the strategy was developed is my template
for community management of the environment."
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