Minister welcomes joint approach to Fiordland marine environment

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs will today help launch a draft management strategy for Fiordland’s fisheries and marine environment.

The "Guardians of Fiordland's Fisheries and Marine Environment", a group of Fiordland commercial and non-commercial fishers, iwi resource managers, tourism operators and marine scientists, have developed the strategy over several years. The Ministry for the Environment provided funding through the Sustainable Management Fund.

Marian Hobbs welcomed the group's vision: 'that the quality of Fiordland’s marine environment and fisheries, including the wider fishery experience, be maintained or improved for future generations to use and enjoy'.

"The strategy is a good example of how communities and stakeholder groups can use trade-offs to reach consensus over management issues," Marian Hobbs said.

"It is wonderful to see different interests working together, sharing years of knowledge and ideas and being prepared to compromise their direct interests for the greater public good."

The launch was held Friday evening in Te Anau.

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