Marine reserves should be part of an overall strategy to restore and protect the Hauraki Gulf. But Friends Of the Harbour Gulf (FOHG)’s proposal for a marine reserve around the north-western coast of Waiheke is ill conceived and completely ignores collaborative efforts of organisations such as the Waiheke Marine Project.
Consider the marine reserve at Goat Island. It has close to 400,000 visitors annually and is under extreme pressure from this relentless volume of tourists. FOHG’s proposed reserve is much closer to Auckland’s 1.7 million population and will potentially attract even more tourists. So do we need hundreds of thousands of extra visitors to Waiheke when ferry services and island infrastructure are already at breaking point? We don’t think so.
Read our letter to Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, Hon David Parker below which outlines our reasons why.
25 June 2021
Hon David Parker
Minister for Oceans and Fisheries
Re: Proposed Marine Reserve around the north-west Waiheke coast
Dear Minister Parker
Congratulations on your announcement on Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari Hauraki Gulf Marine Spatial Plan. We are pleased you have considered the wider interconnected ecosystem and committed to a collaborative approach towards transforming the precious Hauraki Gulf marine environment.
Which brings us to a related matter.
From 2013 – 2016 an organisation calling itself Friends Of The Hauraki Gulf (FOHG) were behind a controversial proposal to create a marine reserve around Waiheke’s northern beaches including Hekerua Bay, Sandy Bay, Enclosure Bay and Palm Beach. It provoked a massive public outcry, with 1 900 people signing a petition against the proposed reserve. These were residents and holiday home owners concerned about the devastating impact of over-tourism and the erosion of their quiet island way of life.
6 years later, FOHG have re-emerged with the same idea but in a different location, stretching from Matiatia Point to the Hakaimango Point (the north-western entrance to Oneroa Bay) and encompassing all of Owhanake Bay. This idea has been thrust upon the bordering neighbourhood residents without consultation, with FOHG filing a proposal to DOC and Ngāti Pāoa before any residents were consulted.
We, the residents along the proposed marine reserve coastline, oppose the marine reserve in this location.
We are not against the idea of marine reserves, but are against the ad hoc imposition of a reserve on our surrounding coastline by an isolated group.
As you have stated, the best pathway to protecting the Gulf marine environment is an interconnected ecosystem approach considering both land and sea based initiatives, with collaboration from local communities. The more conversations we have, it appears that ‘no-take’ marine reserves are just one small part of the solution and we believe a group such as FOHG acting alone will result in the same community division that happened in 2013-16 with their last proposal.
We are engaging with the Hauraki Gulf Forum as well as the Waiheke Marine Project (WMP) who are taking a collaborative mana whenua and community led approach and considering all kinds of spatial protection strategies that synergise with Sea Change.
Our multi-generational commitment to conserve land and sea.
As an active group of conservation minded Waiheke residents we see ourselves as having a responsibility to be multi-generational custodians for one of the special coastal environmental areas on Waiheke, namely the north-west Matiatia Peninsula. All the local landowners wish to play a significant part in the preservation, conservation and protection of the land and over time its surrounding environs including the adjoining DOC land, the foreshore and surrounding seabed.
The initial group (Matiatia Estates Residents Group) was formed around the millennium as 19 owners of the subdivision within the gated area at the end of Delamore drive Matiatia and surrounded by what was a new DOC reserve that stretches from the Matiatia ferry terminal to Hakaimango Point. Over the past 20 plus years over 1 00,000 trees have been planted by the group and significant work programs implemented for pest and weed control.
This group, and many other residents along the north-west Waiheke coastline are now seeking to build on what is developing as another unique flora and fauna region by enhancing and enlarging the brief to work with DOC and the positive preservation societies and organisations on Waiheke. It has become apparent that before we rush off and create more individual or isolated projects (such as FOHG plans) we take time to research and reassess and then develop a strategic plan that serves all landowners and stakeholders. A leadership team is currently in the process of reaching out and connecting to Waiheke Marine Project, Hauraki Gulf Forum, Waiheke Local Board, Te Korowai o Waiheke, Ngāti Pāoa, DOC and others.
The group has identified that the surrounding regions of the peninsula including those along the Delamore Drive and Korora Road estates are equally passionate about conservation. Communication channels have been opened and connections will be made to bring all parties to the table where mutually beneficial knowledge and support systems can be achieved.
Contrary to FOHG claims in the media, there is no support for a “no-take” marine reserve from Matiatia to the western end of Oneroa.
Whilst the Colmar Brunton research (now somewhat dated) showed general support for marine protected areas (67%), this was highly qualified. 41 % said this was conditional on future visitor numbers being accommodated without having to provide more car parking, toilets and other services at ratepayers expense. 40% said beaches or bays close to residential areas should be excluded, and 26% said that the location should not require a significant reduction in recreational fishing.
Perhaps it was the combination of these factors which led to there being no support whatsoever from Waiheke residents (Nil return Appendix E of the Colmar Brunton report) for a marine reserve stretching from Matiatia to the western point of Oneroa, the area put forward for a reserve by the Friends of the Hauraki Gulf.
Proximity to Auckland will lead to overtourism
We think putting such a large “no-take” marine reserve within 40 minutes of a major population is problematic. We strongly support the need for far greater conservation efforts for land and sea in this area but creating a “no-take” reserve larger than all the current locations put together in such a location requires serious strategic and financial support and infrastructure management.
Based on DOC statistics from other marine reserves, a marine reserve is highly likely to add at least 100,000 extra visitors over summer, and that number would continue to grow over time. DOC’s Conservation Management Strategy gives us a real insight into what living side by side with a marine reserve could look like.
Goat Island marine reserve, in a rural setting beyond Leigh and more than an hour’s drive from Auckland, generates almost 400,000 visitors a year. The reserve is subject to considerable pressure from large numbers of visitors and it is acknowledged that it will never be able to accommodate the ever increasing number of people
who want to visit the reserve. Congestion has become so acute, we understand that DOC decided not to continue to increase infrastructure further but to try to divert visitors to other locations.
Ultimately DOC has limited funding to manage the reserves (we’ve experienced this when asking for their help in eradicating weeds), so needs the income from sale of commercial activity to help fund the operation of reserves. However, this commercialisation creates other issues and management challenges.
The extra 100,000+ visitors per annum on top of the existing over tourism will lead to even more congested ferries, and bigger water and sewerage issues. FOHG’s draft has no plan for infrastructure to service these visitors. They give no thought for Korora and Delamore Roads being narrow, windy roads, unsuitable for big tour buses, and that the walking tracks around the headland are in various states of disrepair, with several sections having dangerous cliffs with sheer drops within a few metres of the track, and unusable in terms of safe pedestrian ferry access at high tide.
If more marine reserves are being planned, we believe there are much better locations to
consider.
We believe if the motivation behind marine reserves truly is to regenerate our marine environments then the “launch” sites should not be easily accessible, preventing the damage and pollution tourism brings. There are vast swathes of Waiheke and other Gulf island locations that will result in similar or better long term benefits to fish stocks and marine life without impacting on the way all Waiheke residents and visitors currently enjoy and love using Owhanake and the little bays – walking their dogs, having the occasional fish off the rocks or kayak, or simply savouring the quiet beauty of this beautiful coastline.
Again, we support the measures outlined in your recent announcement which accelerate action
for marine regeneration, without creating community issues from tourism.
Boaties depend on Owhanake Bay
Owhanake is an important safe harbour – it is one of the few harbours on the Waiheke northern coastline that can be a safe shelter in even gale force winds, particularly easterlies. If a Marine Reserve was to eventuate here then even if boats are allowed to anchor, it won’t be long before potential anchor drag damage to the seabed is raised, made an issue, and boats banned. There are also a large number of small speed boats and jetskis that transit past the northwestern coast as they head to Oneroa, Onetangi, and beyond. Is FOHG planning to make all of these boats go miles out to sea to avoid their marine reserve?
In summary, there needs to be a fully coordinated plan, such as the one you are implementing, not one ad hoc idea, to preserve and improve the health of the Gulf environment.
We are wanting to be part of such a strategic and collaborative solution, so we ask that you do not support FOHG’s proposal. For our part, as mentioned, we will continue to work with DOC and others including the Hauraki Gulf Forum and Waiheke Marine Project.