TIRITIRI ACTION GROUP

Report of a Special Update Meeting
at the Hibiscus Coast Boating Club, Stanmore Bay
1930, Thursday April 10, 2003
______________________________________________________________________________

Present: As per attached list.

Special Guests: RDC Mayor John Law, RDC Councillor Gaye Harding, Dr. Floor Anthoni, Bernie Ward.

Les Sharman at the request of TAG Chairman Rex Smith moderated the meeting.

LS opened the meeting by welcoming the participants who were representing many of the organisations supporting the TAG initiative to challenge the proposed marine reserve and the process by which other locations are being determined.

• Mayor John Law reported on the progress of his earlier commitment to contact Government Ministers, MPs and officials. Although he had not had direct contact with MoC Carter, he had spoken with a senior aide who was made very aware of his (JL) strong objections to establishing the reserve. He has written letters to every MP in the Rodney electorate. In addition, meetings have been scheduled with MP’s Lockwood Smith and Sue Bradford.
  The RDC has just released its Draft Strategic Management Plan for the District - “Sustainable Communities are part of a Sustainable Environment ”
  The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, had launched a new policy whilst visiting Rodney district. He was forcefully reminded that the ‘ ability to fish was a heritage’. Bill Cook of (option4) commented that in any new policies the importance of sustenance fishing must not be ignored.
  Some discussion followed on the impact of the sewage effluent into Tiri Channel. JL reiterated the ‘world standard, quality’ and that the only other option to disperse it on land was impossible due to lack of space. Floor Anthoni warned that high nutrient levels would inevitably give rise to increases in plankton blooms, which are poisonous to both marine organisms and man. “If there has to be discharge into the sea it should be transported by tanker beyond the 100nm mark”
• Jeff Romeril gave an overview of the TAG Submission document presented to the NZUA. He high lighted the various legislative shortcomings of the NZUA proposal particularly its failure to conform to sections of the 1971 Maritime Reserves Act. The TAG submission drew attention to the serious safety, social and economic concerns that had not been addressed by the NZUA. The role of national activist groups and timing of submissions were also criticised.
  The TAG submission, together with 6200 individually signed and 500 e-mail submissions were presented to the NZUA on 31.03.03. The arduous task of photocopying and collating the individual submissions had been carried out by John Friend assisted by daughter Dion, and other members of the committee. Spontaneous applause was given to Jeff, John and their helpers.
• Bernie Ward is an ‘Open Space Planner’ employed by the Auckland City Council. He has been involved with recreational fishing and its politics primarily on AK’s West Coast since 1989. In 1994, Bernie participated in a MoF sponsored aerial survey of fishing activity taking place in the Inner Gulf. The survey lasted four months. This data was to become the basis for the plan by DoC to establish an extensive network of marine reserves. Approximately 3 years ago, he was approached by the NZUA to assist them in their plan to establish a marine reserve to include Tiri Tiri and part of Whangaparaoa Peninsula. Despite advice by BW that the area was not suitable, the NZUA elected to ignore the advice.
• Marty Baker emphasised the importance of having all the supporting organisations formally endorse the TAG submission. Eighteen of the representatives present had the authority to give this on the night. The remainder promised to arrange for their organisation to confirm endorsement by mail. A question from the floor sought an explanation of why some multiple submissions had previously been recognised as only one submission. Jeff Romeril confirmed that this had occurred and it was the reason why the TAG submission and individual submissions were collated and copied before presentation to the NZUA, in order to avoid this.
• Dr Floor Anthoni’s earlier career as an academic, with qualifications in maths, physics and computer science, provided the discipline that has enabled him to develop his extensive knowledge and understanding of NZ’s marine ecology. Floor is highly critical of the way marine reserves are being established and claims that only 3 of NZ’s existing reserves are working successfully. He singled out the Goat Island Reserve as a particularly bad example, with significant degradation being caused by silt and nutrient run off - despite claims by the scientific staff to the contrary.
  Other points from his talk were:
  Marine biodiversity is a term frequently misused. The important question to be asked ’ is it a sustainable population?’
  Marine Reserves Act: ‘…is a disaster”.
  Marine Reserves Bill: ‘…is not tuned to the needs of the environment”
  The threat to the seas: ‘…is not fishing ”. HOWEVER, Mud sewage & fertiliser is a recipe for ecological disaster: “ It will result in a failure of fish recruitment”.
  For more detailed information: Seafriends website: hhtp://www.seafriends.org.nz
• General Discussion
  There was a wide-ranging discussion amongst the participants about what action to take.
  - Need to discredit the perception that more marine reserves are the answer.
  - More education - schools, general public etc.
  - A ‘Fact and Fallacies of Marine Reserves’ brochure.
  - Targeted mail drops.
  - Targeted newspaper advertising.
  - Level the playing field of decision making. The actions of DoC and its front organisations such as NZUA, NZ F&B must be made more accountable and transparent, and when appropriate, discredited.
  - Need to identify ‘Decision Makers’, be they individuals, media, politicians, scientists, who support a more rational and consultative approach to establishing marine reserves.
  - Central Register of information/documentation/intelligence from the various protest groups.

SUMMARY
As the momentum in establishing marine reserves is gaining pace, it is imperative that all the groups such as TAG focus on actions that will raise the noise level of public awareness and understanding of our campaign. Because of limited financial and personnel resources, local issues must remain a priority. There is still a need for a well funded coordinated approach in the Greater Auckland area.

Post Meeting Action
TAG has sent a copy of their NZUA Submission to the Minister of Conservation, Minister of Fisheries, the MP’s for the Rodney District, the MP for Coromandel, The Mayor of each of the Local Governments in Greater Auckland, Whangarei, Dargaville and Thames/Coromandel.

Communication with TAG
John Friend, has for personal reasons, stood down from his role as our Administrator. We thank him for his tremendous efforts that have contributed to establishing TAG as a significant voice in the marine reserve debate.
In the meantime, e-mail communication to TAG can be sent to one of the following:

Jeff Romeril : romeril@attglobal.net
Marty Baker : mbaker@tycoint.com
Les Sharman : Mahita@mail.kiwilink.co.nz

LAS 22.04.03

Organisations Supporting* the TAG Submission to the NZUA

As at 15/04/2003

NB At the closure of the submission period (31.03.04)

• 6200 individual written objections to the NZUA proposal had been submitted.
A further 500 copies of objections sent by e-mail, were also submitted.

• Unconfirmed (by NZUA) written support for the proposal has been reported as “exceeding 2000”!

* Written support. Verbal support from several other organisations has been given and will be confirmed in writing. ACTION PLEASE!