Venue: Miranda Shorebird Centre, Miranda
Date: Wednesday 29 th October 2003
Chair: Paddy Stafford-Bush, ACB
Duration: 2.0 hours
Attendance: 12 public, 9 Board members, Rob McCallum (DoC), Marie Alpe (DoC), Warwick Murray (DoC).
A powhiri for the new members of the Board Kathy Walsh and Jenny Kirk preceded the meeting. This was followed by afternoon tea and an opportunity to talk with Board members and others attending the public forum.
Public Forum David Lawrie - Chair Miranda Naturalists Trust gave a presentation of what work the Trust volunteers had been doing to preserve the habitat for birds including godwits and red knot. They have an ambitious plan for the future and hope to settle on a memorandum of understanding with overseas countries to preserve habitat for migrating birds along the entire Australasian Flyway.
Bill Brownell - Chair EcoQuest Education Foundation talked with the Board of his personal involvement in conservation issues. Bill discussed the Firth of Thames in detail and the effects of aquaculture. He stressed the importance of the high primary productivity of the Firth of Thames ecosystem, particularly reflected in the high diversity and abundance of fish and shellfish, and the need to manage this sustainably. He is worried that the existing locally-based, small-scale marine farmers will be pushed aside by corporate marine farming interests that could rapidly overexploit that common resource, to the detriment of individual users and small-scale enterprises. Bill and his EcoQuest colleagues have written a report “Muddy Feet” about the intertidal ecosystem of the Firth of Thames (from the Waihou River mouth around to Kaiaua). Bill will be providing a copy of this report for our information. He also spoke highly of new Board member Kathy Walsh and her community action work in the Kaiaua/ Firth area.
Jon Kearins - Franklin District Council planner presented the Council's Rural Plan Change 14. Of particular interest here is a new provision to help protect the marine environment of the Firth of Thames by controlling subdivision development along the foreshore. The Council are seeking submissions and acknowledge there is more that needs to be considered before finalising the Plan. Kathy Walsh to investigate in more detail on behalf of the Board.
A letter from Pat Cook regarding coastal erosion and sedimentation issues was tabled at the meeting by Paddy Stafford-Bush.
Trish Rea - option4 spokesperson addressed the Board on several matters.
Great Barrier – Warwick Murray advises the analysis of submissions has been delayed and will be available before the end of November.
Consultation – an excerpt from the Court of Appeal decision on the Wellington Airport Ltd case was read out to the meeting. Trish explained that DoC have a responsibility to consult with the public in a meaningful manner. option4 do not consider the consultation undertaken during the Great Barrier Island marine reserve debate was adequate.
‘Drop In' meetings – opinions of the public were to be recorded during these 2 meetings to discuss the GBI marine reserve. Warwick advised that Emma Rush took notes not each person's opinion during the meetings and they will provide a copy of those notes to option4.
Marine Reserves – Warwick is leading the effort on behalf of DoC to gather the information and resources together for the coordinated strategy on marine reserves. DoC are in the early stages of developing the programme and option4 will be one of many parties involved in the process. He advises it may take years to achieve an integrated approach, Trish advised option4 are keen to be involved as marine reserves are forever so we need to get it right. Achieving long-term results through cooperation has to be better than the adversarial approach we have been through to date.
At the end of the public forum the Board continued with their meeting as per the agenda. Most of the Board were staying at the Shorebird Centre overnight so they could attend a field trip in the area the following day.
Summary A positive meeting with some good contacts made with members of the public. Trish to obtain a copy of the “Muddy Feet” report from Bill Brownell and ‘Drop In' meeting notes from Warwick Murray (DoC).
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