New marine reserves a missed opportunity – environment group

New marine reserves announced last week will not offer meaningful protection to marine life, says a West Coast group.

The five reserves on the West Coast of the South Island total 17,500ha, or 1.3% of the West Coast territorial marine area. The goal for protection was ten percent.

“I want to be pleased about this,” says West Coast Environment Network spokesperson Karen Mayhew. “But the Minister has ignored policy targets and sidelined the views of marine scientists and conservationists– we've now lost the chance to protect ecologically meaningful areas of West Coast marine life.”

“'Marine Reserve' is an absurdly grand term to describe something like the Ship Creek site, which reaches 200 metres into the waves and 600 metres along the beach,” she adds. “The wider area of the Gorge site has amazingly varied marine habitats, but the reserve doesn't go far enough offshore to touch deep water, or give any real benefits to species like the crested penguin.”

The West Coast is the first New Zealand mainland region to undertake a Marine Protected Area process, with a forum combining business interests and conservationists, and several rounds of public consultation.

“This proposal makes a mockery of what, was a well-intentioned, collaborative attempt, when it began in 2005, to look after our sea life,” says Ms Mayhew. “And it sets a bad precedent for other regions yet to undertake this process – allowing commercial and political interests dictate the design of reserves.”

“The Government has misrepresented the benefits to marine life and also the level of public support. We queried the 155 submissions said to be in support of the proposal in the Minister's press release, and found that the correct figure is seven,” says Ms Mayhew. “Many groups that opposed it were counted 'in favour' because of their support for marine conservation in general.”

“We would like the Minister to know that this is incorrect – while our group supports marine conservation, we do not support this reserves package.”

Notes:

1. West Coast Environment Network recently published an opinion editorial on this topic, at http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/8441672/Tide-not-turned-yet-on-marine-reserves

2. West Coast Environment Network queried the 155 submissions the governmental press release claimed were in favour of the proposal (out of 159), and was told by departmental staff that the correct figure was in fact seven. There were also four submissions opposed, and 148 'qualified' submissions', which included West Coast Environment Network's strong opposition.

ENDS

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