Carter
Approves Great Barrier Marine Reserve
Press Release
16 June
2005
Press
Release by New Zealand Government at 4:41 PM, 16 Jun 2005
A proposal
to create a marine reserve off Great Barrier Island in the Hauraki
Gulf has been approved by Conservation Minister Chris Carter,
but the reserve will be smaller than originally suggested.
"After
careful consideration, I have approved a reserve covering 49,500
hectares on the eastern side of Great Barrier Island, which differs
from the original application by the Department of Conservation
(DOC)," Mr Carter said.
"Following
discussions with Great Barrier Island residents, fishers, and
local iwi groups, I have decided to exclude the area around Whangapoua
Beach, which reduces the size of the reserve by some 508 hectares.
This exclusion is in addition to the exclusion of the adjoining
estuary, which was included in DOC's original proposal for the
reserve but removed in the formal application to me because of
its value to local people.
"The
argument for this reserve is very powerful. The marine area it
will cover is highly distinctive. There are few if any other locations
within the Auckland region, and perhaps New Zealand, with as many
different landforms, habitats and species in such close proximity,"
Mr Carter said.
"Support
for the original reserve proposal was strong. Of the 3513 submissions
on it, some 2200 were supportive. Nevertheless, I believe inclusion
of the Whangapoua Beach area in the reserve would have impacted
on local residents who fish in the bay for food."
Mr Carter
said he did not accept that recreational fishers from across the
wider Auckland region would be significantly affected by the proposed
reserve.
"Fishing
is very important to the Auckland community, but there are many
other fishing spots within easy reach of Auckland and popular
holiday spots, including a number of better fishing areas around
Great Barrier Island which are outside the proposed reserve.
"The
waters within the proposed reserve are isolated and remote. A
survey of visible boats undertaken in 2003/4 found that use of
the area by recreational fishers was low to moderate even in mid
summer," Mr Carter said.
He said DOC's
administration of the proposal process had been independently
reviewed and cleared as appropriate.
The proposal
would now proceed to the Minister of Fisheries for concurrence.
ENDS